Recently, there has been a gradual increase in the number of fellow initiates in New Zealand. In order to practice more diligently and to have a more solid foundation for progress on the path, fellow practitioners organized the first three-day retreat at the Auckland Center, after receiving approval from Master. Fellow practitioners from around Auckland and Tauranga areas participated enthusiastically. This was the first ever three-day retreat in New Zealand.

Putting down all the mundane matters, fellow practitioners meditated more than ten hours a day, as well as watched Master's videos. The atmosphere was so good that Master's blessings were always felt.

Many fellow practitioners in New Zealand have never seen Master before. Seeing Master's life on video was their only consolation. The yearning wish to see Master was in the hearts of the fellow practitioners.

A new fellow practitioner mentioned that she and her husband had traveled over thousands of miles from mainland China in order to receive initiation. She was very sick just before the trip. With undeviating determination and holding tightly onto Master's photo, she boarded a vehicle. She could not move while lying in the vehicle.

Surprisingly enough, upon arrival in New Zealand, she had become well. She was very grateful for Master's blessings, that they

could receive initiation as they had wished for and be able to join in the three-day retreat.

Immediately after the three-day retreat another initiation was held. The number of new initiates is ever increasing. Under the nourishment of Master's love, this green country is revealing a new spirit in life.

Vegetarian Cooking Classes Enhance Good Taste And Good Health

Although the vegetarian diet is not yet very popular in New Zealand, many of the initiates-to-be who have been practicing the Convenient Method have overcome all the inconveniences of their circumstances and decided to keep the complete vegetarian diet and be ready for initiation. After group meditations for the Convenient Method practitioners at Auckland Center, vegetarian cooking demonstrations take place. All practitioners get together and discuss how to have a balanced diet with an abundance of nutrition.

When sister practitioners were able to fill a table with delicious dishes within a short time, initiates and initiates-to-be were very impressed. After trying the food, they couldn't help but praise each dish, being better than the non-vegetarian diet, not only for its taste but also for its nutritious value and the peace of mind.

It had not rained for six months in Paraguay. Air pollution had become a very serious problem. Schools even closed as a result. Master's teachings brought nectar to Paraguay. It started to rain the night the Truth-spreading group arrived in Pedro Juan. In fact, it poured. The air was cleansed and the dryness disappeared immediately.

An initiate-to-be in Pedro Juan, waiting for initiation, was very sincere in keeping the vegetarian diet and purify herself. Not only does she see Master's manifestation body often, but also has started to write poetry. On the day of her initiation, she saw Jesus Christ appear brilliantly.

The video-lecture seminar attracted many Chinese immigrants. They liked Master's teachings very much. Many started keeping the vegetarian diet and practicing the Convenient Method.

East City is the world's second largest trade city. Too many material pursuits have deprived the spiritual aspect of the people's lives. The practitioners of the Convenient Method have been busy promoting the video-lecture seminar in the city. In trying to rent a venue for the event, the manager found out that it was for such a meaningful purpose, so he said, "If you charge nothing, we charge nothing too." Despite the fact that he had already rented the place to others, he gave it to us.

Soon, on the streets of East City, one could hear the good news about Supreme Master Ching Hai's upcoming video-lecture seminar. One of the owners of the cars announcing the seminar was highly moved by Master's teachings. With a loud speaker, he added his own words to the public announcement. He spoke with sincerity to appeal to his countrymen to attend the seminar. His son, who often worked with the fellow practitioners, later learned the Convenient Method.

The manager of Journal Today (HOY) in East City was very impressed with Master's teachings. She placed the news of the upcoming video-lecture seminar in the most prominent place in the paper. She also added an article about Master and the seminar to the

religion section of the paper. Later she also became a vegetarian and learned the Convenient Method. When she saw the light, she shouted with great excitement, "The inner light is intense - so bright!"

On the day of Master's video-lecture seminar, East City was bathed in rain of nectar. Mr. Villalba Romualdo, a reporter from a national broadcasting station, was driving an open Jeep on his way to the lecture hall. He had to drive off the road several times in order to take cover from the rain. He enthusiastically told the audience what a great enlightened Master Supreme Master Ching Hai was. He also became an initiate-to-be. The video-lecture seminar smoothly delivered the Convenient Method to those who have been earnestly seeking the Truth. Committed to a complete vegetarian diet, they are now awaiting initiation.

