(Clearwisdom.net) More than three thousand Falun Gong practitioners from all over the world gathered in Washington D.C. for a march against the persecution on July 23, 2010. They want to bring an end to the more than eleven years of persecution of Falun Gong in communist China.

Looking at the thousands of Falun Gong practitioners in the long parade procession, it makes you wonder why they are so steadfast? What brought them here on a hot summer day from thousands of miles away? What made them express their voice in sweltering heat in front of the Capitol? What made them sit quietly at the vigil mourning their fellow practitioners who died from the persecution?

Falun Gong practitioner Wang Zhiyuan said, "I used to have incurable disease and suffered from many stubborn diseases. I felt at the end of my life. I am grateful I started practicing Falun Gong in 1998. Falun Dafa has given me a new life. After practicing for three months, all my diseases were gone. Above all, my values had completely changed. I used to care very little about others and the society. As an official in China at that time, I had many bad habits. Practicing Falun Gong completely changed the significance of life. I shouldn't live just for myself. I should put others first.

Mrs. Guo, in her seventies, now lives in Chicago. She attended Master Li Hongzhi's lecture series in Harbin in August 1994. She used to be so ill that she had given up hope for life. Having tried many forms of Qigong, she didn't trust Qigong any more. She just wished to leave the world soon. One of her colleagues persuaded her to attend Master Li's lecture series in Harbin. She began to feel relief from her diseases on the second day of the lecture series. She witnessed how Master got rid of people diseases. Nothing can shake her faith. She said, "Falun Dafa gave me a new life. I hope more people will benefit from it like me. I hope more people will find out the true story and help stop the persecution."

Mr. Gu is an electronics engineer from Taiwan. He had been seeking the meaning of life since in college. He tried many things but couldn't find an answer. In 2001, he learned about Falun Gong through his mother. After three years of thinking and studying, he realized in 2004 that Falun Dafa was the truth he had been pursuing. He went through a process of serious deliberation and eventually found the meaning of life.

Candlelight vigil started in the evening. A woman held a candle with her eyes closed. Streaks of tears run down her face. Her name is Makiku, a Falun Gong practitioner from Japan. This was the third time she has come to the annual activities in Washington D.C. She came a long way just to contribute her effort to stop the persecution.

She said, "I come here to do what little I can. I hope our voice will be spread around the world and let more people know Falun Dafa is great and help stop the persecution."