(Clearwisdom.net) Thirteen years ago I had a serious illness, and for seven years I wasn’t able to live normally with my family as a result. During this long period, I painfully searched for a way to improve my life, and I found Falun Dafa. When I finished reading Zhuan Falun, I understood immediately that up to that day I’d been living my life in opposition to the universal principles.
A friend from my village and I started to cultivate Falun Dafa together in the beginning of April 2000. Soon afterwards, we started to face against the persecution of Falun Gong in China. We live in Switzerland.
We started to distribute our 12-page Falun Dafa newspaper in a nearby town on a large scale. We spent two and a half years and spread the news of Falun Dafa all over the valley and to the outlying villages. The residents of this scarcely populated area often spoke to us. Many of them were very grateful for our efforts, for going so far to deliver news of the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.
After studying Teacher’s article, "Let Go of Human Attachments and Save the World’s People," we were both determined to distribute the newspapers near and far. Teacher said, "Each must come out and clarify the truth, bringing it to every field and valley, mountain and hill, not omitting a single area where there are people."
Our county has a central valley and is surrounded by Switzerland’s loftiest mountains. Many villages are perched high in the mountains more than 6500 feet (2000 meters) above sea level. There are also many famous resorts.
Every week we took two days off to go to town, distributing materials and spending the night. In this way we gained the support of many of the locals. We had the opportunity to meet many people with predestined relationships. Catholicism is prevalent in this part of Switzerland, so the people here are good-hearted and kind, and take pleasure in helping others. We felt this even more strongly when we told them about the persecution of Falun Gong in China. Many locals were willing to sign petitions and pass them on to their Member of Parliament (also Minister of Foreign Affairs). Oftentimes people would come find us themselves because they’d seen our poster about suing the evil Communist Party leader on my car. In the villages where we handed out Falun Gong newspapers, news traveled fast.
Once, on a train to a major city, a lady suddenly came over to a fellow practitioner and said, "I live in a town in your valley. Some of the people there have received your Falun Gong newspapers. May I take some more?" Once again we felt quite strongly that Master was guiding us. We were often very surprised because even in such remote and isolated places high in the mountains we still managed to find mailboxes or little villages.
In order to clarify the truth better in this region we applied for two information days and activities. On one occasion we gave a radio interview, which was a great chance to explain the persecution of Falun Gong in detail.
We are very grateful for opportunities like that, where we could inform tens of thousands of people about the suppression in China. We had the chance to discuss Falun Gong with hotel and restaurant managers on a profound level. Some of them told us that they didn’t just leave the newspapers on the stand for people to take and read, but they personally recommended the newspapers to their customers.
During those months my attachments were very strong. I was worried about money because we had so many expenses. I realized my attachment was becoming more pronounced, even influencing our Dafa work. I began to examine myself and study the Fa more deeply, and rectified myself with the Fa. I didn't realize my attachment was gone until one day when another practitioner asked me if I’d inherited money.
In a neighboring mountain district, there were no Falun Gong practitioners. It’s one of Switzerland’s most beautiful mountain areas and attracts many tourists from around the world. Another practitioner and I decided to take a two-week truth-clarification tour there. A fellow practitioner lent us his big car so we could take thousands of newspapers. In many of the larger villages we held information day activities, and we gave Falun Dafa truth materials to the shops, restaurants, and hotels, and put them in mailboxes. During the night we would drive to the next stop and fold newspapers for the following day. In St. Moritz, some motorcyclists from the youth hostel helped us fold the newspapers. Of course we used the opportunity to clarify the truth to them. At breakfast the next day, one of the gentlemen came to us and said, "Do you know what you’ve done for me? From today on I will start a brand new life." In another village people watched our table from a distance. A middle-aged person came over, took our Falun Dafa truth materials and told us with a pleasant smile, "Outside Yukon I met an Indian. He does your practice. In Munich I also walked past your table, and now I meet you in my little village. This time I must take your newspaper." We did another radio interview, and the local people were once again able to find out more about the persecution of Falun Gong.
