PureInsight | April 6, 2019
[PureInsight.org]
Preparing for the Trip
On the way to the parking lot after group Fa study on the evening of October 9, 2018, Weldon, a Western fellow cultivator, asked if I could, as he put it, do him “a big favor”. I guessed he might very likely mean something related to truth clarification, and it turned out I was right. He explained, “We’re planning to hold a couple of events in Alabama to clarify the truth about the persecution especially forced organ harvesting. A fellow practitioner in Atlanta who was also persecuted in China agreed to go, but then he said he might not be able to. So, if he can’t go, I hope you can go and tell your personal story.” “Sure, I can go.” I replied immediately. I’d like to seize chances like this to clarify the truth to people. Then Weldon continued, “It’s gonna be on October 25 and 26. I’ll let you know as soon as he confirms he can’t go.”
Weldon is a medical doctor and associate professor in a well-known medical center in Utah, living and working in the same city where I lived at the time. He’s also the deputy director of DAFOH (Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting). He often organizes or participates in events and gatherings, and speaks out as a doctor against live organ harvesting of Falun Dafa practitioners in China. The places he most frequently goes to include Washington D.C., Arizona, California, etc., and of course, Utah. He knows a teacher in a college in Utah. He told the teacher the truth about the persecution and got the teacher’s support, and thus the two of us got chances to go to the college to clarify the truth to his students of sociology and some other disciplines.
Normally we do a typical truth clarification event in four steps: First, we screen the short documentary The Persecution of Falun Gong to let the audience gain a brief but pretty intact perception and understanding of the truth and the persecution; then, Weldon gives his speech, focusing on the analysis of some of the data and facts quoted from various direct sources especially the websites of some hospitals in China and some of the communist regime, which undeniably comes to a conclusion that live organ harvesting of Falun Gong practitioners in China is factual and has been systematically taking place on a national scale; third, I give my speech, telling the audience about the persecution that I went through and the danger of being killed for my organs; if times permits, Weldon lets the audience discuss some essential issues involved with live organ harvesting and then asks some of them to speak out about their understandings; lastly, Weldon and I answer questions raised by the audience.
Every time, the students are really involved, and very receptive. And while speaking, I’m always so moved and sometimes I choke so badly that I feel pretty hard to control myself. And I can notice that everyone in the audience is shocked and touched, and some even keep wiping tears. These events are always very impactful. After watching the documentary, hearing Weldon’s analysis and then what happened to me as a survivor and witness of the persecution and genocide, the personal story of someone in the flesh, they are deeply shocked and moved, and undoubtedly and knowingly choose to be on the righteous side. Some of them even asked truly great and essential questions, like, “What can we do on our part to help stop this crime?”
After the event, most of them would come up to me and Weldon, shake hands with us, expressing their appreciation. Some even hug me very sincerely. Two of the classes put their words of gratitude on cards and later passed them on to me and Weldon. Their words were very sincere and encouraging. On one of the cards Weldon received, there were some words from a guy, “Roy, you were the light for us. You were not too bad, either, Weldon.” Weldon told me about this and then chuckled, “I guess it was a kind of test for me, to let go of my ego.” I chuckled, too, and knew that I didn't hear it by chance. I needed to caution against the attachment of zealotry.
This is such a powerful way to clarify the truth and save people. Both Weldon and I are really encouraged by the solid effects it. It’s just that this kind of opportunity doesn't come very often. Once Weldon said jokingly, “Maybe we should be on a lecture tour.” I wish we could do that, too.
After Weldon told me about the possible trip to Alabama, I assumed that some local fellow cultivators in Alabama had tried to organize such events, and that if I went there, what I was supposed to do would be to give one or more speeches about my personal experiences so as to help clarify the truth. So I didn't ask him anything about how the events were being organized. I really hoped to be included in the effort. But I knew whether I could go or not was arranged by Master. Whoever is to save which group of people doesn't do it by chance, either. Everything is predestined. I have the wish to save more people but I also try to follow the course of nature. However, I did think a bit about the structure of my speech and even some specific details.
