DAY 5
Saturday August 17, 2001
Fort St. John, BC, Canada
Traveling from town to town and city to city, it seems everywhere we go there
are people who are genuinely happy to meet us. Seems our thought to touch the
hearts of kind-hearted Canadians across Canada is really true. This morning in
the washroom, an older lady was touched by my words of honesty, courtesy,
loyalty, and Truth-Compassion-Tolerance. She expressed our trip was such a good
cause, and gave me a hug.
We dropped off a package for the mayor, and the receptionist gave us city
pins in Fort St John, also part of North Peace Country. We donated Falun
Gong books and Falun Dafa exercise instruction video to the public library, and
arrived in Centennial Park in the afternoon. When the cameraman from the local
TV station arrived to film us he was feeling tired as he began to conduct the
interview. Then he took the time to film the back of my yellow jacket that read,
Truth-Compassion-Tolerance on his own initiative! Later when we were practicing
the exercises the cameraman returned on his own time and watched us practice for
many minutes. Later he asked Richard some deep questions regarding how
Christianity relates to Falun Dafa. We were touched by this man's heart.
 |
 |
 |
| Hongfa to future mayor |
Hongfa to workers |
Reporter in Fort St. John |
DAY 6
Sunday August 18, 2001
Grande Prarie, BC, Canada
Everywhere we go, we ask many people for directions, and everyone gets a
flyer. Today we asked at least three people how to get to Muscaceeti Park. The
Daily Herald Tribune volunteered to print a news release, but otherwise, media
were unable to meet with us in this town. Therefore we decided to hong-fa and
practice in the park. One pre-destined young man was happy to meet us there. He
had a friend who practiced in Edmonton, AB. On this day we talked about many
things. He bought the exercise video, and said he would learn and share it with
his group of friends whom he felt could also benefit.
In The First 18 Days of our Trip We Received 43 Media Reports
DAY 8
Tuesday August 20, 2001
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
This day brought great lessons about how to best contact the media. The
Northern SOS Team had only recently celebrated a kick-off event in Edmonton, and
some media had already covered the story. Our Cross-Canada media release had
been faxed twice to all of the media, but they had not been phoned. Wanting to
offer our best effort, we quickly gathered all the media contacts and phoned
them one by one. We introduced ourselves, let them know we were ready to meet
them, and shared our message and the encouraging support we have received from
media and kind-hearted people thus far on our trip. We let them know how this
persecution relates to Canadians, and how this kind of persecution is against
human nature. We also offer our contact information and ask if they would like a
press package or more information in the future. Actually, many media know how
important this issue is, and often generously offer us the maximum airtime and
print coverage. One media outlet requested that we definitely phone them before all of
our media events and let them know, as they would like to cover the story.
With our righteous minds and understanding, the results are positive, and the
media is left with better clarification for the future. Master taught in his
article, "What Are Supernormal Abilities," "At present,
humankind's everyday is arranged according to Dafa's needs; Dafa disciples'
performance in the human world is to be left for history." We will use
every opportunity to let them know more about Falun Dafa so that they can use
upright thoughts to report us, have a good future, and will be less likely to be
used by the evil while reporting us. With the understanding that we need to
actively and confidently present our events to the media, we have greatly
improved the effectiveness of our trip to share Dafa with even more people. With
this improvement, everywhere we go, we now phone all the media, and now we are
receiving a lot more coverage. In the first 18 days of our trip we received
43 news reports.
The gazebo in Churchill Square, City Hall, Edmonton, was covered with banners
and display. A-Channel TV filmed a glorious picture. Many kind-hearted
Edmontonians signed the petition and expressed their upright thoughts. One
devoted Christian man put his head to the ground in prayer, and expressed his
wish for the persecution to end at an early date. Thank you Edmonton
practitioners for all of your support and help on this day. Also, good luck and
our best wishes to Tom, who accommodated us in Edmonton, and who has worked
painstakingly on translation work, and who will soon move to Poland to spread Fa
to a new country!
 |
 |
| Exercise in Edmonton |
Hongfa in Edmonton |
 |
 |
| Petition signed in Edmonton |
Hongfa in Edmonton |
Hinton, Alberta, Canada
We rushed to Hinton for an after hours meeting with a kind-hearted local
reporter at Lion's park, near the playground. Thanks to this reporter, who
really went out of her way to cover our story in depth!
Hinton media
Overcoming Obstacles and Upgrading Xinxing During Cross Canada
Trip
DAY 9
Tuesday August 21, 2001
Hinton, Alberta, Canada
This morning we awoke to discover our truck battery had been run down, and we
discovered many xinxing upgrades were needed. Actually this was very serious,
because every day our trip is filled with opportunities to let more people learn
about Dafa. Our Teacher said, "A Dafa disciple completely opposes
everything arranged by the evil old forces." (Dafa is Indestructible) We
can not allow our attachments and karma to impede the Fa-rectification. Our
Cross Canada SOS Rescue Tour Mission Statement included, "Our effort,
whether it is those who are traveling on the tour, the support team behind them,
or other practitioners in other environments, also aims at enabling us to
cultivate out every last remaining attachment." Any mistake a team member
makes could cost many opportunities for sentient beings to be saved.
