(Clearwisdom.net)
My Predestined Relationship with Columbia University
I graduated from Columbia University several years ago. I always thought that I would never go back to New York except to attend a Falun Dafa conference, not to mention going back to Columbia.
However, I kept missing the people there. When I returned my dorm key, John, a young black fellow who was in charge of the dorm, said, "Thank you for telling me about Falun Dafa." I was dumbstruck at first, but then smiled. Afterwards, I felt my responsibility. At that time, I was very busy with my schoolwork and did not cultivate diligently. So I did not do much to clarify the facts about Falun Dafa. As a result, I have been full of a sense of responsibility for sentient beings there.
Yet, what good fortune the people of New York now have. In the final stage of the Fa-rectification, Falun Dafa practitioners have gathered in Manhattan to clarify the facts about Falun Dafa. I must cherish this valuable chance Teacher has bestowed upon us.
When I arranged my travel to Manhattan in September, I noticed that several months prior I was receiving emails from Columbia University every other week saying that they were holding a grand 250th anniversary celebration. To have New York's people and local organizations take part, Columbia University had been making preparations for some time. I realized this rare occasion was a great opportunity to clarify the facts, as if every email was reminding me.
The sense that this was my mission urged me not to miss this chance. I asked to be approved for unpaid vacation. I tried to change my ticket, but no seats were available. I never thought about how I couldn't leave. I just considered how I could take advantage of this chance to clarify the facts about Falun Dafa wholeheartedly.
Through sharing with practitioners in New York via email, I was provided with good ideas. They applied for a display desk at the university. After learning that nobody had contacted the new president of Columbia University with the facts about Falun Dafa, I mailed a sincere letter to him. Meanwhile, I cooperated with the practitioners involved in working with the media. I inquired about and provided related information, while practitioners in New York contacted the professors who were interested in human rights. The incumbent director of some international organizations based in Manhattan and ex-president of Columbia University was shocked at such injustice after he learned the facts about Falun Dafa. We decided to interview him. Since practitioners in New York were very busy, I assumed responsibility for this work. Since I proceeded without any attachment, although my initial contact with him by email was refused, he accepted our invitation for an interview with pleasure. The interview was scheduled for the same time when I was scheduled to arrive in New York. Since I was not able to do the interview, practitioners in New York took over for me. There was no coordinator required as everyone coordinated themselves. Afterwards, I learned that the interview went very smoothly and turned out to be a successful cooperative effort. Before I left for New York, I was only involved in mailing letters and sending emails. I felt that I had melted into the mighty current of Fa-rectification.
On the anniversary day, it was raining and thundering in the early morning. Practitioners from Japan sent forth righteous thoughts. The rain stopped, but the temperature dropped rapidly. The subway to Columbia University was stopped for some time due to the rain. In Manhattan the interference was very obvious. The evil forces tried desperately to hinder this precious opportunity. I sent forth righteous thoughts all the way. In my heart was only "coming for you."
It was hard to express my mood when I stepped onto the university from which I had parted for several years. I saw that many people came for this event and I felt very happy for them. People with predestined relationships frequently passed our desk. Visiting scholars, who had just come from China, specifically asked for information about Falun Dafa. An America boy could not help but put his palms together when he was exposed to the truth. We kept on answering people's questions. One after another, sentient beings understood the truth of Falun Dafa and left with fine wishes.
Although I just started taking part in the media work and had no previous experience, I saw my shortcomings when compared with practitioners in New York. I let go of my personal attachments and did on-the-spot interviews boldly.
The activity finished very quickly. I cherished my predestined relationship with Columbia University, which made it possible for me to return to the campus from far away to clarify the facts of Falun Dafa.
