(Minghui.org) In every major city, foreign consulates see a great deal of traffic. This is no exception for the Chinese Consulate in Houston, from Chinese citizens taking care of business, to people of other countries applying for travel visas. In order to counteract the Chinese regime's slander of Falun Gong and to raise awareness of the 16-year persecution of the practice in China, Falun Gong practitioners in Houston have maintained a frequent presence in front of the Chinese Consulate. With display boards and flyers about the persecution, they let people know about what is happening in China. Through their efforts, countless Chinese nationals and people of other ethnicities have received information about the Communist Party's persecution of Falun Gong, and large numbers have shown great support for Falun Gong practitioners.

People sign a petition in support of Falun Gong near the Houston Chinese Consulate.

Support from the Public

One day, a Falun Gong practitioner spoke to a middle-aged Caucasian man near the consulate. When offered a flyer, the man told the practitioner with excitement that he always tells his guests about the persecution in China. He had heard about the persecution through an English flyer, and felt it very important to tell more people about what is happening in China. So he placed the flyer on his living room table and whenever he has visitors, he shows them the flyer and tells them about the persecution.

Pointing at the display board about the Chinese regime's organ harvesting from living Falun Gong practitioners, a Chinese woman asked, “Is this real?” A Falun Gong practitioner, answered, “Yes, it's still going on. Hospitals and concentration camps are secretly committing crimes against Falun Gong practitioners.” The lady was shocked to hear it. She asked the practitioner to give her a flyer, so that she could take pictures of it and send them to her mother in China. She also planned to send flyers through an online social network program, so that more people would know about it.

Falun Gong practitioners also display banners near the Chinese Consulate, with the messages, “Stop Persecuting Falun Gong,” “Global Lawsuits against Jiang Zemin,” and “Stop Live Organ Harvesting” in both Chinese and English. Many people take pictures of the banners and display boards. When a young Chinese man appeared hesitant to take a picture, a practitioner told him, “Yes, you can take pictures. Show them to your family and friends. They are not able to find these pictures in China. You are here for a reason.” The young man immediately started taking pictures. Two Chinese women who overheard the conversation then also took pictures of the banners.

A Taiwanese person who had already heard about the persecution said to a Falun Gong practitioner, “The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is bad. You have been working hard. Your banners are great! What a great job you are doing! I respect you for you have done. Keep up the great work. I support you!”

A young American woman greeted the Falun Gong practitioners one day. Although the practitioner didn't speak much English and the young woman didn't speak Chinese, she used her cell phone to translate. The young woman asked, “What can I do to help Falun Gong?” The practitioner told her that she could sign the petition calling for an end to the CCP's forced organ harvesting. The young woman gladly signed to show her support.

A diplomat from west Africa asked, “How come I didn't hear about the persecution when I was in China? Could you give me a Chinese flyer? My wife is Chinese. I have to show her.” He signed the petition without hesitation. Many other people signed as soon as they heard Falun Gong practitioners' introduction.

Confusion Cleared

When Falun Gong practitioners started their outreach efforts at the Chinese Consulate many years ago, some Chinese people who had been deceived by the CCP's propaganda threatened them, “You'd be arrested if you were in China!” Falun Gong practitioners refused to be deterred. Some Chinese feared that the CCP would retaliate against the practitioners, and asked, “Aren't you worried about your safety?” The practitioners answered that this was a democratic country and a country of freedom, and they were safe even in front of the Chinese Consulate.

Some Chinese asked, “Who sent you here? Who paid you? How do you know about the organ harvesting?” to which Falun Gong practitioners would reply, “We volunteer to tell Chinese people these facts. No one pays us a penny. We pay for these informational materials out of our own pockets. The organ harvesting is happening all over China. Many witnesses have stepped forward to testify to these atrocities.” Most Chinese people are grateful to learn about the persecution.

An American man said that he hadn't heard about any persecution when he was in China. A practitioner told him the CCP has blocked all information about the persecution, including any information on the Internet. It is therefore very difficult for people in China to hear about it. The man signed the petition and promised to tell all the people he knew about the persecution.

A Chinese man took a flyer and a copy of Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party and told the practitioners, “You have been working hard! I admire you deeply.”

When a family of four came out of the Chinese Consulate, a practitioner handed a flyer to the husband. He said that he had heard about the persecution and about quitting the CCP to ensure one's safety, but had some hesitation. He said, “We don't think the CCP is good, but we are worried that our children will experience retaliation.” His daughter, who had joined the Young Pioneers, said, “I would like to quit.” The practitioner said, “What are you afraid of, if your daughter isn't worried? You will be blessed when you quit.” The man then was pleased to write down the names of his whole family, for them to quit all the communist organizations they had joined before.

A group of Koreans came to the Chinese Consulate. One of them was a professional photographer for a newspaper. He took pictures of the practitioners' display and banners, and asked for more information. The photographer also left his name card. The group took English flyers and thanked the practitioner for telling them about the persecution.