Since July 22, 1999 Falun Gong has been illegally banned in China, Mr. Li Hongzhi, the founder of Falun Dafa has been framed with malicious lies, and thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been thrown intojail and detention centers without undergoing any legal procedures. On observing all this, Falun Gong practitioners in Sydney started writing to and phoning the Chinese Embassy in Sydney in order to initiate a peaceful dialog between Falun Gong practitioners and the Chinese government, but all to no avail.
From then on, some practitioners began a sitting demonstration in front of the Chinese Embassy building. They hold banners that express their wishes of communicating with the Chinese government and hoping to obtain support from kind people. Ever since July 25, 1999, from Monday to Friday, morning till night, rain or sunshine, nothing has stopped them from going to the embassy. During this time period, many heart-moving stories took place, and we want to share a few with you.
1. "We Respect You!"
A Westerner whose name is John lives not far from the embassy building. He has had many conversations with the practitioners. At the beginning he asked us what happened and slowly he started to understand what Falun Gong really is. Whenever he sees how the practitioners stand quietly under the burning sun or the chilly wind, respect and admiration arise in his heart.
He said to the practitioners "You have moved me. I see you everyday. Whenever I drink coffee in front of the embassy, you are in front of me. I cannot run away, and I do not want to run away. I believe many Australians feel the same as I do. We have been thinking that we feel happy to see people of different backgrounds in Australia being able to perform such a task." He also said, "You are always holding the banners or reading your book quietly. You look so peaceful that I feel this mentality is immense! There must be some sort of righteous mind behind you; otherwise no one can do it. I cannot do anything for you physically or help you with anything, but I feel that if I don't come over and express my feelings, I would feel guilty." Practitioners said to him that what he thinks and says is already the biggest support.
2. Supporting Silently
One day, an elder Western man walked up to the practitioners. He looked at everybody, but since most practitioners had left for work, only a few old and young practitioners with limited English ability were there. The elder came over, wondering if anyone could speak English with him, and shook hands with everyone of them.
At one time, a Westerner made a hand sign, "V", with his forefinger and middle figure to wish practitioners success. At another time a youngster bought drinks for the practitioners. There have been numerous forms of support from both Westerners and Easterners alike. The practitioners feel that although these forms of support have been silent, they bear all the care and kind wishes within them.
3. A Righteous Heart
Zhang has been carrying and protecting the Falun Dafa flyers and banners in front of the embassy building for many months. When Zhang went back to China, Jiang took over the responsibility. Regardless of how busy the practitioners got, the banner was always there. Someone always took the responsibility upon him/herself. From these determined actions, we can see the practitioner's righteous hearts.
A lady by the name of Liu is in her 70s. She would attend the Central Train Station Belmore Park's practice site and practice everyday, and then she would go to the Chinese Embassy. One asked why would she still go out at such an age. She said that she couldn't stay quiet at home during such a time.
Mr. and Mrs. Li are in their 60s. Everyday they practice at the Prince Alfred Park not far from the Chinese Embassy, and then they go to the embassy building. One day, a worker from the embassy threatened them by saying if they go to the embassy with the banner again, he would surely call the police. Mr. Li replied "Go ahead! I'll still hold the banner even if I would be put in jail because of it!" In order to stand longer, some practitioners even skip drinking water for a whole day. Their lunch usually consists of a few pieces of dry bread or crackers.
Some practitioners are working as taxi drivers now. They said that they can't go to the embassy everyday, but they always look for opportunities to drive by there. They feel much steadier when they can see the banner.
During Christmas and New Year the embassy was closed. But there were always practitioners standing there reading quietly, with a banner that says "Falun Dafa". On New Year's Eve, some practitioners stayed in front of the embassy and waited for the New Year to arrive, and they did their first practice of the year 2000 in front of the embassy.
4. "Special Car Wash Day"
Before any holiday, washing and cleaning of the embassy by janitors is normal. Usually practitioners would just make room for the flowing water. Everything went smoothly. But there was something different with their car washing on January 13, 2000.
Two embassy workers were rinsing a van with a hose. But they never washed or rubbed the van. Instead they just sprayed water on the van, and the water never really landed on the van; it was sprayed skyward and over the van, directly landing on the sidewalk outside the embassy's fence, as well as on the practitioners. They kept it up for more than an hour and dirtied many practitioners' clothes and socks. But the practitioners stood there and held the banner without moving an inch. They showed no hatred or dislike toward the workers.
Water landing on our bodies was no big deal, but considering the fact that this is the Chinese Embassy, using such a way to express themselves is quite difficult for people to understand. Why not just talk over the differences?
Eventually some water splashed on a passer by. She asked the embassy workers why they did that? As soon as she left, a police car drove by. A practitioner stopped the car and a policewoman got off the car. After she heard what was happening she went inside the embassy. At the same time another police car arrived. The newly arrived policeman often comes to this area so the practitioners knew him. Meanwhile, the passer by came back and told the policeman what happened to her. She also left her phone number to the practitioners and said she would be willing to be the witness if the practitioners should need her in the court of law.
5. Everything is about Cultivation
At the beginning, banners were allowed to be tied to trees, but for various reasons practitioners later on had to hold and support the banner by hand, and they could not leave it unattended. Everyone used every possible way to hold it longer. As long as we can stand here, it doesn't matter how difficult it gets. Comparing to what were happening to the practitioners in Mainland China, this kind of "pain" is nothing at all.
Even when we had to hold the banner with our hands, we managed to read the book. When passersby and people going to and leaving the embassy asked us what happened, we would explain to them what Falun Dafa is and what is happening in mainland China. We gave them English or Chinese materials, and many learned the truth.
Some practitioners said, "I stand here everyday, and I feel I am changing everyday; this is a place for cultivation"! Many family members might not be practitioners, so in order to let them understand and not to stop the practitioners from going to the embassy, many practitioners had to get up much earlier and do their chores. When they get home they will also help out. It might seem that these practitioners are sacrificing a lot, in our mind; however, we understand Master Li taught us to see bitterness as happiness and as enjoyment. And we have to see everything as a chance to get rid of our attachments. To cultivate until there is no omission. This spot has become a place of cultivation. Although many practitioners couldn't come because of their job or other reasons, they cherish this place, and always managed to come when they had the opportunity.
6. Never Ending Dialog
There are a lot of things that happened during the last 300 days. We cannot collect them all or remember them all.
I remember one day a Westerner was walking his dog. He was about to cross the street but he stopped and said to us instead, "I truly hope that you will succeed. But your opponent is wicked. I wish you success sincerely with my heart." There was also another person whose name is John said to us "There is a righteous mind behind you."
It is indeed difficult to write down everything. This silent stage has aroused much resonance from the Australian people. As a practitioner, it doesn't matter what we do as long as we can cultivate our hearts. But if what we do in front of the embassy can summon the minds and souls of people and let more people have a fair chance to know Falun Dafa, it will be our biggest wish as well!
Practitioners in Sidney, Australia
June 22, 2000
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