Practitioners Greet Presidential Hopeful George W. Bush in Columbia, Missouri

Saturday, October 28, started out as a routine hongfa activity for Columbia, Missouri practitioners, but it ended up quite different. After about an hour of doing exercises at the outdoor Farmer's Market, we learned that Presidential candidate George W. Bush would be speaking soon at the airport. Although informed that we might not be permitted to hand out literature to the assembled crowd, we decided to go anyway to see what could be done.

First, we went to a practitioner's house to prepare a special package for Mr. Bush. We gathered information about Falun Dafa, with an emphasis on pictures and articles that described the torture and inhumane treatment of the practitioners in China. Because of the great security surrounding a Presidential candidate, we realized that it would not be easy to deliver this package. But we would try.

When we arrived at the airport, the security personnel required us to leave all brochures, newspapers, and other literature at the gate. Of course, we complied with this request, but we did bring with us the special package for Mr. Bush, just in case. By this time, the crowd was huge, and we could not get close to the stage. We had to settle for standing way in the back, next to a chain link fence surrounding the speaking area. Many politicians, such as candidates for the Senate, the House of Representatives, and Governor were there and spoke first. Then finally, after about an hour, the Texas Governor's plane landed and out stepped the candidate.

Mr. Bush walked quickly to the microphone and began his speech. We were about 75 yards away, with several thousand people between us and the candidate. In terms of delivering our package, the situation seemed hopeless. Midway through the speech, we decided to leave early, so that we could pass out literature to the crowd as it left the airport. But after taking only a few steps, one of the practitioners ran into an old friend who'd been informed that after his speech, George W. Bush was going to walk around the crowd and pass through a narrow corridor right along the very fence by which we had been standing.

Realizing that this would be our best, indeed our only chance, we decided to wait by the fence. In a little while, as predicted, Mr. Bush came our way. As he walked past the practitioners wearing their bright yellow Falun Gong T-shirts, he stopped for a moment to shake hands. "Please, would you help the Falun Gong practitioners in China?" we asked. Then we handed him the package, which he accepted graciously before moving down the line. Shortly after that, we also shook hands and made our wishes known to Rep. Kenny Hulshof, Senator Kit Bond, and Gubernatorial candidate James Talent. Then we quickly left the area so that we could pass out literature to the crowd as it left the airport.

Reflecting upon the day's activities later in the afternoon, the practitioners marveled at the opportunities that had opened up for them that day. They had all gone out that morning with the general goal of promoting Dafa and assisting their Master in his work. When a new situation presented itself and they saw a greater opportunity to promote Dafa, they changed course and moved in a different direction. Although they had no specific plan, they tried to keep their minds clear and hearts pure so they might take proper advantage of any situation that presented itself. As a consequence, Governor George W. Bush, the man who in just a few months might be the most powerful president in the world, was presented with the truth about Falun Dafa.

Practitioners in Columbia, Missouri

October 30, 2000