(Minghui.org) Greetings, revered Master! Hello, fellow practitioners!
I started practicing Falun Dafa in 2011 and was fortunate to join Minghui in 2012. I would like to share some of my experiences during my 10-year journey with Minghui.
In 2012 I started translating English articles for Minghui in a certain language. I soon had a wish to translate articles from Chinese. Another practitioner who was also in the project helped edit my articles and pointed out some of my translation errors. When I first joined the translation team, I made many mistakes, but he did not complain. Instead he encouraged me. Over time I gradually became better at translating. When more Chinese translators joined the project, I helped them correct their translations.
The coordinator in charge of Minghui in that language asked us to translate some truth-clarification videos from Chinese. I hesitated. The translation task could be divided among the team, but none of us knew how to do video editing. A Chinese language translator said that he once joined a truth-clarification video group and could help with the subtitles. I was very happy that the issue could be solved so easily!
When the content was translated, I passed it to that practitioner to create the subtitles. When he sent the final video back to me, my first thought was how ugly it looked. Since he used a red background for the text, it was very difficult to see, the text was small and thick, and it was really not pleasing to the eyes. I felt very disappointed and didn’t know what to do. I looked inward and I found that I had an attachment to zealotry, over-dependence on other practitioners, and a mindset of validating myself. I discussed my ideas with that practitioner the next day and asked him to correct it, but he said that his work was very busy and could not do it right away. That video just had to wait for a while. I didn’t know what to do, and I just hoped for a miracle.
About two weeks later, I helped a practitioner who worked in another media project correct a truth-clarification article. In the article he mentioned an organ harvesting investigation story, similar to the video I was working on. He said he’d love to have a few more truth-clarifying videos about this topic in our local language. I immediately told him about the difficulty I encountered. He said he could help me edit the video. I had some doubts and I was no longer excited. I just sent him the video and content for subtitles. After two days, he sent it back to me. Although there were still some places to edit, the video was finally finished and we continued to work on a few more videos on Minghui. Thank you, Master, for arranging practitioners to help me!
Another time, the project coordinator suggested we add the Minghui Radio section. Some practitioners accepted the task. I didn’t want to participate, because I understood that the post-production editing of the recording was not easy. I preferred to do translation work and I didn’t want to divide my time doing other things. I did not realize that this thought came from my ego, fear of loss, and fear of difficulties. Time passed, but the Minghui radio section in our local language still did not make any progress.
During our team’s Fa study the others discussed how to find a way to solve the problem. I decided to participate because I worked as a narrator for an ordinary people media company. One practitioner purchased the first two recording microphones. I talked to a few translators in the project, suggesting that they do test recordings to see if their voices were suitable. Three of them agreed to participate, and they took turns using two microphones to record.
I asked other practitioners to teach me how to edit audio files. Because I hadn’t done this before, I worked quite slowly. The other practitioners were new to recording and inexperienced. We made many errors and some recordings did not meet the quality standard, so they had to be re-recorded several times. When they recorded for 2 hours, it also took me nearly 2 hours to edit a recording file, not to mention the time it took to create the content to record. Sometimes I silently complained, thinking about why I had to do such a boring job. I didn't know how many people will listen to the recordings, but it takes a lot of effort and time for our team to prepare them.
It seemed that Master saw all of my thoughts. He let me hear a lot of good feedback on the radio section so that I was motivated to continue. My righteous thoughts were gradually strengthened. I no longer complained. The only thought I had was: this is what Master wants me to do, so I must do it well.
Then, surprisingly, more translators offered to help with the technical part of the video. Another practitioner assumed the responsibility of coordinating the section. The radio section also had more and more people participating, including recording and technical support. Thus, the radio group has been able to record a lot of topics and content. The team is able to operate on their own, and I just need to select the content.
In fact, any difficulty can be overcome, as long as we have faith in Master, have faith in the Fa, maintain righteous thoughts, and work well together. The path will definitely become wider and wider. I also clearly saw that Master already paved the way for me and I only needed to walk it. As long as I had a sincere wish, Master meticulously arranged everything else for me.
The radio section team was formed in the second half of 2017. During my time working on the project, I really admired and respected fellow practitioners. Some practitioners have non-cultivating family members and do not have a studio to record in, but they persisted for 5 years. Some practitioners have small children or their jobs are hard and stressful, but they still manage to persevere. Others were quite busy, but if there were any urgent problems, they were always eager to take care of them.
We divide the work, including who is in charge of selecting articles, who checks the content before recording, and who checks the entire file before posting. As for the narrators, they are also responsible for certain content categories, ensuring the length of the audio and the number of audios posted per week or per month. The technical team also does the same.
On the surface, the radio group seems to operate smoothly, but in fact there are many collisions and conflicts. Since everyone in the group works voluntarily, sometimes the standards were not met, or the recording quality was not very good.
We’ve looked at the problem and tried to find a few solutions.
First, we set a quota for each member participating in the category and re-evaluate the results. If the status of the recording or editing of the file does not meet the standard, team members discuss what the cause is and how to help that person improve.
Second, we maintain weekly Fa study and sharing meetings, and even suggested that each member must attend at least one Fa study session a month. After each Fa study session, there is a sharing session for group members.
But after a while it was almost impossible to maintain the requirements and the Fa study group also had some problems. I noticed that the state of the Fa study group reflects the state of the radio group.
Master said,
“If you don’t study the Fa well, there are many things you will not be able to do well.” (“Dafa Disciples Must Study the Fa,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. XI)
The radio group started an online Fa study group not long after more members joined the team. There was a period when we were able to study the Fa face-to-face once a month, but later due to the COVID pandemic and the lockdown, we could not continue meeting in person. Initially, the members attended Fa study regularly, but after a while, the number of absent people gradually increased. There were even days when only 2-3 members attended Fa study.
We also didn’t always do well in sharing after group study. There were times when a fellow practitioner in the group had to speak up to invite each group member to share, but the atmosphere seemed a bit awkward.
About participating in Fa study—at first I texted practitioners to remind them but I later stopped. I felt very discouraged and wanted to give up. I also silently complained: I’m also busy, have a lot of work, and still have to take care of my small child. Some of you are still single, have no children, and you are not that busy. How can you say that you are busier than me and can’t attend Fa study? If this situation continues our Fa study group might disband.
But then I remember what Master said,
“Group Fa study is an environment I created for you and a form that I’ve left for you. I think you should still participate. That’s because it has stood the test of experience, and cultivating that way allows our students to improve the fastest.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the Meeting with Asia-Pacific Practitioners,” Collected Teachings Given Around the World, Volume VI)
I realized that our Fa-study group was the environment that Master arranged for the radio team, and no matter what, I would not give it up. Even if only 2 or 3 people were there, if Master wants us to maintain it, we will persist to the end. When I had this thought, the number of practitioners who participated increased. We also discussed how to maintain our Fa study. We all agreed that opening up and sharing our difficulties or problems in personal cultivation, as well as in the project, could help. In that way we can eliminate conflicts, eliminate gaps and work better together.
Through our sharing, we better understand the situation of each member in the team, and find ways to help solve the problem instead of blaming each other. We also encourage each other to work together to fulfill our vows.
The radio group was like a family to the team, and we were able to open up to work together better.
Through this sharing, I also hope that fellow practitioners will cherish the environment and opportunities to work together and work harder to be able to follow Master to return home.
I am extremely grateful because Master has arranged for me a good environment in which I can cultivate and validate the Fa. Thank you to my fellow practitioners who have always been tolerant and supportive of me over the years.
(Presented at the 2022 Multi-languagel Minghui Teams Experience Sharing Conference)