(Clearwisdom.net) Straddling Europe and Asia, Turkey is situated at the juncture of the Aegean Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Black Sea. Such a unique geographic location makes Turkey a melting pot of various cultures and ethnic groups. "Turkey" stands for "country of the brave." Historically Turkey possessed splendid culture through thirteen different historical periods. To this day, the country is still regarded as the "cradle of civilization."

Falun Dafa was first introduced in Turkey in 1999. In the past few years, despite strong resistance from the indigenous religion, which presented barriers to the spread of Falun Gong, many people with predestined relationships learned Falun Dafa and started cultivation. There were many cultivation stories full of mystery and wonder.

Falun Gong exercise practice in Turkey

Group practices in Turkey

A little practitioner meditates with her mother

One Falun Gong practitioner was plagued by sinusitis since childhood. As the disease affected her blood supply to the brain, she had suffered from headaches for over twenty years. Visiting the hospital, going into x-ray, receiving injections and taking medicine had been the routine as she was growing up. In early spring 2003, she ran into a few Falun Gong practitioners by chance in a park where they were doing the exercises. She then also joined the group to practice in the park.

After she learned that the first draft translation of the Turkish version of the books Zhuan Falun and The Great Consummation Way of Falun Dafa were available, she started reading them right away. A miracle happened when she was reading Zhuan Falun with great eagerness she felt her nose was slowly getting unblocked and the headache was getting better and better day after day. When she finished reading Zhuan Falun the nose that made her suffer for twenty years was completely clear. Headaches also disappeared. Not believing in such a miracle, her family took her to the hospital for a check up. The results surprised doctors who had known her for many years. When asked what magic drug cured her, she announced, "It was Falun Gong."

There are many examples like this where diseases were cured as a result of practicing Falun Gong. Furthermore, nearly every Falun Gong practitioner in Turkey had extraordinary experiences in cultivation. Through translating Zhuan Falun, a near-sighted practitioner's eyesight returned to normal and hence no longer needed eyeglasses. An illiterate senior practitioner over seventy years old read through the entire book of Zhuan Falun within the space of a year. For many, Falun Gong brought along new lives, elevated morals and revealed the true meaning of life.

In the past few years veteran and new Falun Gong practitioners made a lot of effort to clarify the truth about the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) brutal persecution of Falun Gong to various Turkish government agencies.

In July 2001 a Chinese practitioner who had been in Turkey for less than a year and spoke broken Turkish learned that some CCP officials would visit Turkey. At the time there was no other practitioner in her city. She went alone to Turkey's supreme legislative power梩he Grand National Assembly. Perhaps her sincerity touched the staff there, as the chairman of the Human Rights Council of the Grand National Assembly received her in person. Furthermore, the chairman spent more than half an hour with her listening intently to her statement about the persecution Falun Gong suffered in China. With the support from this chairman, one of Turkey's largest newspapers, the National Daily, published a report the next day entitled "The Truth of Falun Gong." The article detailed Falun Gong's benefits to mind and body and its popularity in numerous countries. The report also clearly called out the persecution Falun Gong suffered in China. Later this article was reprinted by many other media.

A screenshot from a TV report about Falun Gong

In late September 2005, jointly hosted by several organizations of the United Nations, the International Local Governments Peace Conference was held in Cappadocia, Turkey. Over 1,200 people attended the conference, including many UN officials, local government heads from forty-five nations and regions, representatives from Non-Governmental organizations and officials from many Turkish provinces and cities. Upon hearing the news about the conference, three Turkish Falun Gong practitioners rushed several hundred kilometers overnight to the conference venue. But without invitation to the conference, they were stopped outside of the venue by security staff. Not discouraged, the three practitioners clarified the truth to all the staff members. Moved by their efforts and their perseverance, the conference staff made an exception to allow the practitioners to attend the meeting. During the conference, practitioners recounted the facts of the persecution to many attendees including UN officials. They also distributed CDs and printed materials about Falun Gong. Almost all UN officials and representatives of many international organizations expressed their outrage over the atrocities of the Chinese Communist regime, and their sympathy to practitioners persecuted in China. Practitionersefforts not only helped conference attendees learn about the genocide of Falun Gong in China but only obtained more and wide attention, sympathy and support.

Practitioners attended a UN conference to talk with people about the persecution

Along with her practitioner husband, a practitioner who started practicing in 2001 used fax and mail to distribute material to the public in mainland China, who are deceived by the communist regime. Meanwhile she also explained the facts to local Turkish residents. During New Year 2005 she designed and printed at her own expense three thousand copies of beautiful desk calendars, which spread the truth of Falun Gong and exposed the CCP's persecution. As a result, three thousand lucky Turkish people could see and feel the beauty and peace of Falun Gong three hundred and sixty-five days a year. The practitioner also added a Turkish caption to the "Falun Dafa Spreads Around the World" CD and printed more than 1000 copies. In the past year, she always kept some CDs with her so that she could hand them out whenever she met a people with interest in Falun Dafa.

A Falun Gong practitioner who started practicing in 2001 lived in Australia with her Australian husband and son. The couple taught at a famous University, making a comfortable living. Soon after starting Falun Gong practice in 2001, her severe heart disease was miraculously cured. After experiencing such mental and physical benefits, she kept thinking about friends and relatives in her hometown. In 2003 she managed to persuade her husband to give up their favorable positions in Australia and return to her much-missed homeland. Through her sustained efforts, quite a few hometown folks learned Falun Dafa and started to practice. In the autumn of 2005 the city government of her hometown, Mersin, invited Falun Gong practitioners to attend the annual Mersin Festival. To show its support for Falun Gong, the city government especially prepared colorful Falun Gong fliers and large banners reading "Falun Gong" and "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance." During the festival, Falun Gong practitioners worked together to leave a lasting impression of the beauty of Falun Gong in the hearts of the Turkish people.

Practitioners at the Mersin Festival

Following the spread of Falun Gong in Turkey, more and more Turkish people started to come in touch with, learn more about and practice Falun Gong. We are sure that in the near future more Turkish people with predestined relationships will start cultivation. Falun Gong has been deeply rooted in this land and the heart of Turkish people.

Source http://clearharmony.net/articles/200602/31405.html