United States: Spending A Weekend Introducing Falun Gong to the People of New York

Saturdays Activities

I took my two children to introduce Falun Gong to the people in New York last weekend. I had told them the significance of the trip the night before. It was a very smooth trip. Once we arrived into New York we didn't run into any red lights. My kids asked, "Mom, why didn't we run into any red lights?" I said, "Because today we have come to show people the true facts about Falun Gong to the people in New York today. We are doing the most righteous thing. That's why there weren't any red lights."

Two college students learn the true story about Falun Gong	A passerby reads some materials containing the facts about Falun Gong	Preparing materials for a visitor

We found a parking spot easily and arrived at the Falun Gong anti-torture exhibit after walking four blocks. I could not help crying on the way.

We took some Falun Gong materials to distribute at 42nd Street and 7th Avenue. The kids held a board with a picture of a female Falun Gong practitioner called Wu Lingxia that was taken before she died from torture. The board also told the story of how five practitioners were forced to leave their homes, thrown into prison or tortured to death just for sending Wu's picture overseas.

I distributed leaflets to people while playing the Falun Gong music "Pu Du" and "Ji Shi." Some people took the initiative to sign their names in support of Falun Gong after they read the display board and heard my explanation. Some asked me if we needed donations. I told them we didn't accept donations. We were there only to tell them the facts about Falun Gong.

When distributing leaflets, I said silently to them, "Dear people in New York, I come for you. Please take some materials. It is the best gift I have for you." For those who accepted my leaflets, I said silently, "Please treasure your predestined relationship with Falun Dafa. Don't miss this chance." I gave silent wishes to those who ignored me or were too busy to stop. I believed my words to them would reach deep into their hearts. They heard about Falun Dafa and heard the music. It may bring them a brighter future.

Sundays Activities

A fellow Falun Gong practitioner and I drove back to New York in her car the next day. She told me how other practitioners in Canada, D.C. and Boston had come to support the activities in New York every weekend. I felt ashamed that I had complained about how hard and how far it was to go to New York.

We went to support some Falun Gong activities in a street market, where two practitioners were demonstrating the Falun Gong exercises and another manned a booth. I distributed leaflets and talked to people. There were two banners at the booth. The upper one said "Falun Dafa Is Great" and had a picture of someone performing the peaceful mediation. The lower one told people about the persecution and had pictures of some cruelly tortured Falun Gong practitioners. For several times, I couldn't help crying upon seeing their pictures.

Two college students stayed at our booth for a long time. They took notes in preparation for writing some papers. They were very interested in the topic and planned to visit Falun Dafa websites to learn more.

It was close to the evening. When I opened my eyes after finishing the fourth exercise, I found a handsome young man concentrating on the materials at our booth. He was wiping tears from his face. Another practitioner told me that he had been here twice before so I walked over to talk to him.

His name was Jason. He was homeless but volunteered to work for Big News, a newspaper that speaks for the homeless. He said, "We homeless people have had a hard time, but it is nothing compared to what you have experienced. You are great!" When he learnt that we had spent our spare time and money from our own pockets on these activities, he bowed several times to the pictures of the practitioners who were playing the part of the torture victims.

Jason told me he grew up in Massachusetts and had a high school diploma. His ex-wife took their four-year-old daughter away. He didn't know where they went. He had just arrived in New York and was still looking for a job. He told me a doctor diagnosed him as been mentally ill. I asked him, "What kind of mental problem? Your conversation is very normal." He said he could see many things that others couldn't see. For example, when a person walked over, he could see not only this person, but more people behind this person. He could also see spirits.

He was anxious to learn the exercises. I gave him a phone number of the Falun Gong contact in New York. He shook hands with me before he left and told me he would surely go to learn Falun Gong.

Most people in New York have not heard about Falun Gong or the true story of Falun Gong. I believe most of them will learn about it in the near future and position themselves well.