After group Fa study a week later, Weldon said the fellow practitioner in Atlanta still didn't finally confirm whether he could make it to Alabama or not. He seemed to be somewhat confused and troubled, because he believed that he should have said yes only when he was really sure that he could go in the first place. He told me that David Matas would also go to the events, and that Matas never broke his promises once he agreed to do something. I know this is how people in the mainstream Western society act. That was actually also a reminder for me of making promises carefully and not easily breaking promises. Maybe there’s something unexpected that was troubling the fellow cultivator in Atlanta but he failed to give Weldon a good explanation. I didn't think about anything, but I vaguely got a feeling that Master had arranged for me to go. Then a few days later, not surprisingly, Weldon told me, “The guy in Atlanta fell through. I’m going to try to get you a ticket out.” And after group Fa study on October 23, I found Weldon eventually managed to get the two of us on the same flight and book a ticket for me. It seemed he had gone through some trouble booking the ticket for me. It was just one day before the trip. I knew normally air tickets get more expensive as the booking time approaches the departure date, but I didn't realize how costly my ticket was.
On October 25, at about 4:40 in the early morning, Weldon picked me up at my place and drove to the airport. At the airport, I thanked Weldon for letting me in the effort of saving people and told him, “When I’m not doing anything to save people, I get a feeling that I’m useless. Now this trip makes me feel not so useless.” He smiled and explained that he contacted the Dafa Association in Atlanta to see if any Chinese practitioner could make it to Alabama and give a speech about the persecution he or she went through. He did that because Atlanta is much closer to Alabama than our city is and thus the trip would be easier. I said, “Well, maybe this time I’m the one who’s supposed to join the effort of saving some people there. Hope I can do a good job.”
I wanted to know if I could pay him for the air ticket at the time or later, so I asked, “How much is the ticket?” He replied, “Mine is several hundred.” It seemed like he wasn't willing to tell how much my ticket had cost. I immediately got a sense that it’s not cheap, at least more than several hundred. Then I asked how much mine was. “A thousand.” He said pretty quietly. I couldn't help being surprised. It really was not a small sum of money. And it’s literally almost an equivalent to my expense on food in a whole year. (As my metabolism has significantly slowed down, I eat very little.) He explained, “Yeah. I couldn't have booked it earlier. Otherwise it’d be much cheaper.” I knew when he bought the ticket for me, he didn't even think about when I could pay him back. He knew I was in a very tough financial spot. He just bought it whatsoever because what he focused on was how to make sure the events would go well and be effective in saving people rather than if I could repay him. I added, “I’m sure it’s gonna be worth it.” And I knew he spent that much on the ticket because he also believed it would be worth it.
Meeting Kyle
After transferring flight in Dallas, we landed in Mobile, Alabama. Weldon told me a non-cultivator named Kyle was coming to pick us up. On the way out of the airport, he told me that in the last July, he made a speech in Washington D.C. against forced organ harvesting, and Kyle was in the audience and they met for the first time. After the event, Kyle came up to him and said that he would like to organize a couple of events in his college against forced organ harvesting in China. Weldon was pleased and immediately agreed to cooperate, but he thought it might be that, like in normal cases, Kyle got such a great idea on an impulse at that moment, but would get back to his school and daily life flow and very likely forget about this. But it turned out he immediately started working on it right after he got back to Alabama. He contacted Weldon every week, telling him about the progress of the preparation work. It went pretty fast, and in such a short time, three events were ready to be held. Weldon did some work on his part, including designing the posters, pamphlets, inviting David Matas and contacting the Dafa Association in Atlanta and then getting me on board, offering suggestions to Kyle, among some other things. And he even asked an American young Dafa cultivator in Atlanta to contact Kyle and further clarify the truth to him. But all the work in Alabama, including applying for the venues, promotion, getting a fund for food catering for the audience, and many other details, was done by Kyle on his own. Hearing all this, I was really awed. A non-cultivator, a young college student could do something like this. It’s simply admirable! Later I got to know that back then he was just 21 years old. I already felt tremendous respect toward him and curiosity about him even before seeing him.
