I have been working as a Chinese interpreter for many years, and
on January 26 of this year, I began doing interpretation for Chen,
a sixteen-year-old illegal Chinese immigrant detained at the Portland
Juvenile Detention Center. At first, I was asked to visit him every
week in a four-hour session, but I could not find the necessary
time in my work schedule. So, I refused the assignment and asked
my company to find someone else for the job. Unexpectedly, the Detention
Center adjusted the time to suit my schedule, and agreed that shorter
sessions adding up to four hours a week were acceptable. Thus the
story began. Initially, I was asked to visit this Chinese teenager
twice a week. Four months later, my visits were increased to three
times a week, and recently, I have been asked to stop by every day,
because the Detention Center now has six other illegal teenage Chinese
immigrants from Guam. Having practiced the Quan Yin Method for six
years, I fully understand that it is the most precious gift on Earth,
and recommend it to people whenever I have the chance. I realize
that life is ephemeral and decided that the best thing I could do
for Chen was to introduce him to Master's superior teachings and
the Quan Yin Method.
After I discussed it with him, Chen decided to learn the Convenient
Method and has had numerous inner experiences. He has seen the manifestation
form of Master dressed in a purple kimono meditating by a riverside.
He also has seen with his naked eyes several huge UFOs hovering
for hours in the sky outside his room at the Detention Center. He
couldn't believe his eyes when he had this experience, and asked
several inmates to watch with him, but they could not see anything.
I reminded Chen not to disclose his inner experiences to others,
but he just couldn't resist sharing them with the other Chinese
youth. When I asked if any of them wanted to learn meditation, five
of the six teenagers expressed their interest. In July, these young
men and women learned the Convenient Method in a special classroom,
and on the next day, three of them, including Chen, resolved to
observe a pure vegetarian diet. I was amazed at this sudden change
in them.
Upon a special request, the Western chef at the Center consented
to cook more rice for the seven juveniles. Unfortunately, the rice
he prepared was hard and raw. So, I bought them some Chinese soy
sauce to go with the rice to make it more palatable. A week later,
when I asked whether they could persist or not, they replied in
the positive, and confessed that the sight of meat disgusted them.
Out of love, the responsible person from our local meditation Center
wanted to send them some vegetarian food, but that was not allowed
under the security regulations of the Detention Center. The only
exceptions were their birthdays. When one of the teenagers celebrated
his birthday on August 13, our Center prepared a large amount of
vegetarian food for everyone in his section. The young people were
especially delighted with the vegetarian chocolate birthday cake
specially baked by the local American fellow initiates. They are
now seriously studying Master's teachings. Apart from reading Her
books and magazines and viewing Her tapes, they also watch Her videotaped
lectures on the local TV station Channel 33 on Tuesdays from 9 to
10 p.m., and on Cable TV Channel 27 on Wednesdays from 12 noon to
1 p.m. Since the Detention Center has a timetable showing Master's
TV program schedules, these big kids always ask to watch the broadcast
when it is time. And if I am there, I translate the tapes into Chinese
for them.
I notice that their faces are now glowing with light, thanks to
their meditation, and they have become more mature, intelligent,
and compassionate. When I bought them colored paper for origami
(Japanese paper folding), they folded many cranes and stars for
me, which I presented to others and the staff at the Detention Center.
They also folded big, beautiful, heart-shaped picture frames for
holding Master's photos, which I had given them to display in their
rooms. That was indeed an innovative and artistic idea!
I encourage the teenagers to always be grateful for everything,
and to quickly move back in the positive direction whenever negative
thoughts arise. Since everyone has the God-nature, we should endeavor
to utilize our God-power to benefit ourselves and the beings around
us. In return, the young people presented me with three big pineapples
folded from paper and bookmarks carrying aphorisms. They also have
sent letters and drawings to Master.
Out
of the Ordinary