In the weekend before World Falun Dafa Day, Daytona Beach Florida hosted the international lifeguard world championship competition. Lifeguards from 38 countries around the world showed up in this small beach side community to exchange ideas on improving their skills in saving lives at the many oceans, rivers and lakes in their home country. A friendly but skillful competition took place at Daytona Beach over a 12-day period. Practitioners from Orlando and Daytona used this special environment to clarify the truth.
Practitioners teaching young tourists Dafa exercises
For two days 5 practitioners demonstrated the exercise, sent forth righteous thoughts and passed out flyers along the beach boardwalk. Many curious locals, tourists and competitors stopped to watch the peaceful and yet energizing movements. On May 11, Falun Gong practitioners met 15-20 young tourists from Alabama in town for a singing competition/talent show. A practitioner explained the exercises to them and the principles of Falun Dafa. The teenagers said they were there for a music festival, so practitioners sang "Falun Dafa Hao" for them. They were surprised by the beauty of the song, and were thankful for being shown the exercises. One by one they came to try the 5 sets of exercise in the playful relaxed atmosphere of the beach. Many young singers of high school age took flyers and asked questions. The practitioners spread the Fa late into the night.
On Sunday we returned for the second day of competition focusing on talking to the Chinese competitors and to the media in the reporters' tent. We met a massage therapy/ Chinese herbology teacher from Daytona Beach Community College. When he saw our yellow Dafa T-shirts he became very excited. He told us that he had received some Dafa information and had been looking for a way to contact local practitioners. We explained Dafa to him and he liked it very much and invited us to come to the college to present a three-hour Falun Gong seminar to his students. We exchanged contact information and thanked him for the opportunity. As opportunities presented themselves, many learned about the Fa. One man with a video camera worked for Daytona Beach Live. He taped a short introduction of Falun Gong immediately on the spot. He promised to visit the local exercise site to do a follow up story.
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The most wonderful part of our Fa spreading experience came from talking to the competitors and their coaches. Much attention was given to the teams from Hong Kong and Taiwan. We met many Hong Kong and Taiwanese participants who were very happy to receive Dafa materials, and to hear the truth about Falun Gong. Many of them felt that Falun Dafa was good. We left after making many new friends, exchanging email addresses, and receiving small gifts from the competitors. Most importantly we shared the Fa with those that crossed our path from so far away.
Such chances are really precious and filled us with awe. Everyone felt something wonderful had just happened that weekend and we will always remember our experiences spreading the Fa each time we visit the beach.
We were thankful that Master gave us this wonderful opportunities to spread the Fa and save sentient beings.
Category: Parades & Other Community Events
