The annual Dragon Boat Race and Taiwan Day Festival was held in Pawtucket, Rhode Island on September 7th, 2008. Falun Gong practitioners participated in the festival, and as in previous years, distributed fliers, demonstrated the five sets of exercises, taught people how to make paper lotus flowers, and exposed the Chinese Communist Party's brutal persecution of Falun Gong practitioners who follow the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. The Falun Gong booth attracted even more people this year.
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| A Falun Gong practitioner (left) tell a tourist about Falun Gong |
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| A Falun Gong practitioner teaches how to fold paper lotus flowers |
The enthusiastic tourists didn't mind the drizzle, as crowds of people came to visit the Falun Gong booth. A middle-aged woman from China was learning how to fold paper lotus flowers when a Falun Gong practitioner asked an American, "Do you know what the lotus flower stands for?" The Chinese lady said, "I am a teacher from China. Lotuses stand for purity because they come out of the mud unsoiled." Upon hearing that lotus flowers mean a lot to Falun Gong practitioners, she realised she was at the Falun Gong booth and was stunned. A Falun Gong practitioner patiently told her the true story about Falun Gong and the reason she should quit the CCP. She listened carefully and expressed her gratitude repeatedly in tears. She left with both hands holding lotus flowers.
Mr. Liu is a Chinese teacher who is very interested in traditional cultivation stories. The sharp contrast between media reports from China and overseas attracted his attention. He brought his students to the Falun Gong booth and had them ask questions. A Falun Gong practitioner answered them one by one and suggested they read the Falun Dafa website. He left his contact information for further discussion.
The colourful lotus flowers fascinated the children. Every child got one and a Falun Gong introductory brochure. Some boat racers tied their lotus flowers on their hands. They have been coming to the booth every year and are familiar with Falun Gong.
Falun Gong practitioners demonstrated the five sets of exercises and were well received. Many people asked about exercise sites and wanted to learn Falun Gong.
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