(Minghui.org) My name is Mei and I've lived in San Francisco for almost three years now. Before I came to the U.S. I experienced the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) many forms of persecution against Falun Dafa: I was illegally arrested, detained and had my home ransacked several times. I was sentenced to three years in prison and after I was released I was monitored by the authorities. I managed to get a passport and a visa, bought a ticket and I came to the United States.
Here in this country where everyone enjoys freedom, the environment is relaxed and the pressure that practitioners experience in China is almost non-existent. When I talk to people about Dafa and the persecution, I no longer worry about being arrested.
Teacher said,
“Chinatown is precisely the kind of place that mainland Chinese patronize the most, so you can't let up there and lose out on that place, a place where Dafa disciples stand to have a tremendous effect.” (“Teaching the Fa in San Francisco, 2005”)
As soon as I arrived in San Francisco I began clarifying the truth in Chinatown. When I was in China, I did not know that some Chinese people who lived overseas were still being deceived by the CCP’s propaganda. Some have been so poisoned that they don’t even want to listen to the truth. When I tried to give them a flier, they would turn their heads away, glare at me, or shout at me. A few even made obscene gestures and yelled, “Traitor!” I felt bad for them because they had forgotten that the Party is not China.
I was scolded by a middle-age woman three different times. She spoke Cantonese. I don’t understand Cantonese, and I wasn’t angry. But I felt sorry for her because she was not even willing to accept a flier. One day a middle-age man asked, “How long have you been here?” When I said about 20 days. He said, “You've been in this country only 20 days and you found this job? How much are you being paid?” I said, “No one is paying me to be here, and I'm not asking you for anything. I'm only here to help you.” I explained how and why the former CCP leader launched the persecution against Falun Dafa practitioners. I also told him that millions of Chinese people have quit the CCP's organizations and why. He quietly listened. Although he did not withdraw from the Party, he took the truth-clarification materials.
Our Cultivation State Impacts the People Around Us
Teacher said,
“For a cultivator, looking within is a magical tool.” (“Fa Teaching at the 2009 Washington DC International Fa Conference”)
Whenever I encountered interference, I examined myself. I realized that I was negatively impacting my surroundings because I hadn’t studied the Fa well and that I needed to cultivate myself. I was not compassionate and so I could not do a good job of clarifying the truth. I also saw that I was strongly attached to doing things and wanted to be successful. When my starting point was not compassion, my words could not move people’s hearts. Everyone came to this earth to be saved, and they are waiting for us to cultivate well so that we can save them.
One day I met four young men from mainland China. I asked them if they had heard about the persecution of Falun Gong and if they'd withdrawn from the Party. They said they knew about the persecution, but hadn’t quit the Party yet. I explained why millions of Chinese had already withdrawn. I reminded them that millions had been killed during the Party's countless political campaigns, how Falun Dafa was being persecuted and that practitioners were having their organs harvested. When I suggested that they withdraw from the CCP they immediately agreed. I was very happy for them. I reminded myself not to feel complacent because everything had been arranged by Teacher. It's truly, “Cultivation depends on one's own efforts, while transformation of gong is done by one's master.” (Zhuan Falun)
Another day, two Westerners came and took many photos of our display. When they were done, the man said, “Falun Dafa is good!” and gave me a thumbs up. Many people stop and read the truth-clarification boards and listen to the Dafa music. Some take pictures, others want to learn the exercises and buy Falun Dafa books.
When a man that owns a restaurant in the neighborhood walked by, I said, “This is about the organ harvesting suffered by Falun Dafa practitioners in China.” I told him what Falun Dafa is, and that Falun Dafa teaches people to live by Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. He said that he wanted to learn the exercises and read the Falun Dafa books. He has now begun to practice.
