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Clarifying the Facts at Customs
By a Spanish practitioner
(Clearwisdom.net) On March the 15, 2003, I took a flight to Geneva with a
special passport and I.D. with no nationality that had been urgently issued by
the Spanish government. However, I was denied entry by the Geneva customs. The
customs officials could not recognize this sort of passport and did not allow me
to pass through customs. Two Western practitioners explained in English and
French to the customs officials that this kind of passport was in common use
internationally. (We realized afterwards that Switzerland was not in the
international organization in which this kind of passport could be used.) We
explained that the activity we were about to attend was very important. The
official said, "We can process another visa." However, he received the order: "A
visa will not be issued" and I was told "Take the next flight and return to your
country of origin" after he had reported to the visa department. Two Western
practitioners spent a lot of time talking with the officials in the customs
office. When they walked out of the customs office, I knew from their faces that
the customs officials had not changed their minds. The customs staff started to
process the procedure of my return.
When everybody sat down and discussed what to do, I was calm in my heart. I
realized that it was not important whether I could pass through customs; what
was more important was to clarify the facts about the persecution of Dafa to
more people through this event. It might be a good chance to clarify the truth
to the people involved in this event. I conveyed my understanding to my fellow
practitioners: "No matter whether I can enter Switzerland or not, we should
explain the facts to them; we should not be interfered with by any factor.
Master would not care about the result, only the process."
Through experience sharing, we reevaluated this event according to the Fa,
and saw the whole thing in a clear light. The old forces set piles and piles of
obstructions in front of us and tried to turn our attention to something else;
however, we should firmly believe in Dafa, hold a diamond-like heart when facing
any kind of interference; we should do what Dafa disciples should do. As Master
mentioned that the old forces tried to interfere with and damage Dafa, we could
also use this situation to our advantage. Usually, we did not have a chance to
clarify the truth to customs staff, so it was a good chance to do it now. The
side of them that could understand the truth would be eager to hear the great Fa
of the universe - Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance. That was what we had
to do.
Our understanding improved according to the Fa and we had righteous thoughts.
Practitioners promptly clarified the truth individually to the customs staff. We
happened to have brought the truth-clarifying booklets in English as well as
other languages with us. We had enough time to explain to the customs staff in
detail. The two Western practitioners had obtained the Fa recently; however,
they actively clarified the truth to everyone they met in each of the offices
and information windows.
The result was very good. The people in customs were deeply moved by
practitioners' great compassion and forbearance. Afterwards, the customs staff
got together to discuss how to help us pass through. They tried everything they
could, but it was finally in vain because the return procedure and mechanism had
already been set into motion and completed. Their sense of apology showed in
their eyes. A lady indicated that she would walk me through the customs in
person if I came to Geneva another time.
It was time to return. The two policemen who knew the truth walked me through
the departure area with an apology. Because I could not speak French and they
did not speak Spanish, I said in English, "Falun Dafa is good" to them on the
way. In the departure area, the policemen handed out my certificates to an
official. The official could speak a little bit of Spanish. Therefore, I
clarified the truth to him in my poor Spanish about the truth of Falun Gong, the
huge changes that have happened to me and the persecution of Falun Gong
practitioners in China. I was full of compassion at that time. It seemed strange
that all the words and phrases that I had forgotten came to my mind then. The
words and phrases I knew were not much; therefore, I showed him the pictures
while clarifying the truth. Though my Spanish was poor, I did it with my heart
and he listened to me with his heart. I knew he realized because tears glistened
in his eyes. He finally said, "Falun Dafa is very, very good." I gave him the
photo booklet. He accepted it and thanked me. When I walked out of customs, I
saw that he and his colleagues were looking at the booklet.
Though I was not able to attend the Fa-conference, I realized the urgency and
importance of clarifying the truth through my truth-clarifying experience in
customs. As a Dafa disciple, we cannot forget our mission in this lifetime
wherever we are, whatever situation we are in and whoever we interact with.
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