Sincerity Can Change One's Fate

To coordinate the Truth-spreading seminar in Nicaragua, fellow initiates in neighboring Costa Rica once again exercised their united spirit. They traveled a long way by car, bringing with them Master's books and news magazines to support the activity.

The working group stayed at the home of an old gentleman, who at first knew nothing about Master. However, once he heard about Supreme Master Ching Hai's teachings about morality, he became a fervent helper in the work of spreading the Truth. After gaining an understanding of Master's teachings, the old gentleman changed his views dramatically. He became a vegetarian and developed strong faith in Master. He is at present waiting for

initiation. Due to his love and sincerity, he was especially looked after and blessed by the most high. Since he came to know Master, his business has suddenly boomed.

The local people are simple and benign. Upon learning that everything offered by our group is free of charge, a driver of the broadcasting vehicle who was helping us broadcast the event, enthusiastically and unconditionally helped to pass out leaflets. He also offered to put up posters of the seminar on his car.

A radio station broadcaster, who had read Master's books, was happy to announce the news of the seminar on his radio program, thus allowing more Nicaraguans to hear the message of God.

Several Presidents Were Vegetarians

Recently fellow initiates in El Salvador wholeheartedly worked to spread the Truth. Moved by their spirit, all the staff at their company joined them and exerted their best efforts to assist and cooperate. It made the video lecture in El Salvador a smooth and successful event.

El Salvador is a very special nation. Once, when several fellow initiates had a stop over at the El Salvador Airport, they could feel that it was a spiritually strong country. As it turned out, there had been several former Presidents of El Salvador who were vegetarians and who encouraged their people to adopt a vegetarian diet. This led to a benign and peaceful atmosphere throughout the entire nation.

Although the venue of the lecture was the city hall, fellow initiates had to make a long row of additional seats in the aisle because there was not enough seating to accommodate the large number of enthusiastic guests. The guests were delightedly and attentively appreciate Master's video lecture. Afterwards, they were anxious to register for initiation or to learn the Convenient Method. During the questions and answers period, they asked sincere questions from their hearts. With Master's blessings, the audience received satisfactory replies. Amidst joyful applause, the lecture ended a great success.

That night, after attending the lecture, many Salvadorians saw Master's manifestation form in their dreams, and so decided to become vegetarians and to practice the Quan Yin Method.

A journalist with La Prensa Crafica, a major newspaper in El Salvador, is very interested in Master's teachings. He decided to use a full page to publish a report on Master. In the interview that he recorded with a young fellow initiate from Costa Rica, he was full of admiration and respect for the eloquence, spontaneity and positive attitude of the young spiritual practitioner.

A fellow initiate who rushed from Costa Rica to help with the work was stunned when he arrived at the venue. It turned out that he had had a vision of the scene while meditating months earlier. He even recognized one of the people in the audience as someone he had seen in his vision.

An Affinity With An Enlightened Being Tied A Thousand Miles Away

Uruguay is a quiet and peaceful country in South America. The atmosphere there is ideal for spiritual practice. In Paysandu, a city on the border, a person with an affinity with Master casually got a copy of Master's sample booklet in a book shop. After reading the booklet he was filled with bliss and decided to pursue spiritual practice.

After he had already been a vegetarian for three months, Master sent a Quan Yin essenger to South America. Upon receiving the news, this would-be initiate immediately sent a letter inviting the Quan Yin messenger to come to Uruguay so that his compatriots could know more about Master's teachings. Some earnest Argentinian fellow initiates drove all the way to the remote city of Paysandu to help with the Truth-spreading and translation work.

Master's videos were shown every evening at this would-be initiate's home. The father of this would-be initiate was a sincere and open-minded spiritual practitioner. He invited his fellow practicing friends to come to watch Master's videos.

On the first evening, the entire little living room was packed with guests. Some standing and some sitting, they were all sincerely focused on Master's lecture. Many of them

requested to learn the Convenient Method. Several even decided to observe a pure vegetarian diet and wait for initiation. All the would-be initiates practicing the Convenient Method had very good experiences. Many of them experienced wonderful levels that they had not experienced before, so they were very excited and in high spirits.

An old lady who has been practicing spirituality for many years knew that Master has great power, so she came almost everyday. In meditation, she saw herself passing through a tunnel with bright light at the other end. Another person practiced some other methods before, but every night she couldn't sleep peacefully and was greatly disturbed. After she had practiced the Convenient Method on the first day, she went home and slept very comfortably. Knowing that it was Master who had helped her, she prayed sincerely to thank Master. On the second day, she went again for meditation and saw Master wearing a white dress and emitting very bright white light.

In Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay, there is a Chinese couple who also practiced the Convenient Method and distribute Master's sample booklets at their photo-finishing shop. Many Uruguan people, after reading the sample booklets, telephoned to ask about spiritual practice and the vegetarian diet. The response has been overwhelming and warm.

Great Fun At The Mountain Retreat

A recent weekend was greatly blessed by a Mountain Retreat for the Denver and Boulder fellow initiates. These two groups usually have separate group meditation sessions in their respective cities, but organize retreats together several times a year.

The original schedule of the retreat included several two-hour meditation sessions throughout the day. After the first two-hour session, the group was inspired to meditate continuously for four hours. Originally, several initiates had difficulties with their meditation due to health reasons, but they managed to join in all the sessions. Even an initiate who arrived exhausted from work could meditate the entire night. Feeling so blissful after the weekend retreat, fellow initiates have decided to hold 1 or 2-day retreats once a month.

As the number of local initiates is growing continuously, the fellow initiates running the Vegetarian House in Phoenix have established cooking classes. Initiates and their friends who have participated in the classes have benefitted greatly. An enthusiastic initiate is planning to hold cooking classes in her home as a way of introducing vegetarianism and Master's teachings to others. Another initiate who participated in the classes is considering opening a vegetarian restaurant.

In Denver, there is great cohesion among members of the Quan Yin family. Actively, they spread Master's teachings and follow Master's guidelines by often rendering love and care to local refugees and homeless people.

Receiving A Most Precious Gift - Master's Sample Booklet

In The Natural Therapies Cancer Center of this city they use hypnosis to cure cancers. One of their staff, also a volunteer fire-fighter, recently got a copy of Master's sample booklet that was on the notice board in his office. Immediately, he felt as if he had received a most precious gift.

He read the book sincerely, and immediately went to the local Center to get more booklets for his colleagues. Though he had been to many places searching for an enlightened master, he never expected that he could find one in his hometown.

Recently, there have been several persons in the city awaiting initiation. Among them, there was an enthusiastic lady who even offered to provide a two-storey house in the suburbs for group meditation. A would-be initiate said that he would always puts Master's sample booklet in front of him when meditating because he could feel Master's incredible power.

Master And The Celestial Clothes Are Warmly Welcomed In The Middle East

In Istanbul, the capital of Turkey, a program producer at Channel-E TV, Madam Esra Cakmur, accidentally saw an article about Supreme Master Ching Hai's Celestial Fashion Show in Paris, France, in a fashion magazine. Deeply impressed by Supreme Master Ching Hai's elegance and beauty, she decided to produce a program introducing Supreme Master Ching Hai and the Celestial Clothes of Her design, to the local viewers.

After Turkish television successfully broadcasted the special program covering the Celestial Clothes, Muslim countries in the Middle East started to get in touch with Supreme Master Ching Hai's message. Recently in Turkey and Iran, there are local people who have begun to try the vegetarian diet, and practice the Convenient Method.

Letter of gratitude from Turkish Channel-E TV, Istanbul, Turkey.

The Warmth Of Love Reaches The "Samsui Women"

In Singapore, there is a group of old women who have sacrificed their entire lives for society. People call them the Samsui women. In previous years, construction work in Singapore depended mostly on human labour. This group of women left their home town in Kwangtung Province, China, to come to Singapore. They have sacrificed their blood and sweat, as well as their youth, for this faraway land.

Through great hardship and difficulties, they have transformed the wastelands into a city. Grateful for their contribution, the Singapore Government especially takes care of them now that they are old.

One Sunday after group meditation, fellow practitioners, carrying vegetarian snacks, paid a visit to them. While savoring the delicious vegetarian treats, the old folks also watched Master's video tapes. In Cantonese and Hokienese dialects, fellow practitioners chatted lightheartedly with them amid waves of cheerful laughter. A most heartwarming scene.

Each old woman received an exquisite gift bag of love, containing all sorts of nutritious food and everyday sundry items. However, what attracted them most was Master's graceful smile on the leaflets. While thanking Master repeatedly, they said that they did not lack material things, but they were very grateful for Master's love and concern. Fellow practitioners continued to chat with them cordially to alleviate their loneliness, thus bringing to them great joy.

When they were leaving, the old folks held their hands and were reluctant to say farewell. They hoped fellow practitioners would visit them again. The smiles on their faces warmed the hearts of the fellow practitioners.

Fellow practitioners also took Master's love into the home for the aged, and the Tampines Home which provides care and training for people who are mentally handicapped.

