Norway: A Practitioner's Painting Touches School Children's Hearts (Photo)

"Homeless" by Daci Shen

(Clearwisdom.net) In early 2006, a Falun Gong practitioner made a presentation to several classes at an elementary school, to tell the children about the persecution of Falun Gong that is taking place in China. The students got to learn about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and that China as well as Norway and most countries in the world have signed it. They were told that in Norway, as in most countries, one has the freedom to believe, think and do as one wants, as long as one doesn't hurt others, but that people in China are persecuted if they believe in Truth, Compassion, and Tolerance, the principles of Falun Gong.

The students got to know the story of a little Chinese girl through a painting entitled "Homeless" by Daci Shen, a Chinese artist who lives in New York. The girl in the painting comes home from school one day. She has a book bag on her back and a key around her neck. But what she finds is a blocked door and no parents, as they are gone. Agents from the 610 Office, which was established to persecute Falun Gong practitioners, have been at the little girl's house and taken both her parents and locked her out of her home.

The pupils got a short introduction to Falun Gong, and learned that the practice consists of five qigong exercises, and that the practitioners strive to live by the principles of Truth, Compassion and Tolerance. Some of the exercises were demonstrated. Afterwards, a boy asked, "Is this what is illegal in China?" "What is wrong with this?" another asked.

After talking about the persecution and the torture that practitioners in China experience, the pupils were told the story of a Swedish girl, Elvelina, who dreamt that if she could make 1,000 folded paper lotus flowers, it would bring peace and an end of the persecution of Falun Gong. By folding lotus flowers, the students would be supporting other children suffering under the persecution in China. The lotus flowers are beautiful. In China they are a symbol of purity. They grow in the mud and raise themselves up to become pure and lovely flowers.

To fold lotus flowers one needs concentration and patience. The first flower was a little difficult to make, and the practitioner had to explain everything carefully. However, the next ones were easier. All the students managed to make at least two lotus flowers each, and many of them wanted to take paper to make more at home. They had made "peace flowers" and were very proud.

While the students folded the flowers, they talked about what they were doing and about the homeless girl and what happened to her. "If we lived in China, we could maybe not fold these flowers," said one pupil who had thought carefully about the persecution. "Would we be imprisoned then?" was the next question. We talked about this together.

It all was a new experience for the students. They were very happy that they lived in Norway. Several of the pupils said that whenever they would look at the lotus flowers at home, they would think about that homeless girl in the painting. They hoped that everything would turn out well for her in the end.

Source: http://clearharmony.net/articles/200602/31479.html