Walking out of the airport, I saw a young man standing right outside an exit with a jeep on his side. It was Kyle. He’s not someone who immediately leaves you a strong and unforgettable impression at first sight. Instead, he seems to be just a decent yet somewhat typical American young man — vigorous, kind, pure and simple.
In the light rain showers, Kyle introduced some places and chatted while driving the two of us around the campus of University of South Alabama and that of Spring Hill College, trying to help us get a better idea of what the environment was like. Through the conversation, I got to know that he was a senior in college and was planning to learn social medicine after graduation. After the tour, he took us to a coffee shop on the campus and discussed some details for the events. Later we went to the two venues we’d use on the Spring Hill campus and checked the multimedia to make sure they were functional. Upon being assured that the whole facility was ready for the events, Kyle dropped me and Weldon off at the hotel.
During the whole process, I found that Kyle really knew what he was doing. He left me such a deep impression of being responsible, rational, well-prepared, well-organized, and detail-driven. Overall, he did things in such a sensible and yet low-profiled way that I just couldn't believe he’s a 21-year-old young man living in such a modern world corrupted so badly by demons. After all, many young people in the world are obsessed with deviant modern trends and can’t think, talk or act really rationally, not to mention be full of wisdom and keep a low profile. Just a short while after seeing Kyle, I could already tell that he is not like any one of those people.
The First Event
The first free documentary screening themed “Human Harvest” was held in the LeBlanc Conference Room on the campus of Spring Hill College that evening (October 25, 2018), starting at 6:30. Before the event, we got the seats ready, and people kept coming in, including mostly students and also some teachers. Two NTD TV reporters from Atlanta showed up and got ready to report on the event. They came because Weldon had contacted the Dafa Association in Atlanta. The fellow cultivator who agreed to come and tell about the persecution of him failed to come, but the reporters managed to. The food for the audience was also catered. Kyle had managed to apply to an academic club for $800 to buy food for the audience at all the three events. I saw five or six students were helping to put in place the food, water. It turned out they are Kyle’s close friends. I talked to all of them. They look very different and also, as I could see, have distinctive personalities, but they all have something in common — friendly, enthusiastic, sincere, and open to others.
The documentary Human Harvest was screened first. Then Weldon gave his speech, using PowerPoint slides. He often makes some changes to the content and slides in his speech, and this time it was also a bit different from his previous speeches. But the framework was similar: using data and facts to draw an undeniable conclusion that live organ harvesting of Falun Gong practitioners by the communist regime in mainland China has been taking place nationwide since the persecution of Falun Gong.
Then it’s my turn to make my speech. That day I wondered for a moment what kind of state I’d be in while telling my personal story. I even suspected that, after having told people my story quite a few times, would I still be emotionally devoted enough to touch the audience? If even I myself didn't seem deeply and emotionally devoted, how to expect to make them involved and moved and thus further substantiate their stance on the righteous side? I noticed that I had such a slight concern during the day. When I started my speech, however, it felt so different from what I was concerned about. Right a couple of sentences after the beginning, the moment I mentioned the persecution, unexpectedly, the emotion got so strong in me that I apparently felt somewhat choked and had to pause a little bit before going further. During the speech, I noticed them looking at me with sad expressions on their faces, some wiping tears off their cheeks. Every single one of them was touched and shocked. The documentary lasted about an hour so there’s not much time left for me. But I basically covered what I intended to say.
After my speech, Weldon and I answered some questions from the audience. Before leaving the conference room, most of them came up to me to thank me for telling my story. One lady said, “I know, even talking about it publicly here in this country might mean potential danger to you. Thank you so much for being so brave!” I understood she meant that my talking about the persecution in the public might draw attention from the evil Party’s spies. A moment later a big guy in his late twenties came up to me and said sincerely, “That was so powerful! I must give you a big hug for that!” He hugged me very tightly for a while and then shook hands with me firmly. Some of them stayed and talked with me and Weldon about the persecution for quite a while. The response from the audience was definitely encouraging, because it meant that more people got to know about the truth and were being saved.