Whenever they went to these places, they would play Master's Buddhist Chanting tape, and distribute Master's sample booklets. Feeling God's eternal love flooding their souls, these lonely people whose souls were thirsty for love, laughed cheerfully and happily! Their bliss, generated from deep within, touched all the fellow practitioners present. Therefore, they realized the truth in Master's words: "TTo love others is to love ourselves." They know there is greater blessing in giving than in taking!

The Warmth Of Master's Love Permeates Penghu Prison

Despite the north-easterly wind blowing briskly over the island, the winter sun was surprisingly warm on this particular day, reflecting the blissful hearts of fellow initiates! For several days, everyone had been working busily preparing for the trip; and the harder they worked, the more fulfilled they felt.

The environment at Penghu Prison was neat, fresh and bright. Immaculately taken care of by the inmates, the plants and trees were blossoming, displaying a greenish scene that gives a good impression to visitors. Fellow practitioners who arrived early sat on the ground and meditated. In an oval shaped frame, Master's photo was hung on a yellow curtain. Her merciful eyes and graceful smile shone upon the entire venue. Master's video was being played when the inmates entered. After sitting, they watched the screen attentively. Induced by Master's light-hearted and spontaneous discourse, everyone laughed cheerfully.

Then, the main speaker - a fellow brother - told his own story of how he went through all the ups and downs in the crime circle, how he eventually met Master and started to pursue spiritual practice, and the miraculous stories that happened in between. All these struck a sympathetic note within the inmates.

Finally, the fellow practitioners sang "Tears of the Holy Mother" together. Amid everyone's sincere good wishes, the inmates left the venue to enjoy some delicious refreshments. An ambience of love and peace pervaded the whole place.

After the event ended, fellow practitioners worked rapidly and in cooperation with the authorities to restore the venue to its original state. A prison officer asked delightfully, "Why have so many fellow practitioners come? Don't you have to go to work?"

Fellow practitioners told the officer that they didn't want to miss this rare chance to learn a lesson of love, so they decided to come even if they had to take leave. The smooth and successful result of this Truth-spreading trip to the prison is an auspicious overture for the many other activities that will be organized by the Penghu initiates.

Good Results From Environmental Protection Work

Following Master's instruction, and in cooperation with the Green Environment and Protection Project, Penghu Center adopted the Chung Zhen Park for maintenance. After several years of persistent work planting and nursing new plants, the results are outstanding. Pedestrians are always fascinated. Besides praising, some earnest people even advise their fellow countrymen to learn from the Penghu Center, so as to achieve the goal of an all green environment.

Jian Guo Daily News Nov. 24, 1995

A Delightful Green Scene Along The Sidewalk

Have you ever noticed that between the War Heroes Memorial Temple and the Confucius Temple the pavement is very clean and beautified with a greenery? This section of the pavement has been adopted for maintenance by the Penghu Center of the Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association. After three years of sincere ettort managing and cultivating, great results have finally been achieved.

To practically carry out the "cleaning of the main routes and the maintenance trial project" approved by the County Government, the County Environmental Protection Bureau particularly uses the results of the adoption by the Supreme Master Ching Hai Penghu Center as an example to stress that road maintenance is absolutely not difficult. To make the environment green we only need perseverance and patience. If the people would demonstrate their social moral spirit and volunteer to adopt roads and sidewalks for maintenance, then the job of cleaning and maintaining all the dirty and busy roadways in the county would be "a piece of cake." (Photographed and written by Wang Hsin-Hsiung)

Korean Generals Loved The Vegetarian Food

The husband of a fellow initiate is a colonel in the army. Recently, he was assigned the task of arranging a grand banquet for the one and two star generals and other high ranking officials of Korea. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for him. This fellow initiate asked me to cook for the banquet.

Before I began cooking, I prayed and meditated for a while. I talked to Master and the Buddhas: "Please use me as Your tool, even though I am not a good cook." Then I saw the power of the Holy Names go into the food; I was so touched. When I cooked the twelve dishes and put them on the beautifully decorated long table, I was so grateful to Master for helping me to accomplish this task.

The generals greatly enjoyed the food. They were so surprised to find that there could be so many varieties of vegetarian food.

One of the generals said to me, "I am going to tell the Korean monks and nuns that there is vegetarian meat to replace real meat. Thank you very much for helping me to understand vegetarianism, and please teach our wives how to cook vegetarian." He repeated many times, that if they were to have another banquet with the Korean President or other VIPs, they hoped that they could enjoy these delicious vegetarian dishes again.