In
late 1996, a Formosan brother named Chine arrived in the West African
nation of Togo on a business trip. At first, he planned to stay in Africa
for only a short period; however, some unexpected situations have extended
his stay in Africa into the present. With Master's blessing, during
these five years, brother Chine and local fellow initiates have spread
Master's teachings in Togo and the neighboring countries of Benin, Cameroon,
Ghana and Burkina Faso, and more Truth-sharing activities are planned
for the future. Regarding his experiences in Africa, brother Chine told
me the following story.
"At the beginning I didn't
plan to do anything intentionally, and thought that after my one-year
business contract was up, I would leave Africa. Then in 1997, a Quan
Yin messenger came to Togo, and I told him that I would help as much
as possible in sharing our method with the public, but would not work
as a contact person for I didn't plan to settle down here. However,
things somehow developed differently from my original plan. In the very
beginning, I traveled around in neighboring countries, distributing
fliers and sample booklets and having discussions in the streets with
local residents. Later, some people in Togo received initiation into
the Quan Yin Method.
Then gradually, I began to think
about the most efficient way to convey Master's teachings in the region.
Thanks to Master's blessed guidance, I began to encourage young local
initiates to take part in this work. After demonstrating a thorough
understanding of Master's teachings and a good ability to interact with
people, they now visit foreign countries on the mission of sharing Master's
message. As meditation centers have been established one after another
in West Africa, we also have assisted the young initiates in setting
up information centers. After the centers are launched, we broadcast
three to four minute daily radio announcements that give a brief introduction
to Master and Her teachings and describe how to contact our local center
through the radio station. Every three to six months, we change the
content of the announcements because human ears tend to respond better
to something new and fresh.
Another powerful way of spreading
Master's message is through TV broadcasts. I've noticed that after airing
weekly lectures on local television stations for a period of time, many
people are inspired and misunderstandings dissolve naturally. In addition,
there are numerous other ways to introduce Master; for example, by posting
Her aphorisms on billboards. I regard promoting Master's teachings as
a process of creation, not just an ordinary chore. Master enlightens
us with so much wisdom that even a few words from Her can bring great
inspiration."
When brother Chine was asked if
he ever encounters difficulties in his work, he said, "For some
time, I felt like going back home to Formosa very much. Then one day,
I watched one of Master's lecture tapes and heard Her say that our disciples
didn't share Her love enough. Her words strongly struck me and so I
decided to stay in Africa longer. Somehow, the feeling of loneliness
is always with me. I was newly married when I came to Africa, and I
miss my wife and son in Formosa very much. Nevertheless, as I came to
see how our African fellow practitioners appreciate Master's teachings,
and how much they long for a living Master, I decided to put aside my
personal feelings.
Throughout my years in Africa,
I've noticed that I've changed a lot. Perhaps my temper is not as mild
as people might expect, but I understand that I've learned many lessons.
Master's teachings are very vital for me now. Looking back, I'm most
grateful for Master's love and blessings.
Many African fellow practitioners
bear the same appreciation of Master in their hearts that I do, feeling
very joyful, peaceful and thankful. Media reporters often describe Africa
as a dark and underdeveloped continent. But this view reflects only
the material level. They have no idea how rich in spirit the African
people are. Along with this spiritual richness comes material comfort."
Today, if you walk on the streets
of African cities, you can feel this emerging prosperity. Africans'
yearning for both spiritual and material progress is very similar to
that of Formosans 25 years ago. You can sense their deep yearning for
a living Master, and as Master continues to bless Africa with Her abundant
love and compassion, I'm sure that more and more Africans will come
back Home.