The vehicle used on our trip in Western Australia to spread Supreme Master Ching Hai's teachings.

<Perth> The first stop on our trip to Western Australia was the port city of Geraldton. There, we visited the largest library, where the librarians spoke highly of the exquisite publications of Supreme Master Ching Hai and accepted a few copies of each title that would be made available to the public. We noticed a nun outside a big church looking at the advertisement posted on the side of our vehicle. We struck up a conversation with her and learned that she did some meditation and was very interested in Master's teachings. She asked a few questions about meditation and vegetarianism. When she saw the picture of Master visiting a group of Catholic nuns in Africa, she felt very much at home with Her. During our conversation, she commented, "Everyone of us is God." This shows that the quest for Truth transcends creed and race and that all human beings are one.

One evening, we met a group of Chinese people. When we realized that they were looking with interest at the advertisement on our vehicle, we introduced them to Master by showing them sample booklets and the News magazines. They took the publications and later came back again to see whether we had more information about Master in our vehicle. As soon as they saw the brooches and necklaces bearing Master's photo, they chose a few that they liked, saying, "Master is very beautiful. We'll be Her good disciples."

These people were crew members from Mainland China who sailed around the world. Incidentally that was their last night in the city before they set sail the next day. We were amazed by God's arrangement. If we had not met them that night, we wondered when they would have had the chance to learn about Master. This pressed home to us the fact that we can not let a minute or even a second slip by because it may be a person's once-in-a-lifetime chance to meet a true living Master.

Members of our group, spreading Master's teachings, visited the huge ship.

Visiting A Big Ship

We had never been aboard such a big ship before. In our conversation with the captain, chief engineer and sailors, we realized that the seafarers lead a very simple life. As they told us, "It's not hard for us to observe a vegetarian diet. We eat almost purely vegetarian food anyhow." As we listened to them recounting the thrilling events that had occurred on the sea, we became very much aware that everything in our daily lives, such as food, clothing, housing and transportation, do not come easily.

The sailors came from different countries, but every one of them accepted Master. Seeing their faces lit up with happy smiles, we cherished the precious gathering that God had arranged for us. As we watched the ship sail away, we felt that we must practice more diligently to repay the Four Graces that Master has spoken about. (The Four Graces are the grace of the parents, elders, sentient beings and the Three Precious Ones -- the living Master, noble teaching and practicing assembly.)

When we went into the city to distribute the sample booklets, a gentleman took one and quickly began to read it. It was drizzling in the dark night lit up by glittering neon lamps. However, he did not feel the rain; instead, he enjoyed the gift from God in the dim light.

We arrived in Dampier. The place was markedly tranquil and peaceful. People smiled at each other when they met as if they were one big family. The barbecue site along the bay was beautiful. A few families took their dogs jogging as the setting sun cast its slanted rays through the coconut trees, presenting a picture of leisure.

We had passed through several towns before we arrived in Dampier. When we stopped at the beach, an Oriental person approached us. He had taken a dip in the ocean and was on his way back to his dormitory via another road, but somehow found himself walking in our direction. We talked and exchanged views on religion. An introduction to the teachings of Supreme Master Ching Hai stirred up his interest in observing a vegetarian diet; and he expressed his readiness to join a planned video-lecture in Perth if time permitted.

Visiting The Refugee Camp

Only after we visited a library in Port Hedland did we find out that there was a refugee camp there. We went to the camp to ask whether we could visit the refugees. The police told us that we were welcome to visit them during open hours.

The camp houses refugees from all countries. There we met some Au Lac refugees who were happy to be in touch with Master's teachings again. Some refugees who had received initiation moved to Sydney. We also offered sample booklets to the police in the camp and shared with them the benefits of meditation and a vegetarian diet. They all agreed with us on this matter. After we left the camp, we thanked Master for Her invisible arrangement that added this stop to our itinerary.

