Many Are
Touched by the Message of
Alternative Living
By Togo News Group (Originally in French)
As initiates from the Togo, Burkina
Faso, Ivory Coast, and Porto-Novo Centers gathered together to distribute
the Alternative Living flyer, they witnessed its impact, power, and
beauty on those who received it. One woman who couldn’t read it
herself asked for pamphlets that she could take to her children. An
elementary schoolboy asked for some for his father. Another woman said
that after she hung a flyer on the wall in her room, she decided to
become a pure vegetarian and began to order soy-based and wheat vegetarian
kebabs. One schoolteacher handed out the flyers to the school’s
staff and pupils; the pupils then took them to their parents, who were
happy to learn of the alternative vegetarian proteins that would allow
them to alter their diet without risk to their health.
As the flyers became more and more
in demand, initiates handed out 1,000 at the University of Lomé.
The curiosity of students was so great that the distribution lasted
many hours and included a sharing of ideas. Many students at the university’s
cybercafé visited the websites printed on the flyer to get more information
about the vegetarian diet and Master’s teachings. Other students
suggested opening a vegetarian restaurant or a new shop on the campus
where vegetarian items would be readily available to help them be faithful
to the diet.
The
distribution team went to the places where students purchased food and
made vendors aware of the necessity to provide vegetarian food for students
to purchase. With Master’s unconditional grace, the team also
went to the corn fields around the campus to thank the farmers and commend
them for the dignity of their farming profession, and to share Master’s
love and blessing.
After distributing the flyers throughout
the neighborhoods, everyone embarked on the second part of their plan,
which was to go to the most crowded places to share the Alternative
Living message on a continuous basis. Initiates readily return to these
places because they know that Master’s power and blessing must
be available on every street corner, for all people to have the opportunity
to be cleansed in the Ocean of love and blessing.
Côte
d’Ivoire
In Abidjan, capital of the Côte d'Ivoire
(Ivory Coast), initiates organized an Alternative Living distribution
to be carried out in four sessions. The first took place at Sorbonne
Place, an open forum that accommodates about 500 people daily for public
discussions on political, spiritual, religious, economic and social
matters. There, the flyers were distributed and discussed along with
other information about the teachings of Supreme Master Ching Hai. The
positive comments made regarding the vegetarian diet proved the importance
of the Alternative Living principles, and people were happy when they
realized one can be a pure vegetarian at very little cost.
The second session for flyer distribution
was made on the public boulevard, to passers-by and to those awaiting
a bus. A town hall welcomed the third session, where the message of
the vegetarian diet overwhelmed the people who attended wedding ceremonies
there. Parents, friends and newlywed couples alike received the message
of compassion, love and non-violence toward all sentient beings as well
as Master’s blessing for a happy marriage.
The last session took place in the
parking area, where the Côte d’Ivoire craftsmen union advocates
were gathering to meet the President of Republic. Initiates seized the
opportunity to distribute the flyers, which soon were in high demand.
In essence, people received the Alternative Living message positively,
without any problems. Many saw it as an opportunity that helped them
realize a vegetarian diet does not cause one to risk illness because
fruits and vegetables contain nutrition for good health and longevity.
People also came to understand that all necessary protein can be obtained
from foods like soy, corn, rice, nuts and beans.
Porto
Novo,
Benin
On March 24 and 27, Golden Year 3 (2006),
the initiates of Porto Novo went to two secondary schools to distribute
Alternative Living flyers. Through Master’s love, practitioners
were welcomed by the staff at these schools. At the first school, the
teacher was so happy about the Alternative Living activity that he asked
the pupils to keep the flyers as a souvenir. At the second school the
flyer supply was gone within minutes; moreover, the staff asked the
initiates to return later. Initiates were grateful that the Alternative
Living message was welcomed so wholeheartedly in Porto Novo and noted
that it may be because many Beninians know about vegetarianism, but
do not know how to prepare vegetarian dishes.
Burkina
Faso
Initiates distributed Alternative Living
flyers throughout the capital city of Ouagadougou. After making banners
with the message: “For a Better Health, Choose a Vegetarian Diet,”
initiates also requested authorization from the mayor to organize seminars
and place banners throughout the capital city. They currently plan to
travel to the neighboring countries of Mali and Niger, where there are
no Centers, to distribute the Alternative Living flyers and to share
the good news of the vegetarian diet.