A Young Falun Gong Practitioner's Experiences in Manhattan

My name is Cai Peijun, and I am 11 years old. I started cultivating Falun Dafa in 1998 together with my father. My mother and my younger sister attended the 9-day lecture class, but my mother did not stay to the end. In the 2004 winter vacation, my mother went through a serious illness and had to stay in bed for many days. This really worried me! Soon after that, my mother started reading Zhuan Falun and practising the exercises together with my father. Our merciful Master¹ gave my mother another chance and saved her. Ever since then, my whole family has practised Falun Gong and has joined in on Falun Dafa activities together. I had an opportunity to go to Manhattan to expose the persecution during the 2005 winter and summer vacations together with my family.

During the winter vacation of 2005, we spent two weeks in Manhattan around the time of Chinese New Year. We were passing out New Year Gala flyers on the street. We were not familiar with local streets at the beginning. One local fellow practitioner took us to a crowded place, and then went to run her errands. It was inside a subway station, and many people took flyers from my younger sister and me, because they loved young kids. We were speaking to them in English saying, "Happy Chinese New Year!" "Chinese New Year Gala!" We pointed to the location and time on the flyer, and invited them to watch the show.

At the time we should've gone back, that local practitioner forgot to come and guide us, but we found our way back to the hotel. My mother, my younger sister and I were sharing understandings that night. We realised that Master was reminding us to not wait or rely on others. I was determined to remember the directions, and my younger sister decided to put on thick clothes by herself to save time. We caught up with fellow practitioners in the morning; so as to never make them have to wait for us. Once, when we went to group study, mother lost her sense of direction after the walk up from the Subway station, but I guided my mother and sister back to our hotel.

After the New Year Gala successfully ended, we went to Times Square to pass out materials exposing the persecution going on in China against Falun Gong. We were standing at the street corners and tried to clarify the truth to people. When we could not speak English clearly, we would show them the materials. Besides standing at the corners, we were also walking on the street while holding poster boards up high. Adults held the poster boards while we kids passed out materials. Adult practitioners would turn the boards to vehicles passing by; they would wave at us, and we would wave back at them.

Those two weeks flew by so quickly. We felt that the trip was very meaningful, and decided to come back in the summer.

We planned to go to Manhattan for one month during the 2005 summer vacation, which meant I had to sacrifice my opportunity to join the calligraphy contest representing my school. I exchanged opinions with my father. I knew that saving people is much more important than anything else, so I went without a second thought.

The next morning, soon after arriving in Manhattan, we joined the Chinatown Fourth of July Grand Parade. Our young practitioners were walking at the very front and received so many cheers. I was surprised to see that fellow practitioners from all over the world had joined the parade. A senior lady fellow practitioner said, "People of all ethnicities are practising Falun Dafa."

We were mainly supporting Anti-Torture Displays this time. I helped explain what we were doing and letting the tourists learn the facts. Many would sign their names when I invited them to help stop the persecution, but there were tests to my heart as well. A western lady said she could not understand my English, and she thought I was too young. Another practitioner from Australia came to help, but she said it was unnecessary and she wanted to read the materials herself. I was sad and no longer wanted to take part, and so I went to fold the flyers.

My mother shared her understanding with me. She said I had been learning English for so many years, and it has been for the purpose of exposing the persecution. My father suggested that I listen to other fellow practitioners clarify the truth in English first, so then I would know how to do it better. I looked inward and found that I had a large ego because I could clarify the truth to westerners and grew overly pleased with myself. Master was using that lady to get rid of my attachment. Therefore, I carefully listened to others clarify the truth, learnt from them, and did my job until it was time to go back to Taiwan.

Time was flying by! A senior lady fellow practitioner from Australia said to us, "Do you know how many predestined people were saved by you this month?"

It was Master that gave me the glorious chance to clarify the truth in Manhattan twice. I am very eager to go back. Although I am still young, I am also a Falun Dafa disciple, and there are sentient beings and predestined people waiting for me to save them. I will act just like an adult practitioner and never stop being diligent.

Thank you, Master! My thanks to fellow practitioners who will kindly point out any shortcomings in my understanding!

December 27th, 2005, speech presented at the 2005 Falun Dafa Experience Sharing in Taiwan

Note:

1. Master/Teacher: Respectfully referring to the founder of Falun Gong, Mr. Li Hongzhi.