As we traveled, we passed by a tomato self-help store. In the little store were bags of tomatoes that people could buy by inserting coins. Later we learnt that these tomatoes were grown by Au Lac farmers. We saw a huge tomato farm as we drove away from the refugee camp. The young Au Lac girls working on the farm were surprised that they could receive for free, and on foreign land, such beautiful publications printed in the Au Lac language. They presented us with freshly picked tomatoes that were big, firm and juicy.

When we learnt that there were other Au Lac tomato farmers in the area, we visited them and received a positive response. In their struggle for survival, the Au Lac people have become self-sufficient, working from scratch on alien soil. We are confident that the moment the sample booklets reached their hands, God will have already begun to shine his grace upon them.

On this trip to Western Australia, we found that the local people were very friendly. The moment they heard that the sample booklets were being distributed free of charge, everything was all right. They had understood our intentions. Posters of Master were put up in several cities along the western coast of this southern continent, in boulevards and small alleys. Master's publications were put on the shelves of every library and God's brilliant light shone all over Western Australia. God never fails to take pure-hearted people under his protective wing.

We distributed sample booklets to every store. Some of the workers in the stores demonstrated an interest in Master's publications and came after us asking for more copies. Some left their addresses in hopes of receiving more information.

Then we came to a small town. All the stores were closed for a holiday. Only in one restaurant did we see a few people looking through the window at the poster on our vehicle. We went into the restaurant to meet them. The restaurant was run by a Mainland Chinese who, as soon as he saw Master's picture, recalled that he had seen a similar picture in his country. A child of his colleague was wearing a brooch imprinted with Master's picture and had told him that Master was an ancient saint who had come to this world to liberate people. He asked us for a videotape and chose some sample booklets and News magazines as well.

The brief encounter did not dampen the feeling that we were intimate friends reunited after a long time. We could not stop talking about the Truth. This was Master beckoning to his inner self a second time. We believe that with God's blessing, he would soon realize his needs and join in the spiritual practice.

The Light Of God

On our way to Albany, we suddenly noticed two beams of light in the colors of the spectrum shining from the city into the gloomy sky. It looked as though God had cast His light of blessing on the people there. The emissions of such brilliant light beams from the city of our destination strengthened our belief that the light would lead the simple-hearted people to God's Home.

In Albany, we visited a bustling market where a female assistant in a florist shop showed immense interest in Master. On her own initiative, she asked us for many issues of the Supreme Master Ching Hai News magazine so she could introduce Master to her friends. She could feel the energy coming forth from the picture on a sample booklet and said, "I know it is from Her!" She gave us her address and the florist's so that they could receive the News magazines in the future.

As we prepared to leave, she selected some colorful and beautiful flowers that she tied into bouquets and offered to us. We were deeply touched by these gifts of flowers presented to Master by this longing soul.

The Best Gift For Father's Day

We were glad that we were in Australia on Father's Day. After a one-day retreat at the Perth Center, fellow initiates and their families distributed sample booklets in the city of Perth. Showing their support for this activity, they put up Master's posters on the streets so that the people could see the living Master. We divided into groups to do the work and assembled at the Center after the distribution. Then we went to a park to celebrate a superb Father's Day. On this day, the fathers in our group looked different than usual. Their participation in the booklet distribution had filled them with joy and their faces glowed.

An Italian man who was warming himself by a fire next to us could not resist the temptation as the aroma of our vegetarian barbecue spread. He came again and again to ask for skewers of roasted food. He also took some sample booklets and News magazines, expressing delight in learning about an enlightened Master on this holiday. This turned out to be a happy and meaningful Father's Day for all of us.

Video-Lecture Seminar

On the day of the seminar, initiates were greatly encouraged when some people arrived from Manjimup, a small timber town several hundred kms south of Perth. They came only for the seminar and drove home the same day.

A videotape recording of Master's Geneva lecture to the staff of the United Nations was shown, followed by an enthusiastic question and answer session that continued informally over light refreshments. About half of the Truth seekers who attended, including some from Manjimup, requested to learn the Convenient Method of meditation.