(Clearwisdom.net) Falun Dafa practitioners joyously greeted Master Li Hongzhi's 56^th birthday, the 15^th anniversary of Falun Dafa's public introduction, and the eighth annual World Falun Dafa Day. The festive occasion carries significant meaning. Falun Dafa has flourished around the world for 15 years. Falun Dafa's essential principle of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" have benefited more than 100 million people both physically and mentally, and brought harmony, happiness and the elevation of character for practitioners' families, people and society. Facing the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) brutal persecution, Falun Dafa practitioners have been persistently clarifying the facts to the public peacefully, rationally and selflessly, with great compassion and tolerance. Many people have been awakened from the CCP's lies, and changed from being unaware and misunderstanding to witnessing, understanding and supporting Falun Gong. More and more people have recognized the true meaning of Dafa. World Falun Dafa Day has also become a special day that gains more and more attention from the public.

Falun Dafa practitioners in Texas held two days of activities to celebrate World Falun Dafa Day, including cultivation experience sharing and celebration activities held in Houston's Chinatown.

1. Celebrating World Falun Dafa Day, Texas Practitioners Share Cultivation Experiences

In order to celebrate World Falun Dafa Day, practitioners from Houston, Austin, Dallas, San Antonio and other cities, held a cultivation experience sharing conference at a Ramada Inn in Houston.

Prior to the experience sharing, they had a group photo taken and respectfully wished revered Master a Happy Birthday.

Some practitioners talked about the importance of studying the Fa. They believed that so long as we persist in Fa study and study the Fa well, can we do well in our projects while validating Dafa.

A western practitioner shared that when encountering tribulations, if we firmly believe in Master and Dafa, we will be able to clear away the tribulations and pass the trials.

Practitioners in Texas realize the necessity of sharing cultivation experiences. With every practitioner's active participation, we can have a diligent cultivation environment in which we are able to coordinate and improve as a whole.

2. Wonderful Performances to Praise Dafa in Houston's Chinatown

At 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on May 13, 2007, on the public lawn near Bellaire Blvd outside Diho Hao Market Plaza, balloons floated high in the sky, and banners bearing messages, "Falun Dafa," "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance," "Falun Dafa Is Good," "Heaven and Earth celebrate together World Falun Dafa Day" could be seen. Practitioners held activities to celebrate World Falun Dafa Day.

The programs were diversified, including poem recitation, music instrumental performances and singing. The most important program was demonstration of the Falun Gong exercises. Young practitioners from Minghui School participated in the exercise demonstration as well. They also recited Hong Yin [a collection of Master's poems] and sang the song "Falun Dafa Is Good."

The festival atmosphere attracted many passersby to stop by. An older man ran to practitioners with smile on his face. He took out his camera and took a picture of the banner reading "Falun Gong, Free and Voluntary Exercise Teaching." He also took a photo of practitioners demonstrating the exercises. Finally, he joyously stood beside a banner reading "Falun Dafa Is Good" and asked a practitioner to take a photo of him on such a precious occasion. He said he is a regular viewer of NTDTV Chinese New Year Galas. He has watched the galas every year. Today, he came to share the joy of festival. The arrival of World Falun Dafa Day, brought another pleasant surprise for Chinese people. Minghui Weekly (Overseas Version) in Chinese will begin publishing this weekend in Houston. It provides more opportunities for overseas Chinese to learn the facts about Falun Gong.

Practitioners have a photo taken to celebrate World Falun Dafa Day

Falun Dafa has gone through eight years of most a brutal and inhuman genocidal persecution imposed by the CCP. In the battle between the righteous and evil, Dafa practitioners have endured countless trials and tribulations with their tremendous perseverance. Some of them have even lost their lives. Dafa practitioners have demonstrated their peacefulness and rationality, compassion, noble character and selfless dedication in their unwavering efforts. Many people have gained a deeper understanding of Dafa and more people began practicing Falun Gong.

Due to Master Li Hongzhi and Falun Dafa's profound contribution to people's physical and mental well being, elevation of moral standard and society, governments at all levels have proclaimed "Falun Dafa Day," "Falun Dafa Week," and "Falun Dafa Month" one after another. Master Li Hongzhi and Falun Dafa have over received over 2,000 awards, supportive resolutions and congratulatory letters from governments, senators, representatives and civil groups.

In history, the persecution of righteous beliefs has never succeeded. Over the past eight years of counter persecution, the CCP's persecution of practitioners who believe in "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" has been a total failure, people have seen clearly the CCP's evil nature of "falseness, violence and struggle." The wide dissemination of the book Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, has awakened more than 20 million people, and inspired a grand trend of "three withdrawals" (quitting the CCP's party, youth league and young pioneers organizations.) Many people side with conscience and the righteous, and have chosen a bright future.

World Falun Dafa Day is a special day of immeasurable significance. This day will be respected by more and more people.