October 16, 2005
You are helping with a campaign to get orphaned children of imprisoned Falun Gong members out of China. Why are these kids a special case?
They are victims not only because their parents are taken away and tortured, but because of the persecution, no other family members can afford to take them. Because their parents are political prisoners, they are shunned and denied rights. Lots of Chinese people here know about the persecution, but it is interesting to see how many Westerners learn about it for the first time, and are touched. One lady told us, "I thought China had been modernized." She had no idea what was happening. I think she appreciated learning about another face of China. The only thing people read here in the press is what a great place China is to do business in. That doesn't really help the persecuted people in China.
Isn't increased trade supposed to improve matters?
A lot of Chinese products on American shelves are made by slave labor, from convicts who were sent to prison for their religious beliefs. My mother was one of them before she was freed. People should at least be aware when they are buying these products where they might have come from.
Falun Gong derives from [the Buddhist School], but there is also a lot of government persecution of Christians in China.
Yes, the underground church is terribly persecuted. Its members are often tortured. There is some good news, though: more and more people in China are starting to learn what the Communist Party is really about, and they're leaving it.
But the party is working hard to keep its hold on the people. In North Texas, there is a group of privileged Chinese students studying in university, on a program sponsored by Chinese companies. Most of these students are members of the party. They actually have with them a secretary whose job it is to guide them in their lessons, so they will be faithful communists. It's amazing to see that here.