Falun Dafa Practitioners in Australia Share Their Stories

(Minghui.org) Falun Dafa practitioners held a series of activities from October 7 to 9, 2022 in Sydney. They held an annual experience-sharing conference, plus a rally and a parade. Some of the participants shared their stories on how they improved their physical health and mental fitness through the practice. 

From Curved Spine to Dragon Dancer 

Mr. Daniel Khmelev stands in front of the Hurstville Entertainment Centre where he attended the annual Falun Dafa Experience Sharing Conference in Australia on October 9, 2022. 

Mr. Daniel Khmelev, 24, had a curved spine since he was a child. Every step he took caused excruciating pain. His doctor told him that the pain would persist and he’d never enjoy a quality life. 

When he was 19 his older brother who practiced Falun Dafa gave him a copy of Zhuan Falun. After he read the book, his back pain disappeared. He later joined the Dragon Dance Team and often performs at local festivals. 

“Before I began practicing Falun Dafa, I often wondered ‘what is the purpose of life? Why am I doing these things?’ The teachings in Zhuan Falun answered all my questions.” 

His character improved significantly within a few weeks of taking up the practice. “I often felt annoyed by my family and would scream at them. Now I am calm and my family and friends have noticed my changes. They know that I won’t get angry at them like I used to,” he explained. “I feel so lucky to have found Falun Dafa. No words can express my gratitude to Master Li.” 

He now works for an independent media company. “The most important thing is to let the world know how brutal the persecution of Falun Dafa is in China.”

Terminal Illness Disappears in Three Months

Mr. Mark Hutchison (front) does the sitting meditation at Customs Square on October 7, 2022. 

Mr. Mark Hutchison is a successful entrepreneur who started his own business and has won business awards. About ten years ago, he suffered from a severe digestive illness. “I was told it was terminal. I tried everything,” he said. “I lost a quarter of my body weight, and I went from 96 kg (211 lbs) to 70 kg (154 lbs). If my condition had worsened, I would have died.” 

His older brother suggested that he practice Falun Dafa. He did, and his digestive problems went away in three months. He’s been healthy since. “Without Falun Dafa I might not be here today,” he said, further expressing gratitude that Mr. Li Hongzhi, the founder of Falun Dafa, saved his life.

About the 23-year-long persecution of Falun Dafa in China, he said, “The nature of the Chinese Communist Party is evil and brutal. It systematically harvests organs for transplants from living Falun Dafa practitioners who are incarcerated for refusing to renounce their faith.” 

Besides attending the experience sharing conference, he participated in other public events hoping to introduce the practice to everyone and tell them about the ongoing persecution in China. 

Starting a New Life

Mr. Flinders Stoke attends a Falun Dafa event in Jubilee Park on October 8, 2022. 

Mr. Flinders Stoke majors in music therapy in Western Sydney University. Just five years ago when he was 25, he suffered from substance abuse and an incurable illness. After he began practicing, he quit cigarettes, marijuana, and alcohol and his illness disappeared. 

Looking back, he said that without the practice, he’d never know how bad substance abuse was, “It was a devil that drew me toward the whirlpool of lust and desire and tried to destroy me.” He thanked Master Li for pulling him out of the mud and giving him the power to resist temptation. 

“I tell people how good Falun Dafa is, and how the CCP continues to lie about the practice in order to sustain the persecution,” he said. 

Recovers from Gallbladder Disease 

Ms. Trisha Haddock meditates at Customs Square on October 7, 2022. 

It’s been 15 years since Ms. Trisha Haddock began practicing Falun Dafa. “The first time I read Zhuan Falun, I felt that it had all the answers I had been looking for. The book is inspiring,” she said. 

“My thoughts became clear after I took up the practice, and I recovered from shoulder injuries. A month later, my gallbladder disease went away. My mother supports Falun Dafa and tells everyone she knows that I became healthy because of it. She even helps me clarify the truth and tell people about the persecution,” she said. 

Trisha came to Sydney to attend the activities. “It’s important to make more people aware of the persecution of the practitioners in China,” she said. 

The stories the practitioners shared during the conference touched her, “They enable me to progress diligently in the practice and help me eliminate the attachments and problems I have.” 

Business Consultant Finds Wisdom 

Mr. Allen Huang and his mother attend an activity in Jubilee Park on October 8, 2022. 

Mr. Allen Huang is a business consultant at a construction company. He began practicing in 2017 after he graduated from high school. He went from being a rebellious youth to a mature and calm adult. “I always felt stressed out and was impulsive and irritable. I often lied to get out of trouble,” he said. After seeing how practicing Falun Dafa changed his mother and brought joy to the family, he decided to take up the practice. 

Since he was little, Allen had nightmares almost every night. “The practice allowed me to sleep well without nightmares. It was an amazing feeling. I could work more effectively as a result,” he said. “Without Falun Dafa, I can’t imagine how horrible my life would be now. I used to suffer from depression, and sometimes I was suicidal. I can see how Falun Dafa has changed me.” With deep gratitude to Master Li, he is determined to remain steadfast. 

The teachings taught him how to stay calm when faced with problems. “I no longer react with uncontrollable anger. When I face conflicts with compassion and sympathy, the conflicts no longer exist,” he said. “The teachings in Zhuan Falun gave me wisdom in life, and I can now face all kinds of troubles with a forgiving and honest attitude.”