(Clearwisdom.net) On February 24, 2002, the Winter Olympic Games concluded in Salt Lake City. Falun Dafa practitioners from Utah, Colorado, Boston, Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oregon and other places returned to Salt Lake City, using this unique opportunity to spread the Fa and clarify the truth to people.
During the Winter Olympic Games, Falun Dafa practitioners from the West had weathered all kinds of storms and gained more serenity and inner peace. Many practitioners from the western states had driven to Salt Lake City overnight, including those western practitioners who had just returned from Tiananmen Square and had experienced the police brutality in China.
Just before the closing ceremony was about to begin, the streets became crowded with reporters and tourists from all over the world. The practitioners formed a parade, starting at Pioneer Park and proceeding through the center of the downtown area, and going back and forth three times. In the brief sunshine, practitioners walked peacefully down the street holding huge banners saying such things as, "Maintain the Olympic Spirit, Stop Persecuting Falun Gong Practitioners in China." Many tourists stopped to read the truth-clarifying materials handed to them, while others approached to ask for the materials to learn more about Falun Gong and its persecution in China. Many kindhearted Americans came forth to tell the practitioners, "Thank you for your effort. What you are doing is very meaningful." and "You have done a great job! We wish you success!"
Since we first came to Salt Lake City to clarify the truth and spread the Fa to the state and city officials at the beginning of this year, the evil forces also gathered and have tried all methods of blocking and sabotaging our activities. A special delegation from Beijing met with the Utah Governor, the Salt Lake City Mayor, the Olympic Committee, the FBI, the Salt Lake City Police, the Chinese community and other organizations, attempting to fool them all with manipulative lies. They tried to lure people with promises of economic gain and political favors, and tried to force local government officials to stop supporting Falun Gong. Facing these challenges of blatant interference from the evil forces, practitioners became more and more determined, clear minded and mature from the experience. They realized that the Olympic Games, which had gathered so many reporters and tourists together, provided a very precious opportunity to more deeply and broadly clarify the truth to people. It was also a battlefield to eliminate the evils, and every practitioner was keenly aware of his or her responsibility.
On February 23, the press conference that had been planned was suddenly
cancelled, but that did not even faze the practitioners. Instead, they quickly
dispersed onto the streets to introduce Falun Gong and tell of the brutal
persecution against Falun Gong in China. Some of them even skipped meals, just
to seize every possible moment to let more people know the truth.
As the practitioners spread out among the crowds in the streets of downtown Salt Lake City, handing out leaflets and talking to people, their selflessness and compassion were very moving.
Following the first day's activities, practitioners gathered spontaneously, earnestly reading Zhuan Falun together. In the experience sharing that followed, one practitioner shared, "It was past 7:00 p.m., and I had been waiting for a western practitioner from Florida so we could go back to the hotel together. We were all wondering what had been keeping him so long."
"When he finally returned, he told us, 'This trip to Salt Lake City hasn't been easy. I'm here to clarify the truth to people, and there were still so many people in the street that I really didn't want to leave. Sorry for keeping you waiting.'"
She said, "I am very touched. Usually I would think, 'Ok, it's time. I can leave.' When I see how some western practitioners conduct themselves, however, I recognize my own deficiency."
The closing ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games would be held in the evening. More practitioners came from Los Angeles after the experience sharing conference there, and joined our group exercises, parade and the truth-clarification. As it grew later, most of the passersby had already received Falun Dafa materials, but many people returned to ask more questions after reading the flyers. Many people commented: "I saw your parade." "I have read your materials." "I know about Falun Gong."
Since early February, people have had the chance to truly learn about Falun Gong and the persecution against it conducted by the Jiang regime through the series of activities that practitioners have held in Salt Lake City. A person in charge of security since our first activity there sat down with practitioners after that day's parade and told us, "The Chinese government sent a lot of people to Salt Lake City, contacting government officials here and warning us that Falun Gong was very dangerous. Today, however, we all know that Falun Gong activities are very peaceful, and we aren't at all worried about your activities."
Just a few days prior to this, practitioners had interviewed Mayor Anderson, of Salt Lake City, and asked him about the incident in which the Chinese government had met with him, pressuring him to cancel all the permits for Falun Gong activities. Mr. Anderson replied, "I saw your parade. It was very good! Everybody in the world should have the freedom to tell what he or she wants to say, and I knew that Falun Gong practitioners did not have this right in China. As long as your activities are peaceful, we will provide you with the convenience and facilities."
After 3:00 p.m., people attending the Olympic Closing Ceremony began entering Rice Stadium. Practitioners rushed to the only route from downtown to the stadium. The practitioners who had not eaten for the whole day were eating their cold lunches in the car. It started raining after practitioners had set up to display more than twenty banners along the side of the thoroughfare. Because it was very cold, the rain soon turned to freezing sleet. Undaunted, the practitioners stood in wet, biting cold weather, waving to the passing vehicles. The response was gratifying, as some of the people in the vehicles showed their support by honking their horns and cheering as they passed by us.
As darkness fell, practitioners lit the candle luminarias that had been arranged against the grassy hillside along the route, beautifully forming the glowing Chinese characters for "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance," "Falun Dafa" and "Falun Dafa is Good." The passing vehicles carried thousands of lives with predestined relationships with Falun Dafa. They silently gazed at the beautiful sight and at the practitioners who were holding banners and cheerfully enduring winter's chill. The patterns of "Falun Dafa" and "Truthfulness - Compassion - Forbearance" radiated with sacred brilliance against the curtain of night.
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