Saving People with Predestined Relationships in Times Square
Times Square is well known around the world. Visitors come in endless streams from morning until night. From 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., we mainly distributed Falun Dafa materials to people who work there. I kept on saying "good morning" to passersby with compassion even when they did not take the materials, hoping they would not miss this rare chance to choose a good future. I wore yellow clothes with "Falun Dafa is great" in both Chinese and English imprinted on them and my loud speaker played Pudu music . Most passersby's stiff expressions dissolved and said "good morning" with a smile, while many told me that they had gotten the information already. Most Asian people took the literature without hesitation, which was a distinct contrast with the situation several years ago when we distributed materials here. We practiced the exercises, held torture exhibitions, and distributed materials explaining the truth near Times Square the whole day. When we were practicing the exercises, a middle aged man who had come to understand the truth several days ago watched with full attention. He told us that he was eager to learn Falun Dafa and asked how to find a practice site. Another practitioner and I distributed materials at an intersection 30 meters away from the torture exhibition. When people passed from one direction, the green light in another direction let a second batch of pedestrians pass. We were extremely busy. The truth clarification display board was a big help. People frequently put forward questions; among them the two most common were, "Why did the persecution happen?" and "How can we help?" People's compassion came to the surface and they showed astonishment and indignation at such brutal persecution. Some of them thought that they were just ordinary people and unable to help us. A gentleman spoke with me for 20 minutes, suggesting we seek help from the government and media. I told him that we had have been doing this and that most governments were highly supportive of us. "Then why do you still distribute material on the streets?" he asked. "That is because most people simply do not know about the persecution in China," I responded. "If you are willing to help, please tell whoever you can about the persecution." After hearing this answer, most people said that they understood. They expressed thanks and left happily. Chinese people passing by frequently needed more explanations before they took the literature. It was the deceptive propaganda of Jiang's regime that created their misgivings and fear. Some people just walked away, but most Chinese were willing to consider this issue and take the material. A correspondent from the BBC was waiting with a microphone for the light to change. I tried to hand over a booklet. He did not notice what it was and just shook his head at me with a smile. I immediately said, "This issue is very important. I hope you take a look at it." Then he took it. Though the signal would be changing soon he patiently said to me, "You know I am very busy. The United Nations will hold a meeting soon." I told him that this is why I gave it to him. I told him that this issue is important and has to do with the Unites Nations meeting. The signal changed. Raising the booklet, he said loudly that he would read it. After we expressed our mutual thanks, he disappeared into the crowd. We ran into tourists from Japan frequently. The cautious Japanese do not like to take literature on the streets, especially in unfamiliar counties, so I greeted them in Japanese. They felt much more at ease and willing to accept materials. In this way, I kept on distributing materials and clarifying facts about Falun Dafa. It was at this time that I realized my two foreign languages are my special instruments for saving sentient beings. My English was especially useful. On the ground of my third hometown, I was undertaking an unshakable mission. Sending Righteous Thoughts in front of the Chinese Consulate When I was clarifying the facts about Falun Dafa in Times Square, somebody asked me to go to the Chinese consulate with them to send forth righteous thoughts. At first, I was not willing to leave since I thought my English was good and that I should stay to clarify the facts. But since we paid attention to Fa study every day I was able to look inwards. I immediately realized that I should let go of my sense of self-importance and be cooperative with everyone. Moreover, sending forth righteous thoughts is among the three things Teacher told us to do, and is very important. Upon realizing this I decided to go to the Chinese consulate with two other practitioners from Japan. On the far west side of 42nd Street, near Hudson River, is the Chinese consulate. In 2001, when we had just begun to send forth righteous thoughts, things were really bad there. Each time we sent forth righteous thoughts, it would rain. This time it was sunny everywhere. We joined practitioners from Taiwan. We practiced one set of exercises, and then sent forth righteous thoughts. The field around us was really righteous and powerful. I stood near the wall of the Chinese consulate to send forth righteous thoughts. There were only a few passersby, so we mainly just sent forth righteous thoughts. I also went to the gate to distribute our materials. The staff from the consulate evaded me. Most Chinese who had business at the consulate did not dare to accept the material. But people who were waiting for the bus observed our auspicious and harmonious group. When we asked the driver for the consulate, he said he had watched several Falun Dafa videos. Once, when I had just sat down to send forth righteous thoughts, I heard someone speaking English loudly. A man pulled one of our pamphlets from his pocket. He said somewhat excitedly that he felt at ease with this material close at hand. It turned out that he drove a boat and his work made him nervous. However, when he came to the place where we were sending forth righteous thoughts, he felt relaxed and very comfortable, so he came every day. He said we were a group of kind people and he would like to practice Falun Dafa too. He was very relaxed at that time and returned to work after expressing his thanks. It seemed that his sensible side had specifically chosen this particular site to express his heartfelt wish. I could sense an earthshaking scene in another world. Torture Exhibitions and Clarifying the Facts of Falun Dafa at City Hall Practitioners from Japan and other areas cooperated to hold a live torture exhibition near the city hall. It was close to Chinatown and many people passed by. The brutal torture aroused people's solicitude, sympathy and sense of justice. Some read the truth clarification board seriously and asked for materials, while others actively signed the petition. Several dozen practitioners were present. I decided to do things the same way we had on 42nd Street. We set off for a nearby intersection with the signboard telling the truth where we planned to distribute the materials. After going down two streets, we saw an elderly Chinese gentleman sitting on a bench along the street. I sat beside him and began to chat with him. He was born in Malaysia. He asked many questions and was quite interested. Our talk was just like chatting between friends. He thoroughly knew the truth. He said he had many friends and was willing to give truth clarification materials to them. I was gratified to give him materials in both Chinese and English. I was so absorbed in talking with him that I did not notice someone asking me for material. The gentleman stood up to pass information to that person. I cried when I saw this. Before leaving, the gentleman told me that I did not need to find another place since many people pass by here. I looked around carefully and found there was a police kiosk just down the street and an international trade building beside me. Indeed, many people passed in and out. People here were moving slower than people on 42nd Street. Most of them were willing to inquire into the truth of Falun Dafa. A truth clarification banner, the tune of Pudu, and a pure and compassionate heart told the facts about Falun Dafa to every cherished sentient being and transmitted good fortune to every person with a predestined relationship. There are many stories like this. Every day there are practitioners from every part of the world creating new stories on the streets of Manhattan. I was reluctant to leave New York. See you next time, New York!
