(Clearwisdom.net) The Liberty Bell is located on Independence Square in downtown Philadelphia. Since July 1999, the Bell has witnessed a group of people that are firm in their belief. Every weekend, despite the cold of winter or the heat of summer, they have conducted truth-clarification activities to stop the brutal persecution of Falun Gong in China. For eight years, countless tourists have learned the facts and found out about the crimes occurring on the other side of the globe. Countless Chinese people who were deceived by Chinese Communist Party's lies learned the facts. On the eighth anniversary, the reporter interviewed some of the practitioners in front of the Bell.
  Group practice in front of the Liberty Bell |
  Tourists from all over the world have studied the truth-clarification posters |
Ms. Lin's story
Practitioner Ms. Lin has explained the facts of the persecution to tourists, especially those from China, for seven years at the Liberty Bell. Every weekend people can see her there. She has spent her own money to make truth-clarification materials although her income is modest.
Ms. Lin told the reporter that, in China, she used to live in a remote small town with a little over one thousand residents. The town was located at the foot of a big mountain. In 1999, Ms. Lin learned about Falun Gong from her brother who lived in another city and had started practicing it. She experience big improvements physically and mentally after practicing and understood many principles. She said, "Facing problems, I know to judge them with 'Truth-Compassion-Tolerance." I changed from being a touchy person to being open-minded. My sinus problems and other illnesses disappeared without my noticing. I felt life was so nice."
A few months after Ms. Lin started practicing, the CCP initiated the persecution of Falun Gong in China. Ms. Lin said, "I could not understand why such a good practice would be treated so unfairly. In such a small town, I did not know what to do since I did not know about the Internet. I was very worried."
In 2001, she moved to Philadelphia. Ever since, Ms. Lin has came to the Liberty Bell site to clarify the truth to tourists every Saturday and Sunday. When asked what power has led her to keep doing this for so long, she said, "From the bottom of heart, I feel it is what I should do. I wish for tourists, especially those from China, to know the facts."
Phil's story
The practitioners that go to the Liberty Bell site are not only Chinese, but also black, white, Hispanic, and Asian. Mr. Phil Randell, who works in the federal government, is one of them.
Mr. Randell said that on July 1, 2001, he and his wife started practicing Falun Gong. When he and his wife visited their pastor, who presided at their wedding, he introduced Falun Gong to them. Seven weeks later, his problem with his cervical vertebra was gone. He said Falun Gong also improved his character.
Mr. Randell said since the spread of Falun Gong was through group practice in public places, he volunteered to coordinate the group practice two months ago.
He reminded everyone that group practice is held every Saturday and Sunday on Market St. between 5th and 6th Streets in Philadelphia. This coming weekend, however, he said that everyone was going to Washington, DC, to call for an end to the persecution and would not practice in Philadelphia.
Russian practitioners
Among the practitioners in front of the Liberty Bell, more than ten are Russian. Marina Vassong started practicing Falun Gong in 1997. She said, "Each of us Russian practitioners is very busy and has many things to do. We try our best to come here every weekend to clarify the truth. We sincerely wish that more people would learn the facts of Falun Gong." She said that many Chinese tourists smiled after accepting truth-clarification literature from her. She also noticed that many Chinese tourists took photos when she practiced the exercises since they were surprised that foreigners also practiced Falun Gong. Sometimes she said to the tourists, "Hello" in Chinese. They would be pleased to accept the literature.
For eight years, these practitioners have come to the Liberty Bell site voluntarily to clarify the truth to tourists and spread the same voice - to stop the persecution of Falun Gong as soon as possible.
Category: Rallies & Protests