The news of the seminar spread to the capital Asuncion by newspapers. Many came to ask for a seminar to be held in the capital city. One of the sister initiates-to-be had practiced other methods before without having any great inner experiences. While practicing the Convenient Method, she saw very bright light, which prompted her to commit to a total vegetarian diet and ask for full initiation. She followed the Truth-spreading group to Asuncion and introduced Master's teachings and the Quan Yin Method to her former spiritual teacher. Her teacher finished reading the sample booklet without taking a break and was deeply touched. She invited many people interested in spiritual practice to come to watch Master's video tapes.

The people of Paraguay are earnest, pure and simple. They are glad to share the good news of the Quan Yin Method with their countrymen. They are like torch bearers, they happily brighten themselves and their whole country with the light of God.

The manager of Journal Today (HOY) in East City, Paraguay, volunteered to publish the news of Master's Truth-spreading activities in the most prominent section of the paper, placing an additional article in the religion section.

Costa Rica's National Day happened to be on a Sunday, so most people did not have to go to work. The Costa Rican fellow initiates decided to replenish their souls with a 3-day retreat. After being approved by our merciful Master, everyone cheerfully made preparations.

A fellow initiate once joined a 7-day retreat conducted by Master in Formosa and had benefited greatly. She was particularly impressed by Master's love, which she would never forget. Unfortunately, she could not go to the retreat this time because of work, but she was still hopeful and earnestly begged people to take over her duties. Due to her sincere longing, the inner Master helped. Consequently, she finally found someone to replace her so she could attend the retreat.

Another fellow initiate had never gone to a retreat before but he deeply understood the benefits and therefore longed to go. Hindered by transportation problems, he kept praying to Master for help. On the day of the retreat,

just as it was about to begin, his elder sister suddenly drove her car to his place and entrusted it to him. He was extremely delighted and grateful for Master's help.

When the 3-day retreat eventually ended, everyone was filled with heavenly ecstasy and perceived the many benefits of having gone. For instance, a neighbour's cattle often intruded into the Center, consuming the flowers, grass, young plants and branches. The fellow initiates were planning to put up money to build a fence. On the day after the retreat, their neighbour voluntarily expressed his desire to build the fence.

The fellow initiates, while relaxing during the retreat, noticed that their wisdom had developed and that their thoughts were more positive. Many problems that they didn't know how to solve before have now found satisfactory solutions. Therefore, they wish to hold retreats more often.

Inspired by Master's loving instructions to show more concern and care for the poor, fellow initiates from Los Angeles went across the border to the border city of Tijuana to help the needy by supplying them with food, clothing, as well as spiritual comfort.

It was a hot day when fellow initiates arrived in the shanty town that is situated between a cemetery and a garbage dump. Even before they stopped, a crowd began to form. Fellow initiates began distributing the food, clothing and Master's boundless love. The people gratefully told us that this location has improved a lot since fellow initiates began to go there to help these poor people.

Fellow initiates then moved to a nicer area of the city and showed Master's video in a vegetarian restaurant. On the way to the restaurant, a miraculous incident occurred. Some of the initiates got lost. Before long, these lost members stopped in front of a pharmacy to call for help. They found out that they had stopped less than a block from the vegetarian restaurant when the leader found them. Interestingly, one of initiates remembered, only when she saw the pharmacy, that she had been asked to buy some medicine in Mexico. She was grateful for Master's wonderful reminder which allowed her to get the job done.

The video and the discussion afterwards were great, all went smoothly. The attending Mexicans listened to every of Master's words and asked very good questions. Master's love continuously blessed each and everyone. Fellow initiates deeply felt that they received much more than they gave.

A New Focus At The World Dance Festival

This year the renowned World Dance Festival was hosted by the Performing Arts Department at Palomar College, located on the outskirts of Los Angeles. The best dancers

from different areas gathered to show off their unique talents and beautiful cultures. Fellow practitioners from the Los Angeles center were also invited to participate in this traditional festival. During the event, thousands of people were attracted to come and enjoy the most fabulous art entertainment of the year.

