(Minghui.org) The Minghui Academy Summer Camp in Toronto came to a close on September 1, 2017. Seventy children practitioners of Falun Gong from age 3 to 16 attended the nine-week-long camp. Hailing from Toronto, Mississauga, Alberta, Detroit, and mainland China, the children enjoyed their time together as they practiced Falun Dafa and experienced traditional Chinese culture.
Group exercise at Minghui Academy Summer Camp in Toronto
Summer camp activities: learning calligraphy and traditional Chinese dance
Eliminating Attachments
Eleven-year-old Lisa had just come to Toronto from China. It was the first time she had attended a Minghui Academy camp. She said, “I feel so lucky and so happy! I had to do exercises and study the Fa in secret in China. Now I can do this with other kids every day! This cultivation environment has helped me to look inward on every issue and eliminate many attachments.”
Lisa gave an example of eliminating the mentality of fighting. She said, “I used to get along with every kid except one. My mom always told me what I should have done better. I was upset, thinking she was on the side of the other kid. Mom patiently explained we cultivators should look inward. My teachers in the camp also reminded us about looking inward. The other kid is also a Falun Dafa practitioner. She looked inward too, and we resolved our problem very soon. I keep a diary about how I resolved conflicts and passed tests of my xinxing. I learned something every time.”
Eliminating Jealousy
Thirteen-year-old Kelly has attended the Minghui Academy Summer Camp for four summers. She said, “My biggest accomplishment this year is eliminating jealousy. I used to have a strong attachment to jealousy, and always envied those who were better at things than I was. Through group Fa study and experience-sharing, I slowly learned to appreciate others. I know how to overcome my jealousy when it appears. I suddenly found myself so happy and relaxed when I got rid of jealousy!”
Six-Year-Old Reads Chinese Version of Zhuan Falun
Six-year-old Felix Wang is in the elementary group. His camp teacher Ms. Lin said, “When he first started learning Zhuan Falun, he needed someone to lead him word by word. He put a lot of heart in it. By the fifth week, he could read most of the book by himself. In the last week, he could read it all by himself. I'm very pleased with his progress.”
Ms. Lin stressed the importance of parents' involvement. She said, “Felix' mom always brought her kids in for morning exercise on time. They hand-copied Lunyu for 20 minutes after group exercise, and studied the Fa together. We teachers and parents shouldered our responsibilities together to ensure good progress of the kids.”
Teachers Improve Along with the Children
Ms. Li, a teacher in the camp, said she was worried when she saw that most of the kids in her class were boys. One time, she had to get help from other teachers to calm down a boy who lost his temper. Ms. Li said, “I realized I have to improve myself in order to help the children correct their mistakes. I have to continue improving my tolerance and cultivating my compassion under the guidance of Dafa. The progress of helping children grow is also a part of my cultivation. I'm so fortunate to be their teacher and witness their successes.”
On the first day, one of the kids in Ms. Li's class said outright to his teacher and classmates, “I'm not a cultivator. You can't make me follow your rules.” He refused to play with other kids. However, the positive environment changed his attitude. A few weeks later, he started doing the exercises, studying the Fa, and playing with the other kids. Ms. Li said, “He shared a lot of thoughts with me one day that he didn't want others to know. I realized cultivation had made this boy open his heart. I'm thankful that he has benefited from the compassion of our Master.”