My three weeks in Hong Kong every year help me to better understand Mainland Chinese people who’ve been controlled by the Chinese Communist dictatorship for so long. Every day at the information table we used video and posters to expose how the CCP lies to the Chinese people. I’ve been cursed at and spat on, but later I felt that many Chinese people did believe the truth that we clarified. Their selfish or indifferent responses moved me deeply. Chinese people are controlled and persecuted like this, and our fellow practitioners see that. When we ran into Mainland Chinese people, I had a special feeling, like I knew every single one of them, so for me, handing truth materials to them with a smile wasn’t difficult. I often felt that in this way we could build a bridge between us. Of course our exercise demonstrations also had a big impact, particularly when Western practitioners demonstrated the exercises. Every night I would feel deeply grateful; grateful for the fact that we were able to clarify the truth of the persecution and expose the evil.
Because my sick daughter needs more looking after, I use my time at home to fold Falun Gong newspapers and truth materials, make phone calls, prepare and write letters to economists, politicians, teachers and preachers. The paper lotus flowers I make are popular on the information table and at art exhibitions.
On my path of cultivation I got rid of many attachments. Before I obtained the Fa, I always thought of myself as someone with no technical skills at all. Therefore I didn’t have a mobile phone, not to mention a computer. This made the workload heavier for practitioners in Bern, because often they couldn’t get in touch with us. Also, we were often short of reports, letters, photocopies and all kinds of communications.
One time, after an information day in Thun, a fellow practitioner installed a computer for me. Out of my fear of this "big fellow" I nearly withdrew completely. After work the next day I didn’t even want to go home. Shouldn’t such a burning attachment be let go off? During the following weeks and months I was often disappointed with my computer work, but it was clear to me that learning how to use it was very important. Therefore my attachment gradually faded away. Today my computer has become my best partner in rectifying the Fa.
My biggest change since cultivating has been the way I work. For six years I worked in a restaurant. The first month I was troubled, and I was conflicted as to whether I should quit or not, but Master taught us that whenever we run into trouble, we shouldn’t avoid it. Whenever I went near my boss, she became furious, making me tense and anxious. She’d throw plates and bowls all over the place, shrieking and shouting before she’d finally go away. Sometimes she even embarrassed me in front of the customers. The food she gave the staff was horrible and stale, but this was an ideal environment for my cultivation. When my character improved in Dafa my environment improved, too. The more I let go of my strong attachments to pride and selfishness the more the people around me changed. Today my work place is much more peaceful and harmonious. Master said in "Teaching the Fa in San Francisco 2005," "So long as you, a Dafa disciple, do things righteously, you will transform the environment around you, and you will change people."
The Annual International Economics Forum held in Davos is a very good opportunity to clarify the truth about Falun Gong, the persecution in China and the current movement to quit the CCP. 2340 attendees from 89 countries, as well as 223 reporters from major international media outlets were there. India and China were the most important topics for international economists and politicians at the forum this year. We’re very thankful to the town of Davos for allowing us to use the Davos Square.
Banners in many languages revealed the crimes of the CCP. Torture exhibition posters stood in the snow. They exposed the brutal persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China to the people of the world. Before we even finished setting up our information stand the first TV reporters had already arrived. They interviewed us and shot some footage of our exercise demonstration, banners and posters disclosing the CCP’s cruelty. News like this would be spread around the world. People were also very interested in the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party. Many high school students in Davos took information and materials, because they were learning about China in school. Our truth materials could also be found in the public forum, which many people took part in everyday. In order to help the forum participants find out more about the truth, we placed our truth materials in most of the 71 local hotels. We also received assistance from the police and the army, who allowed us to enter the heavily guarded hotels though we had no passes. Impossible things became possible. In restaurants and convenience stores people saw our Falun Dafa newspaper. We were warmly received in many places. Workers from a number of hotels found out about the suppression in China through our information table. At a large hostel we gathered everyday to study the Fa, share experiences, and send forth righteous thoughts together. This, on top of other things, helped us a lot and insured our success.
