Hokkaido

Recorded by sister-initiate Jing-fang Zheng, Taipei, Formosa
Compiled by Taoyuan News Group (Originally in Chinese)

From June 4 to June 8, Golden Year 3 (2006), twenty-four fellow initiates from Formosa went to Hokkaido of Japan to share Master’s compassionate message of Alternative Living. The land area of Hokkaido is 22% of the total area of Japan, but the population is not as dense as Honshu. Therefore fellow initiates divided into three groups, joined by five Japanese fellow initiates and a sister from Singapore, and started distributing in the regions surrounding Sapporo, Asahikawa and Hokodate.

Asahikawa

On June 5, ten fellow initiates set out by car to Asahikawa carrying with them 15,000 leaflets. Reaching their destination after three hours, they immediately went to the Shopping Park at Hiwa-dori opposite the Asahikawa Railway Station to begin the leaflet distribution. Later, they heard that there was a garden party going on in Tokiwa Park - one of the eight famous sightseeing sites of Asahikawa, so they split into two teams and proceeded to the venue on foot. There they handed out leaflets in every corner of the park; even the hawkers received them.

On the second day, one team stayed at the Shopping Park where there was a constant stream of people, especially when people went to and returned from work. The other team traveled by car to Furano, a scenic point as enchanting as paradise. On the way, they passed by Biei, Nakafurano and Furano Garden, and at each place they alighted to distribute leaflets. There were not many inhabitants in these three places, but the streets there were neat and uniform, which was very suitable for inserting flyers into the mailboxes of residential houses. When many tourists from Formosa received the leaflets, they were amazed and impressed by the enthusiasm of the Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association in promoting vegetarianism.

On the third day, only two thousand leaflets remained, and the whole group was in high spirits and determined to finish before going home. All were distributed before noon. The city of Asahikawa is situated in the northern part of Hokkaido. The citizens were very polite and friendly. Elderly people would read the leaflet for a while and then fold it neatly and put it in their handbag. Youthful students also accepted the flyers when they saw the smile of fellow initiates and listened to their brief explanation. A Chinese from Heilong Jiang, China gladly accepted one and then asked to have a stack more for his friends and relatives. A big hospital near the railway station willingly allowed fellow initiates to put leaflets in their place for people to take and read.

With the considerate assistance from the two Japanese fellow initiates, the trip was a smooth and efficient one. Everyone felt God’s enormous blessing.

Hokodate

The Hokodate team consisting of ten fellow initiates carried with them 16,500 leaflets and went from Sapporo to Hokodate on June 5. Upon arrival they immediately went to Goryokaku Park, a famous place for Sakura viewing. Since there were no big crowds, fellow initiates used different ways to share God’s compassionate message with the local inhabitants, which included placing them on cars, distributing on buses, on the streets and inserting them into mailboxes of residences. During rush hour when people were going home after work, fellow initiates went to the Hokodate Railway Station for a massive distribution. Even when travelling on trams, they took the opportunity to hand out leaflets to the passengers, who always read them carefully upon receiving.

Based on the experience of the day before, on June 6, fellow initiates traveled on foot in groups along the tram routes of Hokodate distributing to residences, shops, mansions and pedestrians along the way. When some people knew that we had come from Formosa to share with them this noble message, a healthier lifestyle for the body, mind and spirit, they praised us with a thumbs up gesture.

Sapporo

Since Sapporo is the biggest city in Hokkaido, a team of ten fellow initiates planned to distribute 33,000 leaflets there. On June 5, accompanied by the Japanese fellow initiates, they split into two groups going to Orori Park, the Clock Tower and the Old City Hall.

Most people gladly accepted the flyers, including students in uniforms and elderly people relaxing in the park. One student asked for a leaflet and joyfully took a stack to be shared with her classmates. An official working on the City Hall Committee asked a sister initiate to give him a small stack, because he was going to attend a meeting and wanted to give them to other attendees. Just when the fellow initiates were thinking of enjoying some ice cream, coincidentally a natural food store was handing out discount coupons. The shop supervisor especially served the seven initiates a free portion of ice cream made with natural ingredients and free of any additives. After enjoying this “treat” from God, they also left a small pile of leaflets in the shop.

On June 6, the team proceeded to Oraru, a town near Sapporo. According to the Japanese fellow initiates, the inhabitants of this place love fishing and eating seafood, so they felt it was necessary to share with them this message of not killing. In addition to distributing at railway stations and scenic sites, we went deep into the residential areas inserting leaflets into mailboxes. The local inhabitants generally accepted them, and upon retrieving it from the mailbox, they would take it inside and read it carefully. Although not a great number of leaflets had been distributed, each of them worked effectively.

The next day, in order to be more efficient, the team changed their strategy by concentrating mainly on inserting into mailboxes. They went to the densely populated residential estates, and distributed about nine thousand leaflets that day.

