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The Taiwan Minghui School Summer Camp 2003
(Clearwisdom.net) Forty young Dafa Disciples attended the first Minghui School Summer Camp from August 4-8. In the
camp, the children were required to do the exercises, recite "Hong Yin" and strive
to follow the principles of Truth-Compassion-Tolerance. We told the children cultivation stories,
taught them to sing songs composed by Dafa disciples, introduced them to acupuncture points and
stone carving, and provided opportunities for them to appreciate puppet shows and music, draw
animals, visit zoos, and tour the Children's Center for Music as well as other activities. These
innocent and lively children treated themselves as cultivators when they encountered various
situations and impressed the practitioners in charge very much. On August 4th, the children gathered to register and meet their new friends. But when
the music for the Dafa exercises began, the children immediately got organized to start. An
observing police officer praised them profusely. The second day, these children from different
provinces behaved so well that they left a deep impression on the teacher. She gave every child who
completed the work a little award for special encouragement. On the third day, we arranged for the children to share their own cultivation stories. Hanyu from
the first grade told everyone her experience of going to Beijing to appeal in a very open and
relaxed way. She described how her mother was arrested and taken to the police station and that she
and her brother became homeless outside until a kind-hearted person took them to his home. The
police wanted the Mother to write the "Guarantee Statement" to give up the practice, but
she refused. Later it was the same kind-hearted person who bailed the Mother out of the police
station using his own money. When we heard this story from the seven-year old girl, our eyes were
filled with tears. We also used this opportunity to explain to the children why we need to clarify
the truth to the precious Chinese people. When we were teaching Music Appreciation, we introduced them to Chinese Guqing and Guzheng as
well as to Western music. We let them listen to several famous selections from Guqing. We also
included famous history stories in the curriculum and taught the children that, in ancient times,
playing music was for cultivating mind and body. These children will be under the influence of
ancient Chinese culture from a young age. Among those who attended the Summer Camp, thirty children were below the third grade, two young
Dafa disciples were kindergarten age and one was a two-year-old. We asked the older kids from grade
six to help lead the team and take care of their younger teammates. One "big sister"
worried that a younger girl in the same dormitory might be cold at night because she did not bring
her quilt. The older girl took out her own bath towel meant for her pillow and gave it to the young
girl to use as a blanket. It was truly very touching how these "big sisters and brothers"
from higher grades actively took care of their younger teammates. When the camp ended, several
children from the first grade especially wrote letters to thank the "big brothers and
sisters" for taking care of them. The young disciples returned to their homes with happy hearts, waiting for the next time to
attend the Minghui School Summer Camp. |