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 In
cooperation with the Hualien District Prosecutors' Office,
the Hualien Center convened a Mid-Autumn Festival Prayer Event
for ex-prisoners on parole, when the parolees came to make
their routine report. The sincere intention of the initiates
was to help these hardened men, who had sustained mental wounds,
to pray for themselves, for their families and for world peace.
It was also hoped that their souls would be elevated indiscernibly.
The
most touching moment of the event occurred when a prayer was
read aloud on behalf of all those present, while the tape
of Master singing "Nam Mo Quan Yin Bodhisattva"
was being played. The participants lowered their heads and
prayed in silence and some of these stern men even shed tears
from the depths of their hearts. The initiates could truly
feel that God and the saints were blessing the assembly. Master's
love melted hearts that had long been frozen in ice. The prayer
event ended with the releasing of balloons into the sky. When
those strong hands let go of the little balloons, allowing
them to soar upwards, they made a wonderful sight. How we
wish that the world could henceforth be peaceful, allowing
all of us to live freely and without worry, as if we were
in Heaven.
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| As Master's chanting
tape was played, the participants piously closed their
eyes in prayer. |
Moon-cakes are
presented to the participants as gifts.
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Fellow practitioners
from Miaoli, Formosa participate in a bazaar held by the
Miaoli Lifeline Association. |
Becoming acquainted
with the public through delicious vegetarian food.
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Report
From Miaoli, Formosa
"Life-care"
Bazaar
The
Miaoli Lifeline Association sponsored a bazaar on October
10th of this year, which is the National Day of the Republic
of China, to raise funds for the construction of new premises.
Officials of the Miaoli County Government and many charity
organizations were invited to celebrate the occasion together.
Fellow practitioners also participated in the event. At the
venue that day, the initiates set up a vegetarian food booth,
attracting a large number of people eager to sample the diverse
variety of vegetarian food, snacks and drinks. The demand
was tremendous, and so was the demand for Master's sample
books and News magazines. At the end of the day, fellow practitioners
contributed all the proceeds from the event to the Lifeline
Association in a practical show of support that was expressive
of Master's love in action.
<Combined
Report By Sister Initiates Shen Xiufeng and Huang Fengshan.
Tainan, Formosa>
Formosan
initiates have been working on a long-time basis with an organization
named the Great Enlightenment, which is concerned about prison
inmates. These practitioners have been visiting prisons throughout
Formosa to provide care and encouragement to those behind
bars, and to introduce to them Master's teachings and the
Quan Yin Method. On the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival, initiates
shared Master's love by presenting gifts of moon-cakes and
fruit to inmates in central and southern Formosa. Under the
auspices of the Great Enlightenment, the initiates visited
the Nantou Detention Center, Changhua Juvenile Center, Kaohsiung
Juvenile Supervision Center, Tainan Juvenile Supervision Center
and Tienchung Juvenile Center.
The
initiates received special permission from the authorities
of the Tienchung Juvenile Center to hold a seminar of encouragement
and inspiration for its several hundred young detainees. There,
they shared stories of their pasts: how they became involved
with the underground and thereby endangered the lives of their
families; how they met Master and turned over new leaves;
and, how spiritual practice with Master has changed their
lives completely. The initiates encouraged the detainees to
love and care for each other, abide by their supervisors'
instructions, never give up on themselves, and have confidence
in their future.
When
the authorities at the center saw the moon-cakes and pomelos
that are usually eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival, they were
very touched and commented that this was their earliest reminder
of the coming of the Moon Festival.
The
initiates came to the prison with love and left with tender
feelings of warmth.
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