Report from Formosa

Divine Love Spreads to Wanli’s Elderly

By the Taipei News Group (Originally in Chinese)

On August 27, 2005, local initiates visited the Taipei County Senior Citizens Home of Compassion in Wanli as a follow-up to their major book-distribution activity at the facility in April. In addition to Master’s publications, photos and blessed gifts the initiates brought moon cakes and fresh flowers to the elderly residents. The brother and sisters made the August trip after gaining a better knowledge of the facility, which they were unable to get from the earlier activity because the Home had been added to their visiting list at the last moment. The Home, built on a hillside by the sea, accommodates lonely, destitute senior citizens who are unable to earn a living or are physically disabled.

On the day of the visit, 93-year-old Xu Qing-lan, walking with the help of a cane, looked at a photo of herself in the News #158 as she conversed with the initiates, and asked them to help her hang Master’s photo on the wall by her bed so that she could see Master always. In addition, Madam Guo Chen Su-yue, aged 85 and a pious Christian, asked the sisters, “Would you please write Master’s holy name on the back of Her photo so that I’ll never forget It?” adding that she liked Master very much and would place Her image beside a picture of Jesus Christ and pray to Them both. Observing the cordial smiles on the initiates’ faces, the woman also commented, “You’re all very benevolent, and each of you is an angel. The more I look at you, the more I find that you look like Supreme Master Ching Hai.” Madam Guo has prayed to God every day during her eighteen years at the Home, and each time the residents have a visitor she regards it as a divine blessing. Being fit and healthy, she stood up and bowed to the sisters to express her gratitude, especially for Master’s loving concern. Another elderly lady, Madam Pan, asked that Master’s photos be placed on both sides of her bed so that she could see Master on both her left and right sides and also expressed a longing to see Master in person.

After a reluctant farewell, the practitioners left the women’s quarters, had a meal and meditated to recharge themselves at a local brother’s house, and then returned to the Home to visit the men’s quarters, where they served tea and moon cakes to the residents and enjoyed eating with them. Several of the men were interested in Master’s message and read Her books attentively. For example, Uncle Zhan had lost vision in both eyes, yet he cherished Master’s teachings and tried hard to recite Her holy name. After repeating Master’s name for some time, he began saying, “Great Master Ching Hai.” Touched by his sincerity, a sister gave him her Walkman, some batteries and one of Master’s Buddha’s Chanting tapes. On learning that the items were gifts of love from Master, Uncle Zhan nodded and said, “Thank You very much, Great Master Ching Hai!” And as he listened to the Walkman, a blissful smile appeared on his face.

Before the initiates left the Senior Citizens’ Home of Compassion, the staff announced that from then on they would play Master’s Buddha’s Chanting tapes for half an hour each day at noon through the public address system on every floor of the facility. After visiting the Home, the practitioners were happy that they were able to build a bridge of divine compassion allowing Master’s Light to shine on its elderly, lonely and helpless residents, who will now be enveloped by Her infinite love each day through Her music. The initiates are also grateful to Master for helping them learn to interact closely with the elderly and thus clearly perceive the ephemeral nature of human life and the need to practice diligently while they can.

Changhua

Divine Love Inspires Inmates
to Pursue a New Life

By the Changhua News Group (Originally in Chinese)

On August 17, 2005, fellow initiates from the Changhua Center of The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association held a soul-elevating video seminar to share Master’s teachings and loving concern with inmates of the Changhua Prison.

Most of the one hundred participants were young men between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five. During the seminar, brother-initiate Wu, who once served time in prison himself, shared his experience of beginning to follow Supreme Master Ching Hai in spiritual practice, turning away from evil to become a good person and eventually embarking on a new life. Brother Wu’s sincere words struck a chord in the hearts of all the prisoners, who responded with rounds of warm applause and earnestly answered his call to start their lives anew. Moreover, three of the inmates asked brother Wu for the chanting beads he was wearing as a souvenir, promising to cherish the gift, chant the Buddha’s name frequently and practice spiritually so as to become benevolent human beings.

When Master’s lecture video was shown, all the inmates watched and listened attentively, and during a subsequent teaching session showed deep sincerity while learning the Convenient Method. Then the Changhua Prison seminar ended successfully amidst the participants’ enthusiastic clapping.

Tainan

Sharing Spiritual Food in Jail

By the Tainan News Group (Originally in Chinese)

On July 27, 2005, initiates from the Tainan Center of The Association paid another in a series of visits to Mingde Labor Prison, bringing the gospel of Heaven to the inmates.

During the visit a video of Master’s 2000 lecture in Katmandu, Nepal Enlightenment and Ignorance was played while both inmates and prison officials watched attentively. Later the inmates were taught the Convenient form of meditation, and were so fascinated by Master’s books and News magazines that they asked the initiates to bring more copies the next time they visited, adding, “These publications are our beloved spiritual food.”

Physically Confined but Free at Heart

Over the past few years, besides visiting the Mingde Labor Prison, Tainan initiates have conducted regular monthly trips to the Tainan Prison to impart Master’s teachings and their own insights on the benefits of spiritual cultivation to the inmates. On their July 2005 visit, with Master’s help the practitioners had no difficulty conveying God’s love to their brothers in confinement. Afterwards, all the participants learned the Convenient Method and said they felt very comfortable and serene within as a result. Though these friends are imprisoned, they can meditate daily to benefit from Master’s infinite blessing power, and hopefully continue to cherish the precious opportunity to pursue spirituality.

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