Canada: Introducing Falun Gong at the Founders Fair in Orangeville, Ontario

On Friday and Saturday July 6th and 7th, 2012, Falun Gong practitioners from Orangeville, Guelph, Toronto, Mississauga, and Barrie came together to introduce Falun Dafa at the Orangeville Founders Fair. It was the first time that Falun Dafa had been introduced to the citizens of Orangeville, a small town located just north of Toronto. Despite the hot weather, many people came to check out the fun at the fair. The Falun Dafa booth attracted many visitors. Many adults and children came to learn how to make paper lotus flowers and watch practitioners do the exercises. They carefully studied the posters, asked practitioners about the persecution, and signed the petition to help end the persecution.

Debbie from Shelburne came twice to the Falun Dafa booth, once on Friday and again on Saturday. She loved the colourful lotus flowers and wanted to learn how to make them. After talking with practitioners she was shocked to learn about the persecution of this peaceful practice in China and expressed an interest in learning the exercises.

The next day she came back to watch the official exercise demonstration and learned the first exercise. She was so happy that she had come across the Falun Dafa booth. The next day she sent a beautiful e-mail and the pictures that she took at the booth.

A young man talks with a practitioner while learning how to make paper lotus flowers at the Founders Fair in Orangeville, Ontario

A young woman named Christeen came to the booth with her daughter on Friday. She was attracted by the colourful lotus flowers. She enjoyed talking with the practitioners, took home truth clarifying materials, and signed the petition.

She came back with her daughter on Saturday, saying that it was so nice to come across the Falun Dafa booth and that she felt the positive energy from practitioners. At the end of the day she and her daughter did not want the practitioners to leave. She was sad and upset after reading about the persecution and the terrible things happening in China.

Christeen thanked the practitioners for guiding her in a new direction and said that it was much needed in her life. She expressed a sincere wish to stay in touch.

Tony, an older man, spent some time talking to practitioners about the practice and the persecution. He was drawn to the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and said that he wanted to learn the exercises. He made contact with the local group right away.

Andree from Orangeville came across the Falun Dafa booth two years ago at a park in Montreal and felt a strong attraction to the practice. However, at the time of her trip, she got busy with her family and lost the contact information.

When she came across the Falun Dafa booth at the Founders Fair in Orangeville, she felt like life was giving her another chance. She got all the contact information right away and within a week had contacted a local practitioner. She and her friend both are now doing the exercises.

A young man, Michael, will be attending the University of Toronto next year. He came to the booth after watching and listening to the official presentation of Falun Gong at the center of the festival. He wanted to know how to help end the persecution and took some informational materials and a copy of the official report on organ harvesting. He said that he would tell all his friends and family, so people would know the truth about these atrocities.

Michael stayed with the practitioners until the end of the day and took their contact information with him.

These are just a few of the experiences from the event. Many people came to ask, watch, and listen - everyone with an open heart. People signed the petition and expressed interest in the practice.

The organiser of the event, Christine, expressed sincere interest in learning the exercises and reading more about the benefits of putting into practice the tenets of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.