(Minghui.org) “When I was a child my younger sister died from kidney disease, my brother and I then came down with the same disease, and after my brother and I got better, my mother came down with an illness,” said Huiwen Li, a Falun Dafa practitioner.
She went on to say that the elders asked everyone in their family to recite the word “Amitabha,” known as the Buddha of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, and the King of all Dharmas. Although she recited this word next to her mother's bed, her mother passed away when she was in third grade.
Then the father of Huiwen's boyfriend passed away on the way to the hospital. Her boyfriend's auntie told him, “I used to be in poor health, and had to spend thousands of dollars every month on medicine and transportation to Taipei. I recovered from all my diseases after I started to practice Falun Dafa and read its book, Zhuan Falun.”
Huiwen's boyfriend couldn't believe a book would be so powerful, but on hearing that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) had persecuted practitioners of this cultivation practice he thought, “What the Party is opposed to must be good. I have to read Zhuan Falun!”
That is how Huiwen got a chance to read Zhuan Falun in 2005. She felt so fortunate because it marked a new chapter in her life.
“The elders had told us that gods were watching us,” said Huwein. “The wall on a temple I visited was covered with paintings depicting reincarnations. No one doubted this truth. It was deeply rooted in my heart that being good will be rewarded and being evil will be punished. I naturally believed what Master Li (the founder) wrote in the book Zhuan Falun.”
Ms. Huiwen Li doing the meditation
Planting the Seed of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance in Children's Hearts
Huiwen became a kindergarten teacher in 2007, after graduating from the National Taipei University of Education. She wanted to teach children traditional values.
She said, “We encouraged children with reward cards that displayed the words Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, and small phrases, such as letting other children borrow your belongings has to do with compassion, and finishing homework was a subset of Forbearance. It was easy for most children to find a phrase, with the exception of one. I always had to think for some time to find any good deed he had done.”
The parents of this child told Huiwen after he graduated that she was their son's favorite teacher. Her eyes were filled with tears, but she was not sure if it was because she was touched or felt guilty. He wasn't her best student, so she was worried to have hurt his feelings unknowingly.
Every teacher has likes and dislikes when facing all kinds of children, but she had to overcome these notions because of a teacher's responsibility, as well as a cultivator's compassion. Especially Huiwen, who has been treating every child with a Falun Dafa practitioner's pure compassion and humbleness.
Then, after Huiwen got her teaching certificate, she was assigned as a formal teacher to Wenshan School of Special Education. Her job involved a lot of interactions with parents and children who needed special help. Huiwen helped them with learning strategies and finding the best approaches.
She said, “One little girl had trouble controlling her anger. She would cuss, throw things, and kick chairs. Her other teachers had described her as a hellcat. When I was helping her, she saw my lotus flower hanging on my cell phone and the words 'Falun Dafa is Good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is Good.'”
I continued, 'Truthfulness means no lies and no cover-ups. Compassion means being kind and helpful to others. Forbearance means being able to tolerate and suffer, and not fight back. Look, you aren't the only one who is practicing how to be good. I also have bad moments and should improve my character.”
The girl's eyes brightened and felt that I was sincerely helping her instead of accusing her of misbehavior and trying to correct her. Thus, she wanted to try to improve her behavior.
Interactions with parents and teachers is another challenge. Huiwen said, “Not every teacher or parent is cooperative. When I suggested more visual reminders for autistic children and more understanding of the children who had trouble controlling emotions, some teachers didn't accept it.”
Master said,
'I also want to tell you that your nature in the past was actually based on egotism and selfishness. From now on, whatever you do, you should consider others first, so as to attain the righteous Enlightenment of selflessness and altruism. So from now on, whatever you do or whatever you say, you must consider others—or even future generations—along with Dafa’s eternal stability.' (Non-Omission in Buddha-Nature from Essentials for Further Advancement)
She shared that when she looked inwards, based on the Falun Dafa principles, she found that she hadn't considered others first. She realized that she should consider the level of acceptance by each teacher, and kindly and patiently communicate with them about the best way to help these children. She knew that if she made them aware of special education, but had caused some misunderstanding, it would be due to her notions and not theirs.
She learned that the teachers had invested a lot of energy to help the children, so she focused on that instead of on the teachers' shortcomings. She hopes that her tutoring will appeal to every teacher's sense of responsibility. When they realize how important they are to these children and help them develop good character, they will find the ultimate value of being a teacher.
Clarifying the Truth about Dafa to Chinese Tourists
Having cultivated for 13 years and working as a teacher for 17 years, Huiwen has a deep understanding of Master's profound altruism and compassion. She hurries to the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall after work to help clarify the facts about Dafa to tourists from China.
Huiwen at a Falun Dafa truth clarification activity
Huiwen told tourists through a speaker, “Greetings! Welcome to Taiwan! I hope you will take this opportunity to learn what is important when it comes to freedom. Falun Dafa is a great cultivation practice. We are unpaid volunteers. Our goal is not to convert you or turn you against China. We are here to say a fair word and to wish you safety and prosperity.”
She then told the tourists that the Chinese legislature has not enacted any law that says that Falun Dafa is guilty of anything. Even the list of evil cults does not include Falun Dafa. Yet, the CCP still persecutes it.
“Who knows when it will persecute you someday,” she asked. “Who can guarantee that they may not have to face the wrath of the CCP" The high-ranking officials and the rich in China send their children to other countries. Why? Think about it! We wish you safety and hope China can become a better place.”
To share what is on her mind, she said, “I have benefited so much from Falun Dafa. It makes sense to tell the facts when Falun Dafa is slandered. A teacher not only teaches knowledge but also influences others through her or his actions and creates ripples of compassion."