During the festival, there was an impressive introduction of Master and Her contributions to world peace, to the local performing art admirers. When the fellow initiates dressed in beautiful golden outfits appeared on stage, the Candle Dance began. Master's portrait, with Her dressed in the elegant, golden Thai imperial outfit, was projected on a large screen in the background. This amazing projection mixed with the moving candle-light from the dancers suddenly emerging from the total darkness of the stage and creating a magnificent scene full of celestial harmony, resulted in cheering and applause.

The delicious vegetarian food was also the focus of the festival. Thanks to Master's blessings, fellow practitioners from Los Angeles and San Diego Centers used the entire weekend to prepare the vegetarian food to offer to all guests during the performance intermission. Beautifully decorated tables, full of vegetarian food, were set outside the theater next to a poster of Master. They were surrounded by people of all ages who could not wait to try the exotic, vegetarian delicacies. Many anxiously inquired about the recipes, about information on how and where to get ingredients, as well as showed great interest in the vegetarian diet.

Fellow initiates were grateful to have had the opportunity to serve the public. To be able to follow Master's perfect example; to use love, wisdom and the ever increasing talents that emerge after enlightenment, to beautify the world, is the most joyful thing for them!

Recently, the Korean branch of Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association organized a symposium to promote vegetarianism in Pusan, Korea. The response was overwhelming. Apart from promoting vegetarianism to beautify the world, the benefits of meditation were also introduced. Many Korean friends with affinities have now started to walk on the spiritual path together.

The most influential organization in Korea the "Environmental Movement Federations" and the largest and most well known environmental protection organizations all participated in this symposium. Other community organizations like Han Sal Rim (Revitalization For Oneness) Community, international spiritual organizations like "Ananda Marga of Korea" and "the Buddhism Newspaper" all participated in and sponsored this symposium.

During this symposium, there were deep discussions on various aspects and levels concerning why one should be vegetarian. Information on vegetarianism published all over the world was also provided. Professors from various fields as well as physicians were invited to lecture to the audience. Their talks were supported with slides.

The symposium's cartoon posters generated a

very good response. The mass media all came to hold interviews. Several of the largest press companies specially reported the good news of the symposium. All the radio stations -- KBS, MBC, Buddhism Broadcast and CBS invited fellow initiates to participate in special programs.

During the interviews, they enquired about the teachings of Supreme Master Ching Hai, the activities of Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association and the benefits of eating vegetarian food. MBC Television also made a live recording of the symposium and broadcasted it during a major news program. PSB Television also visited the families of fellow initiates and introduced to the public the healthy lifestyle of vegetarian families, the rosy-cheeked, strong children and lovely elderly folk. Some reporters even wanted additional interviews after the seminar.

Since the symposium was received in an unusually positive manner, fellow initiates wrote a book based on the findings of the symposium. This book was sent to universities, mass media and libraries so that people could use the material to get basic information on vegetarianism. The enthusiastic response of the mass media anticipates the imminent arrival of the era of vegetarianism and spiritual practice.

The Taoyuan Center held a Community Garden Party: to celebrate the completion of the new Taoyuan Center; to actively improve relations with residents in the vicinity; and also to provide the people in the community with a chance to come in contact with Master's teachings. The activity included: free medical consultations by traditional Chinese and Western doctors; serving vegetarian food; a brilliant variety show; and a lucky draw to entertain the guests.

The venue for the Garden Party was beautifully decorated. Some guests strolled to the Scripture Circulation Counter to read books they liked; some visited the Information Desk inquiring about Master's teachings; and others queued in the free medical consultation area.

The booth where 'Love-balloons' were given away was most welcomed by the children, though many adults, still young at heart, also flocked to get one. The mouth-watering vegetarian food that was served attracted many guests who tried the delicious and exotic vegetarian foods one by one. Simultaneously, they could also watch video tapes advocating vegetarianism. The lucky draw and the variety show were the main events, providing delightful entertainment to fellow practitioners and the guests.

This Community Garden Party was one big step forward for the Taoyuan Center in attempting new methods of promoting Supreme Master Ching Hai's teachings. The most important point was, all the fellow practitioners who participated in the work received a most precious gift - Master's infinite love!