Fine Art Exhibit
Even though many of the citizens of Thun were familiar with the persecution of Falun Gong, we were still hoping to take the fine art exhibit there, in order to help more people understand the truth of the oppression on a deeper level. Just as we were signing a contract to rent a beautiful exhibition hall in a hotel, both of us were almost overcome by fear. Nevertheless, our steadfast faith in Master and the Fa helped us to overcome this difficulty. We were able to to answer visitors’ questions, and a lot of tightly shut doors opened for us. During the process of preparing for the art exhibit many citizens provided aid and help, and even more people found out about the persecution. Organizing this event was the biggest challenge for us in all our six years of cultivation.
Our intention was not only to reveal the CCP’s crimes, but we also hoped to let more people see the beauty of Falun Dafa through the art exhibit. For this reason we placed a Chinese porcelain table in the hall, and on it we laid out Chinese tea and dim sum. Numerous people asked questions and many were deep in conversation with us. At the corner opposite the hall we set some elegant chairs, where visitors could sit and rest for a bit while looking over the river and the mountain range. It was a mesmerizing and captivating scene. Quite a number of people lingered in the exhibition hall for several hours. Some of them read all the truth materials in the peaceful atmosphere, entranced by the benevolent ambience.
Five banners hung from the rails of the bridge over the river telling people about the art exhibit. In our newly printed Falun Gong newspaper there was a section about the International Truthfulness Compassion Tolerance Fine Art Exhibition, so many people already knew about it. A couple of newspapers published part of the article, so the news of the exhibition had reached distant regions.
Many VIPs were present and made opening speeches. A Falun Gong practitioner presented and explained some of the paintings. He noted many details and also mentioned that some of the painters had themselves been subjected to torture and brainwashing in China.
On the first day two local high school classes visited the exhibition. A practitioner explained Falun Gong to the teachers and students, and then told them about the CCP’s extensive, illegal and inhumane suppression of Falun Gong practitioners in China over the last seven years. Before dividing into smaller groups to take a look at the exhibition, a practitioner explained a few paintings to them in great detail. Because the school’s curriculum includes art lessons and human rights lessons, they were extremely interested in our exhibition. Some students also made entries in the guest book.
A practitioner took one lady through the whole exhibit and thoroughly explained it. Afterwards she wrote in the guest book, "May light and justice prevail and defeat the darkness."
Another lady looked at the exhibit for a long time. She was genuinely interested in every piece. She took lots of materials, a tape teaching the exercises and a copy of Zhuan Falun. Before departing she thanked us over and over again. Later she brought her husband and daughter to view the exhibit as well. She told us that the day before she had read our newspaper in one go late into the night. That night in her dreams she had a vision of the persecution.
Two elderly Christians were very shocked at the fact that in China such brutal torture methods still existed. They said, "Falun Gong practitioners in China undoubtedly have mighty courage and steadfast belief." They were very grateful that the Truthfulness Compassion Tolerance Art Exhibition could be held in Thun.
Through the art exhibit many practitioners realized the significance of having it. We all felt that through the paintings a large number of people would be able to understand the truth and thus be saved.
Opposing the persecution on the path of Fa-rectification, the two of us are pressing on firmly and steadily. We can rise above all kinds of problems, such as human attachments, practitioners’ different opinions, snow, rain and economic difficulties. From beginning to end, we feel that when our hearts are righteous, when we are not pursuing or attached to anything, we will receive guidance from Master and the Fa. We’ve truly and profoundly experienced this feeling. Master’s benevolence is infinitely boundless. Throughout these experiences we encountered not a small number of people with predestined relationships, and also witnessed many miracles.
Thank you compassionate Master!