On June 8, before leaving by plane, the whole group still worked diligently and persistently. Divided into two groups, one went to the residential estates while the other group went to the mansions nearby. In one morning more than ten thousand leaflets were handed out.

Conclusion

Japanese people are very polite and environmental friendly; they would not randomly throw away the leaflets. While distributing, fellow initiates would say “thank you very much” in Japanese, and the recipients always nodded back politely and said thank you. After reading the leaflet, they would fold it and put it neatly into their pockets or handbags. Fellow initiates were glad to see that each of the leaflets that they handed out was appropriately kept by the recipients, who were thus imbued by God’s power of love.

Although the weather forecast predicted cold and rainy days, it was fine and sunny each day during the distribution. The climate was cool and refreshing. The rain only started to fall on the way to the airport as we were leaving Hokkaido. Both when going to and coming back from Hokkaido on the plane, fellow initiates were delighted and surprised to see the rarely seen circular rainbow. During the going trip, the shadow of the aeroplane was projected right in the center of the rainbow, as if we were engulfed by Master’s almighty loving power.

Okinawa

Seeing the World
from the Spiritual Viewpoint

By Taoyuan News Group, Formosa (Originally in Chinese)

Situated at the southern end of Japan, Okinawa is reputed as “Hawaii in the East”, as it also possesses blue skies, golden beaches and beautiful islands. Fellow initiates from Formosa, with leaflets printed in Japanese and English on either side, came to Okinawa with an abundance of love to share Master’s compassionate message with the local people.

Upon arriving in Okinawa on the evening of May 26, fellow initiates first enjoyed a meal at the Yi Yuan vegetarian restaurant in the city. The boss of the restaurant, Mr. Su, who was also from Formosa, upon knowing the purpose of their visit, was extremely delighted to meet fellow friends with the same ideal. He immediately went to the kitchen and personally prepared three tables of delicious, aromatic and tempting dishes for them to enjoy. After the meal, he gladly consented to keep some leaflets for his customers to read. Leaving the restaurant, fellow initiates distributed leaflets to people they met, and to residences along the road. From their responses, it was clear that the local people were disciplined, tidy and beautiful in nature.

Early in the morning of May 27, hoping to find the tourist crowds, fellow initiates went to the popular sightseeing places in the north—the Ocean Expo Park, Nago Pineapple Park and Hamby and Mihama (American Village) in the middle region. At the Ocean Expo Park, there were many foreign tourists. Fellow initiates immediately greeted them in English. They gladly accepted the leaflets and after reading the content, they expressed their support and approval. Greatly encouraged, the initiates continued distributing to the tourists and working staff they met on the way, and they all gladly accepted and read it carefully.

After dinner, fellow initiates continued their efforts on KoKusai Street, a shopping haven for tourists and the busiest commercial area in town. As far as they could see, the whole area was full of tourists and crowds. With great excitement, they worked swiftly handing out leaflets to everyone and every shop.

Next day, on May 28, they went to the residential areas and shopping centers in Naha City. They worked in four groups. Three of them took the trams to different densely populated residential areas inserting leaflets into mailboxes of each household along the road. The fourth group distributed at designated points in downtown commercial areas. That day everyone worked very hard until about eleven o’clock in the evening before returning to their abode.

The group distributing in the commercial area consisted of the elder initiates and some younger ones (the youngest was only eight). The young saints worked very hard and greeted people with their simple Japanese. They visited each shop in the vicinity with bright smiling faces, and when the shop owners saw that it was children distributing leaflets, they were happy to accept. In the international commercial area, fellow initiates met some young tourists from Formosa. They said they had already received the leaflets twice in Formosa, and that this was the third time! They excitedly added that they had a very good affinity with Master’s group and strongly supported the vegetarian ideal. That day, the fellow initiates distributed over twenty thousand leaflets.

On May 29, they decided to hire a coach to cover the locations outside the tram route. They headed north to Okinawa City with a population of 180,000 and distributing leaflets along the highway. It was God’s arrangement that they had a Japanese sister initiate accompanying them and explaining their plan to the driver, Mr. Nakamura. Throughout the trip, Mr. Nakamura mindfully located the densely populated residential areas, so that fellow initiates could alight and insert the leaflets into the mailboxes. Mr. Nakamura also generously allowed them to affix the Alternative Living posters on each side of his coach for one month. Deeply touched by this gesture of kindness, they thanked him repeatedly in Japanese.

Fellow initiates returned a bit early and they did not want to waste the several hours before taking the flight. Therefore they went to a traditional market to continue the work. There they were happy to find that it was very crowded and both the housewives shopping for food and the shop owners politely accepted the leaflets and read them with attention.

Conclusion

Through this trip, they learned to look at everything from a spiritual viewpoint and to always be vigilant, so as to accomplish God’s assignment successfully! They are very grateful for God’s blessing which allowed them to do this task safely and blissfully and also allowed all the inhabitants and tourists in Okinawa to bathe in God’s ocean of love!

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