(Clearwisdom.net)
Chicago, "the windy city," is as cold as usual this year. There are few pedestrians on the streets. Those who have to go out to take care of their business rush back to their warm houses or cars as soon as they finish.
However, in front of the Chinese Consulate in Chicago one will find another scene. Directly facing the door of the consulate, a group of elderly people is gathered. No matter how cold the day is they meditate and practice Falun Dafa exercises in the cold wind. Hanging on the wall is their appeal, "China: Stop Killing Falun Gong Practitioners." They are peacefully appealing for the Falun Gong practitioners persecuted in China.
Since September 2002, a dozen elderly practitioners from the Chicago area have been coming to the Chinese consulate to peacefully appeal for Falun Gong. Rain or shine, hot or cold, you will find them there. When asked why they appeal in front of the Chinese consulate every day, they will tell you that cultivation in Falun Gong has given them good health and elevated their moral standard; however, Jiang's regime persecutes for no reason the kind people who practice Falun Gong. Many Falun Gong practitioners have been persecuted to death and even more are jailed and detained in forced labor camps and brutally tortured. Among them are their own friends and relatives. They could not just simply ignore the situation. They will appeal and declare the innocence of the persecuted Falun Gong practitioners in China. As long as the persecution continues, their appeal will continue. No matter whether it is cold or windy, scorching summer or frigid winter, rain or shine, these compassionate elderly men and women will practice and meditate there, peacefully and benevolently.
Though the door of the consulate has already been shut tightly, though some people ridiculed them as "stupid," through their dignified demeanor, sincerity, dauntlessness and tenacious spirit, they have moved so many good hearts. One after another the touching stories quietly happen every day...
On a morning in mid-January, two young Chinese ladies stepped out of a white car. They brought hot water and ginseng to the elderly practitioners who were appealing in the cold wind and told them in Chinese that their boss asked them to bring it to them. Their boss felt very sad when he saw how they persisted in such cold weather. He asked the ladies to pass the word that it was so cold that they should go home until it got warmer. An elderly practitioner was very touched and told the two young ladies through tears, "Jiang Zemin is madly persecuting Falun Gong. Falun Gong practitioners are subjected to all kinds of tortures in jails and forced labor camps. Every day, death cases are heard. However cold it gets, we will persist. Compared to the persecution that the Falun Gong practitioners in China are suffering, the hardship we experience is nothing." The young lady said that their boss knows what is happening in China.
On another occasion the elderly practitioners raised their eyes and saw a 30-year-old westerner pressing both his hands together in Heshi to express his respect. The next morning, the westerner brought them hot ginseng tea. The following morning, he sent another western young lady to bring hot coffee from a nearby restaurant.
For several days, a section of the road near their meeting site was being worked on. One day it snowed and they were not prepared so they just sent forth righteous thoughts in the snow. A worker came to say a few words to the practitioners. A young practitioner was there at that time, but did not understand so he just replied, "Thank you" and then continued to send forth righteous thoughts. When they finished sending righteous thoughts and opened their eyes, the worker had already shoveled the snow away and got some cardboard boxes for the practitioners to sit on. In the next few days, the worker cleaned the snow and told the practitioners to fold the cardboard for the next day's use. A few days later, he made a special trip to deliver new cardboard boxes and invited the practitioners to lunch.
One day a 30-year-old western woman came to get some information and then went to buy spring water for all of the practitioners. She said in tears, "It is so cold. You should go home." The practitioners were also moved to tears by her kindness.
An African-American gentleman took many photos of the practitioners and made a special trip to deliver the photos. When the practitioners wanted to pay him, he resolutely declined. He said he would like to practice Falun Gong also.
Not only were westerners moved, but Chinese people also awakened from the lies. All the Chinese who went to the consulate would see the practitioners' peaceful appeal. One time a young couple came out of the consulate and directly walked over to where the practitioners were appealing and said, "Those who persecute Falun Gong are indeed bad."
The cold winter is dissipating. Spring is approaching.