To help resolve the problem a kind-hearted family at the campground came to
help boost our truck, but instead the cables were hooked backwards and blew a
wire, which required a tow truck. Each team member was forced to look inside for
the cause of this delay. Our attachments were deeply concealed, and even a week
later we are discovering further lessons from this experience. But Fa did not
allow us to miss any appointments. In the end our truck was fixed quickly, and
we were back on the road.
Jasper, Alberta, Canada
We had arranged for a photo with the local editor at the Jasper Booster, but after we
arrived, the editor conducted a full interview complete with photos in the local
park! Many kind-hearted people stopped to talk and take flyers on the street
where our truck was parked. We also donated a book and exercise tape to the
local library.
 |
 |
| Jasper reporter |
Hongfa in Jasper |
 |
 |
| Hongfa in Jasper |
donating books to the public library in Jasper |
Driving toward Banff in the evening we took time to send forth righteous thoughts
in the mountains.
Sending
forth righteous thoughts in Jasper Park
While stopped there I had the thought about a nearby vehicle at the rest
stop. I thought, "These people did not stop here by accident. They also
have a predestined relationship to Falun Dafa. I should bring them some
flyers." Because my thought was benevolent, I was able to clarify many
points to this Christian family. I explained about the moral emphasis and the
universality of the principles. I told them this persecution of innocent people
is against human nature, and that we are traveling across the country to let
more people know. I was not moved by their obstacles and clarified simply and
honestly all the concerns they raised. I felt it was my selfless thought that
broke through the evil's interference to these kind-hearted people. Maybe it was
the serenity borne in the Rocky Mountains that helped our minds to feel so clear
and even more aware of the truer Fa-principles.
Throughout our trip many Christians have expressed their concern and voiced
their support. One day at a rest stop a lady said her minister told their entire
church about the persecution, and they all prayed for the innocent
practitioners. She was so pleased to meet us in person. The first thing she said
to me was, "You are not Chinese!" It was an excellent opportunity to
clarify the truth further to these kind-hearted people.
DAY 10
Wednesday August 22, 2001
Banff, Alberta, Canada
We arranged an early morning event in Banff because we did not want to miss
this opportunity to appeal to the people there. The Cragg and Canyon Newspaper
was quite busy, but agreed to meet us at the office. We arranged to send digital
photos via e-mail in order to make a good story. The staff at this newspaper
were very kind and supportive.
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
When we arrived in Calgary the four street corners in Chinatown were filled
with yellow t-shirts and two big banners. It was a solemn welcome from Calgary
practitioners. The major newspaper reporter was waiting to speak with us. Also a
Chinese daily paper happily took photos with our team. On this day practitioners
experienced a breakthrough in receptivity. Chinese were accepting more flyers
than ever before! A major TV news station took a clip for their evening report,
and we offered them truth clarifying videos and information. The news anchor
told us he would view and read everything, and also make sure his staff also
read everything, so that next time they would be better informed. He volunteered
to do this very positive work.. This is really one of our greatest hopes that
the media gets to know us well enough that they will also resist the propaganda
and act with higher moral conscience. The Fa works miracles throughout our trip.
 |
 |
 |
| Calgary Herald reporter |
Calgary practitioners |
Hongfa in Calgary |
In the afternoon we visited the Chinese consulate to send forth righteous
thoughts. After some time we sent our thoughts again to eliminate the evil
elements that control those people to do bad things.
Sending
forth rightous thoughts in front of the Chinese consulate
Next the entire group of us went to a practitioner's home to share a meal and
experience sharing. This was such a good opportunity to "share in learning
and share in cultivating."(-unofficial translation Hong Yin "Solid
Cultivation") Thank you for the incredible hospitality and accommodation.
Thank you for the big bag of apples, and for helping us to improve our signs. As
soon as the new sign was up, there was a woman asking about Falun Dafa.
DAY 11
Thursday August 23
Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
We met with the media first thing in the morning. RDTV filmed an interview
and an exercise demonstration. Next the photographer arrived to click many
photos before hurrying to his next appointment. This man looked for us four
times in order to cover our story. In Red Deer we sent forth righteous thoughts
in the rain.
Leduc, Alberta, Canada
Because we still had a long way to drive on this day, and could not possibly
meet the media in our destination, we decided to stop in Leduc. While in Leduc
we took the chance to call all the media in the phonebook. One newspaper asked
me to send in an editorial letter, and she suggested I send this to all
newspapers! She believed this issue was very important, and everyone should know
about it. This was a really good lesson for me, because I had believed one
needed to live in the area to send in letters. But in remote places, those
people may not have any chance to learn about Falun Dafa from a practitioner,
and it would be a shame not to try. All remote places can still have an
opportunity to learn the truth.
Lloydminister, Alberta, Canada
While driving we still conducted a telephone interview with the local radio
station. After we arrived in town we placed banners at our prearranged location,
and practiced the exercises as a group. It was a rare opportunity for us to
demonstrate in public, as it was largely drive-by traffic in this town. One team
member said afterwards that this town probably never had so much traffic.
