Geneva, Switzerland
 Master was on a very tight schedule in Europe. In half a month, She swept through Geneva, Paris, Vienna, Brussels, Munich, and Berlin. Seven public lectures were given in one stroke. A large number of people became acquainted with Master and the Quan Yin Method. Between lectures, Master gave interviews to journalists and radio hosts. At the lecture venues, Master's artistic works, including paintings, longevity lamps, and fan paintings, were displayed. To Europeans of refinement, art oftentimes speaks more loudly than words. Before the lectures, Europe could count only a handful of fellow initiates, and most of them were foreign students. For years they had been translating Master's sample books into various languages. On holidays, they drove from country to country, distributing sample books in populated areas. In a few years they had distributed many thousands of sample booklets. Meanwhile they repeatedly sent invitations to Master inviting Her to present a series of lectures in Europe. Because of their sincerity and efforts in sharing Master's teachings, their wish was finally fulfilled when they received word of the inclusion of Europe on Master's 1993 World Lecture Tour. To make the best use of limited manpower and finances, fellow initiates from various European countries jointly prepared for the lectures. When the announcements of the six lectures were printed on one poster in six languages, the dream of a united Europe was first realized, and among our fellow initiates! Brother Lu Shih-Tsung from Austria, remembering an incident that occurred in 1992, said: "We know that Master's 1993 tour was the first time She had returned to Europe in more than ten years. Nevertheless, in 1992, when fellow initiates went to a public library in Munich to contribute some of Master's books, a librarian looked at Master's picture on the cover and exclaimed that several weeks earlier this very lady had come to the library. Later the librarian even wrote us a letter assuring us that it had truly happened." |
In thinking of the 1993 World Tour, the splendid scene returned to Brother Zhang's mind. "Before Master arrived in Geneva, lecture posters were put up on street walls and utility poles all over the urban and suburban areas. No place was ignored. The whole city was permeated with a festive atmosphere."
Switzerland, the garden of the world, was blooming with flowers. The countryside had dressed in its finest attire to welcome Master Ching Hai, and She was pleased. She stopped Her car several times to walk amid the flowers and plants and take in a breath of spring air. Swiss and foreigners alike gracefully greeted Her.
At the invitation of a spiritual society at the United Nations, the day after Her arrival, Master gave a speech to the personnel during their lunch break. The sincere questions and Master's brilliant answers inspired many of them to request initiation into the Quan Yin Method.
The next evening, Master gave a public lecture in French at the University of Geneva. That night many of the audience decided to follow a vegetarian diet and asked for initiation into the Quan Yin Method. Traditionally, Europeans are used to taking wine with their meals and eggs are important ingredients in many of their desserts. In quest of Truth, they forsook all of these things. And all the materials that their decisions were based on were one lecture by Master and one sample booklet in French. Their courage originated from their awakened wisdom. Bravo!