(Minghui.org) I was plagued by many illnesses from a young age. I had rheumatoid arthritis at the age of 13. I became paralyzed at 14 and was hospitalized for a year. In the subsequent years, I had rheumatic heart disease, a low platelet count, and a variety of other conditions. Almost every month I needed medical intervention, and every year I would end up in the hospital.
I was fortunate to learn Falun Dafa in May 1997. All my illnesses disappeared, and my body and spirit became radiant. My family, relatives, and friends witnessed the power of Dafa, and many started to practice Falun Dafa as a result.
Since Jiang Zemin launched the persecution of Falun Dafa in July 1999, the practice has been suppressed, fellow practitioners have been imprisoned, and thousands of families, including mine, suffer enormous pain.
Facing the Evil with Righteous Thoughts
Master said,
“The consulates and embassies in different countries are places where overseas Chinese people can go to express their views. Of course you can go there. There are people there, too, who can be saved. So it has great significance. Also, everything that you do there can be seen by the world's people. But for Dafa disciples it really is strenuous. In the North winter is very cold, with its freezing winds that chill to the bone, yet Dafa disciples still keep up their efforts. They're amazing, truly amazing! Everyone is walking his own path of validating the Fa. Those students too are walking their own paths of validating the Fa.” (“Teaching the Fa at the 2004 Western U.S. Fa Conference”)
I kept thinking, “If I can go abroad, I would go to the Chinese embassy in that country to do the Dafa exercises and send forth righteous thoughts.”
What seemed by chance, in June 2014, my family and I moved to Australia. After we settled down for a bit, I went to the embassy to do the exercises and send righteous thoughts.
I met a practitioner in front of the embassy who goes there every day. She told me, “I went from Australia to Beijing to petition the government this year, and witnessed many practitioners being beaten. I felt like those beatings were done on me.”
Tears rolled down her cheeks as she spoke. She paused, composed herself, and continued, “Whether in China or abroad, Dafa disciples are one body. So, for 16 years, come rain or shine, no matter the difficulties or barriers, I persist in coming here every day. I know that this is my cultivation path.”
Her words touched me deeply. I also wished that this was my cultivation path.
Overseas consulates and embassies are the Chinese Communist Party’s black dens. The old forces are afraid of practitioners going there to do the exercises and send forth righteous thoughts, so they will try to create a lot of problems and interference to try to stop us.
The old forces took advantage of my loopholes because my preconceived notions were still very strong. First, it started with my body to make me feel ill; then, it attacked my thoughts.
One morning, I felt confused and lethargic. I didn’t want to move. It happened to be raining heavily that day, and I really had no desire to go to the embassy. So, I decided to spend the day at home to study the Fa instead.
I picked up Master’s lecture “Fa Teaching Given at the 2014 San Francisco Fa Conference,” and somehow turned to the last page. What met my eyes gave me a shock. It was as if Master was responding to my state of mind.
Master said,
“The beings that have come to this world, [including those that] couldn’t become human beings and became animals or plants—all of them are waiting for Dafa disciples to save them. If you don’t do well, it’s not just a matter of you yourselves not doing well—the beings that you have vowed to save will lose their chance. Your responsibility is great. The future is waiting for you, and numerous beings in the cosmos are waiting for you.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the 2014 San Francisco Fa Conference”)
I couldn’t hold back my tears. I became full of remorse for my excuses for not going out and saving sentient beings. I picked up my umbrella and hurried to the embassy.
Another time when I went to the embassy, I was perfectly fine when I left home, but on the bus, I suddenly felt dizzy and nauseous. I experienced palpitations and numbness in my hands and feet.
A voice seemed to tell me, “Hurry home. You need to lie down!” I didn't listen. I had a clear sense of my mission that no evil could shake. I silently cried and asked Master for help.
I got off the bus and fought my way to the embassy. I sat upright and calmly proceeded to send forth righteous thoughts. Slowly, a warm energy coursed through my body until every bit of my discomfort was wiped out and my clarity of mind returned.
In the harsh winter months or under the scorching summer sun, I have continued to go to the embassy.
Fellow practitioners and I can feel that our righteous thoughts are successfully stirring up the black den and clearing away a lot of interference and destructive elements of the evil forces. We keep our minds calm and our environment peaceful.