Meeting David Matas
Before going to Alabama, Weldon told me that he had invited David Matas to join us. As scheduled, Matas would fly from his hometown in Canada to Mobile, Alabama, at about 10 o’clock in the evening, the same day Weldon and I got there. After the event, the three of us grabbed something to eat and then went to the airport to pick up David Matas. I had never met Matas before but I’d seen him a lot in documentaries about live organ harvesting of Falun Gong practitioners, so he’s not a complete stranger to me. At the airport I saw from afar Matas standing right inside an exit, quietly looking outside, carrying a briefcase with his left hand, with a suitcase resting on his right side. Besides what I saw about him on videos, Weldon had also talked quite a bit about him having a sharp mind, keen eyes, being extremely rational, analytical, objective, and rigorous, as Weldon puts it, “to the point of being cold”, and at the same time being pretty funny. The man who is in his mid-seventies started his flight at about 6 in the early morning, transferred flight twice, going all the way from Canada to Mobile, Alabama, and finally arrived at about 10 in the evening. After the long journey, he didn't look tired at all. Later he told us that in a typical year, he would spend about 60% of the time flying around the world like this, attending events, conferences, gatherings, and the like, and his next destination after this trip would be Geneva. Later Weldon told me that it was very simple to invite Matas. Weldon called him on the phone, explained some details about the event. Then he replied, “Sounds like a good event. I’ll go.”
Apparently, as someone who has been working as a renowned lawyer for so many years, he is very talkative. Even his casual conversations display some strong professional traits. Once he starts talking, he keeps going on. He talks pretty fast in tone that’s a bit flat, presenting as much information in a limited time as possible. I could see that this is one of the reasons why Weldon thinks he’s funny. Weldon has met and cooperated with him many times and thus knows him really well. He teasingly calls Matas a “throwback”, which I totally agreed the moment I saw him. In this modern society which is being filled with and ravaged by those deviant trends concocted by demons, he does stand out as someone from a precious era which was fairly orthodox and traditional. Every time mentioning him, Weldon would laugh because he thinks David Matas is really hilarious. After meeting Matas, Weldon was particularly delighted and active. On the way to our hotel, he always asked Matas questions. And Matas never stopped talking. Weldon would proactively interact with him and sometimes turn to me, grinning pleasantly, like a naughty teenager, as if saying, “See? I told you he’s funny.” Matas has a very good memory, even able to remember some details of the cases he handled about thirty years ago.
Sometimes he did show a good sense of humor. He told us a story: Years ago, a reporter asked him, “Mr Matas, do you think you will have a place in history?” He responded, “Well, do you want me to be boasting or humble?” His words really made us have a good laugh.
The Second Event
The second event was held in a terrace classroom on the campus of University of South Alabama around noon time the next day (October 26). Seeing that the number of people was much smaller than expected, at least smaller than what we received the night before, I felt somehow disappointed. This time all those in the audience were students. One of them talked with me before the event and told me that some students couldn't come because they had to attend their scheduled lectures, but some did skip their lectures for this event. I felt bad for those who wanted to come but couldn't. But then I decided I’d better let it go since nothing happens accidentally, and that we just needed to do well what we were supposed to do and follow the course nature. Whoever should be saved will be saved.
The time we got was somehow limited, so we didn't screen any documentary. Therefore, strictly speaking, it’s not a documentary screening. Weldon gave his speech first and then Matas followed, discussing forced organ harvesting from the perspective of medical ethics. While I was speaking, the emotion surged even more strongly than the night before. I did most of the speech in a choking and squeezed voice. I found it impossible to get my voice back to normal and had to pause quite a few times to adjust myself so that I could continue. I wished I could’ve gained more control of myself, but afterward Weldon said very encouragingly (as always) that I was in a great state while speaking. The speeches of the three of us apparently shocked and touched the audience, and the overall result was also very good.
Chinese version: http://www.zhengjian.org/node/250206
