(Clearwisdom.net) In the wake of a powerful earthquake-triggered tsunami that hit Japan's east coast, volunteers have held morning markets in Soma Haragama since mid-May 2011 to support local residents in Soma City, Fukushima Prefecture. The sixth morning market was held June 18-19, 2011, and Falun Gong practitioners were invited to participate. They made Chinese dumplings (Jiaozi) and demonstrated the Falun Gong exercises for the evacuees.

Practitioners make Chinese dumplings

A long line in front of practitioners' dumpling booth

People watch practitioners demonstrate the exercises and follow along

People watch and imitate practitioners demonstrating the exercises

Practitioners pose for a photo taken with morning market volunteers

The morning market opening time was 9:00 a.m. but local residents started lining up at around 7:30 a.m. The Chinese dumplings made by Falun Gong practitioners, along with Japanese fried prawn rice and seafood made by other volunteers, were sold at reasonable prices. Many people lined up in front of the Chinese dumpling booth. Practitioners also introduced the five exercises, and many people showed interest. They followed along with practitioners during the exercise demonstrations. Afterwards, they read informational materials carefully.

Among those who watched practitioners demonstrate the Falun Gong exercises were a grandfather and his grandson. The grandfather listened to the practitioners attentively to learn the movements. He corrected his grandson's movements from time to time, until he was doing the movements correctly. The grandfather said that he felt great after practicing the exercises and hoped to keep practicing. An elderly woman said that she had suffered from many chronic illnesses and also had a heart problem, but after practicing the Falun Gong exercises, she felt very comfortable and light all over her body. A 14-year-old middle-school student said she felt warm after the exercises, which she said seemed to have very powerful energy. Most of the volunteers also tried the Falun Gong exercises. Although it was only a 15-minute experience, many said that they felt light and very comfortable, and that all their fatigue disappeared. Some people learned to do the exercises on June 18 and returned the next morning to get an Falun Gong exercise instruction DVD and hoped to learn to practice Falun Gong.

The person who organized the Soma Haragama Morning Market is also a disaster victim. His house was washed away by the tsunami, and he was no longer able to engage in his fisheries work. But he was fortunate that his entire family was safe, and they moved into temporary housing three days ago. He said that they had eaten rice, instant noodles, and canned food for three months in a shelter. Although supermarkets have begun operating again, the prices are very high, so he borrowed this venue from the city government, contacted people to bring supplies, and organized volunteers to hold the morning market weekly, selling fresh and inexpensive fish and other food, and distributing received money to disaster victims. He hoped that everyone had a place to get together, to laugh, and to pull themselves together. He especially invited Falun Gong practitioners this time to participate in the activity and said he hoped to have an opportunity to learn the practice.

Practitioner Ms. Chen has coordinated shelters in different prefectures that were affected by the disasters since April. She and the other practitioners who were ready to teach the Falun Gong exercises have been to more than 200 shelters to teach the exercises. She said that about four thousand people have learned and experienced Falun Gong.

Practitioners donated the money they received from the two-day sale of Chinese dumplings at the morning market to the morning market operation committee, which will pass along their donations to disaster victims. Practitioners sincerely hope that more people will soon emerge from the shadows of disaster and greet a new life with happiness.