One afternoon, a group of young journalists from England stood in front of the display boards and began to record. I told them why I practiced Falun Dafa. I explained that I used to suffer from serious heart problems but after I began practicing, all my illnesses were gone. I also told them why the former Communist Party head launched a vicious campaign against practitioners; that all of us follow the principle of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and try to be good people and that the organ harvesting was still happening in China. One of the journalists took out his smartphone and typed something in English, then he showed me the translation. It said, “Thank you for your sharing. I appreciate you telling me all the information. I will definitely look into Falun Dafa.” Before they left we took a group photo.
Later, I moved to a place near City Hall where I did the exercises and clarified the truth every day. Many tour buses would stop at this area. Several Chinese tourists went inside to tour City Hall, and some stayed outside and took photos. I walked over to them and clarified the truth. Every day, I was able to help several people withdraw from the CCP and its affiliated organizations.
New Opportunities to Save People
In June 2017, since there weren't enough practitioners at the Chinatown site, the coordinator asked me to go there. My first reaction was that I didn't want to, but I didn't say it. Although there were many Chinese people in Chinatown, few were willing to stop and listen to us and even fewer were willing to quit the Party. I know that nothing is accidental. Practitioners were needed there, and since I was a veteran practitioner who knew the importance of cooperating, I went, although reluctantly.
After I began going to Chinatown, I studied the Fa and looked inside. I asked myself why I didn't want to go there. I saw that I paid too much attention to surface appearances. I wanted acknowledgment for my efforts because I was able to help a few people do the three withdrawals. Wasn't this the manifestation of vanity? It showed that I liked to do superficial things, which was also a manifestation of Party culture. When I looked inside further, I saw selfishness, because I just wanted to do what I liked. Teacher taught us to always consider others first. I felt ashamed. Teacher said,
“I ignore superficial formalities and only look at one’s heart.” (“Seeking Discipleship with Teacher” from Essential for Further Advancement)
“The three withdrawals aren’t the goal, but rather, it’s to save the person by clarifying the facts to him or her.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the 2016 New York Fa Conference”)
I am Teacher's disciple, and I must listen to Teacher:
“Since it’s cultivation, nothing on our path of cultivation is coincidental.” (“Teaching the Fa at the Conference in New Zealand”)
I was asked to go to Chinatown. It shouldn't matter if I understood why. I believed that this was Teacher's arrangement and so it was the best. I realized that this was an opportunity to elevate my xinxing. Chinatown was where I should clarify the truth and save people.
I enlightened that as long as we did things with our hearts, it was indeed as Teacher said,
“Cultivation depends on one's own efforts, while transformation of gong is done by one's master.” (Zhuan Falun)
Teacher brought predestined people to us. On that first day, more people than usual were willing to take the fliers, and I didn't have enough materials. In addition, I was able to help three to four people quit the CCP, and sometimes even a whole family.
One woman's father had suffered a lot during the Cultural Revolution. Although she had not joined the Party, her husband and son had, and they quit the CCP that day. Another person who was a Party member said that he finally saw the true face of the CCP. As a result, he chose to withdraw from the Party. I feel that more and more people are awakening.
I use every opportunity to clarify the truth. When I ride the public transit, I always greet people and then clarify the truth. Once as I was sending a text message on the bus, the two people that sat next to me said, “The font on your phone is so tiny. Can you see the words?” I said, “Sure! I can even see the smaller font.” “Wow!” They exclaimed. I said, “I'm a Falun Dafa practitioner. I had to wear reading glasses before. But after I started practicing I no longer need them.” I helped them withdraw from the CCP.
I understand from the Fa that we have to save people, and save more people. Teacher said,
“The old cosmos has ended and the new one has begun. This is not a simple concept.”
“There has never been an instance where lives that had cultivated well were directly transferred over to the new earth and the sentient beings of the old universe were brought over to the new universe after they were renewed.”(“Fa Teaching at the 2015 West Coast Fa Conference”)
I understand that the new lives are those that know the truth, have withdrawn from the CCP, and know that Falun Dafa is good, and Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.
I feel that my cultivation is still very far from what Dafa requires me to do. The time we have left to save people is limited. I must remember Teacher’s teachings at all times and strive to genuinely cultivate.