At our embassy site, we have set up poster boards in Chinese and English. People often stop to read the information and sign the petition to stop the persecution in China. There is also a pile of Epoch Times newspapers that people take.
From time to time, someone would give us a thumbs-up, and I often hear people saying, “Falun Gong is good! Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good!”
One time, I heard a male voice ring out, “China's hope and future depends on Falun Gong!”
I was inspired to see people following their conscience to make the righteous decision to support us. I'm convinced that I am walking the path in the most precious cultivation environment that Master arranged for me. I am determined to honor my prehistoric vow, be steadfast and persevere, until I achieve consummation.
Saving People with Compassion
I always carry a backpack with me. In it are Falun Dafa informational materials, a petition clipboard, and a yellow vest with the words “Falun Dafa” and “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance” in both Chinese and English printed on it.
The vest is a valued gift from the practitioner who has invested 16 years at the embassy site. It was given to me with solemnity.
Master said,
“Even when in your daily life you pass by people so quickly that you don't have a chance to talk to them, you should still leave them with your compassion and kindness. Don't lose those who should be saved, especially those with predestined connections.” (“Teaching the Fa at the 2003 Atlanta Fa Conference”)
I always try to bear in mind Master’s teaching to make sure that everyone I encounter can feel my kindness and compassion with my every thought, word and action, even with people who I can’t communicate with because we don’t speak the same language.
I was on my way to the embassy one time, when I happened to pass by a Westerner on crutches. Every step he made seemed very difficult, and he was holding a piece of paper in his mouth.
“Is that his medical record?” I thought to myself. “What if he coughs? Won’t the paper fall? How will he be able to pick it up? If he has to hold the paper in his mouth for a long time, it will get wet with his saliva. What can I do?”
I really felt that he needed help and wanted to do something to help him. I kept looking back at him after I passed. Suddenly, I remembered I had a plastic shopping bag in my backpack. I took it out, turned around, and ran back to catch up with the man.
I patted him gently on the shoulder. When he stopped, I smiled, waved the plastic bag in front of his face, and reached for the paper in his mouth. When he opened his mouth, I took the paper, put it into the plastic bag, hung the bag on his wrist, then beamed up at him. He thanked me with a smile. We waved goodbye to each other and went our separate ways.
I saw two passing-by Westerners smiling at me and giving me the thumbs up. They must have observed the entire scene.
I was caught by surprise with their actions. I smiled back, hesitated for a second, then quickly took out my vest, and pointed to the English words printed on it.
They said, “Oh, Falun Dafa!”
I took out a couple of leaflets on the organ harvesting of Falun Dafa practitioners and handed them over. While they read the content, I got out the petition board. They gladly signed their names on it.
I ran into a Chinese parent another time and commented on her child’s good manners. We started a conversation.
She wanted to know if I had gotten used to living in a foreign country. I answered, “Yes, definitely! Look at the blue sky and white clouds here. How very wonderful!”
She asked, “Aren’t you lonely?”
I thought to myself: As a Dafa disciple, when do I have time to be lonely?! “I walk around, look around, and experience new things,” I replied. “No, I’m not lonely!”
She told me that her parents were unhappy about the new environment, language barrier, and difficulty getting by without help, especially with seeing a doctor. They were constantly thinking about going back to China.
I talked about how I used to be in poor health and needed to visit the hospital so much that, one time, when I had to stay away for so long, my child didn’t even recognize me when I returned home.
She laughed. I continued, “Now, I don’t even know where the hospital is.”
She was very curious, so I explained, “I practice Falun Dafa. I’m very healthy. I haven’t seen a doctor for 18 years.”
I continued to talk to her about the practice. She listened intently, so I brought up the subject of withdrawing from the Chinese Communist Party and its youth organizations. She readily agreed and rewarded me with a radiant smile!
Master is truly compassionate. He holds all sentient beings in his heart.
I know I still have a lot of human notions and attachments I must get rid of. I also know that, going forward, there will be a lot of obstacles and interference on my cultivation path. I am determined to keep Master's compassion in my heart, to motivate myself to do well the three things, and to save more people.
