(Minghui.org) I started practicing Falun Dafa before 1999 and I’m now 77 years old. Looking back over the past 20-plus years, no matter the heavy resistance from my family, the cruel persecution in labor camps, or the pain of losing loved ones, none of this shook my unwavering faith in Master and the Fa. Master has given me so much that it’s truly beyond words.
An Atheist Begins Practicing Falun Dafa
I was a staunch atheist and I joined the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) at the age of 18. I followed the Party’s orders, did whatever they told me to do and unknowingly accumulated a lot of karma.
I later developed various illnesses. I was so weak that I couldn’t even hold a newborn baby. Every day felt like torment, and I thought I would be better off dead.
One day, the accountant from my workplace, Ms. Wang, came to visit me. When she saw that I was in pain, she asked, “How did you become like this?”
I told her I was dying. She looked at me for a moment and said, “Do you want to try practicing Falun Dafa? Our coworker, Mr. Tang, and I both practice it. It’s amazing, especially for healing and fitness.”
I replied, “If a hospital can’t cure me, how can a qigong practice help?”
But she persisted, and offered to pick me up in the morning. I reluctantly agreed.
I saw many people at the practice site, and the assistant realized I was new. She asked me to move to the front. I hesitated, thinking I only came to appease my coworker, so I wanted to stay in the back and watch the others. Ms. Wang invited me to go there with her every day.
After a few days, she brought me the book Zhuan Falun and suggested I read it. I asked her, “Why do I need to read a book to practice?” She said, “After reading it, you’ll understand why you’re ill and what the purpose of human life is.”
I didn’t understand, as I never heard of such a book. When I opened Zhuan Falun I saw Master’s smiling photo. I finished reading Zhuan Falun in two days. Immediately afterward, the miraculous power of Dafa manifested in me; I felt something inside my body turning.
Since it was my first time studying the Fa, and my comprehension was low, I didn’t understand that it was the Falun (law wheel) turning. It startled me, so I covered myself with a blanket. I was afraid to move, and fell asleep.
When I woke up, I felt extremely comfortable, relaxed, and happy. I felt as if I was a different person. I was so happy and excited because this feeling was truly amazing. From that moment on, I began practicing Falun Dafa.
Master continually showed me the miraculous nature of Dafa to help me eliminate my atheistic beliefs. One time while studying the Fa, I saw the characters moving, and then the srivatsa 卍 symbol appeared.
It was as large as the regular characters, sparkling and continuously rotating. It took about thirty seconds for everything to return to normal.
I was astounded and filled with indescribable joy. I thought, “This is so amazing, this is not an ordinary book; it’s a divine book. I can’t wait! I want to tell people that there are gods in this world, and Falun Dafa is a miraculous practice.”
I packed my things, took my two-year-old granddaughter, found a donkey cart to carry a TV and a cassette player and went to rural areas to introduce Dafa.
I stayed at a relatives’ house in the countryside for several days, and many people came. I told them Falun Dafa is amazing, and how my illnesses were resolved. They all acknowledged Dafa’s greatness.
We read the Fa, and I taught them the exercises. Master continually encouraged me.
One day, as I was teaching the second set of the exercises, the “Wheel Holding” posture, I saw Master’s Law Body which was surrounded by a magnificent golden halo. It was a truly splendid sight, and lasted for about a minute. Once again, I was astonished by the sheer magnificence of it all.
Upholding My Faith
The CCP’s frenzied attack on Falun Dafa started on July 20, 1999. The propaganda on television and radio was filled with slander, defamation, and accusations against Dafa and Master. People were brainwashed, and were unable to distinguish right from wrong.
My neighbor, Ms. Qin, expressed her concern and said, “I heard they’ve banned Falun Dafa.” I told her, “This practice is wonderful. Don’t worry. Even if everyone else in our county stops practicing Falun Dafa, I will be the last one doing it.”
At that time, it felt like the sky was about to collapse. The CCP exerted immense pressure on leaders at all levels and in various public security units.
They implemented strict policies against anyone practicing Falun Dafa, including their family members. The penalties included job termination, demotion, salary reduction, and more.
In our family of seven, four were CCP members, and two were Communist Youth League members. One was a police officer, and my husband and my eldest son-in-law were leaders at their workplaces.
The pressure on them was immense, due to the CCP’s policy of implication. The policy stated that the persecution faced by an individual would be extended to all his or her family members.
My family was frequently harassed by personnel from the police station and the community office. They became increasingly fearful. To protect themselves, they pressured me to stop practicing Falun Dafa.
One by one, they turned against me, issuing ultimatums that I was not allowed to practice or read the Falun Dafa teachings. I also couldn’t have contact with other practitioners.
They constantly watched me, and prevented other practitioners from seeing me. They didn’t even allow a relative who was a practitioner to visit me.
My second son-in-law, a police officer, was deeply poisoned by the CCP’s propaganda. When a male practitioner from the neighborhood came to visit, he grabbed him by the collar and twisted his arm, threatening to take him to the police station.
No matter how I tried to clarify the truth to my family, they refused to listen.
I knew I couldn’t let them continue committing sins against Dafa, but I couldn’t see a way to break through it. I silently asked Master for help: I had to overcome this interference!
I gathered my family members together and patiently explained: “You all know how bad my health was, and I’ve benefited from practicing Falun Dafa. The Communist Party has changed its stance, and you’ve also changed your views to align with it.
“Here’s a solution I’m proposing; let me know if it works for you. We can sever the mother-child relationship through the notary office. If my practicing Falun Dafa affects your father, we can get a divorce.
“If this condition doesn’t meet your requirements, then I’ll leave home, and I won’t take anything from this house. I only want Falun Dafa. What do you think?”
They saw my firm determination, didn’t say a word, and left quietly.
Two days later, my husband invited relatives over for dinner, where they discussed all sorts of things. I quietly listened.
After everyone expressed their opinions, a relative said, “The Communist Party doesn’t allow you to practice, then you shouldn’t practice. You should obey its orders because it’s in a higher position than you are.”
When he finished speaking, I said, “For more than 40 years I followed its orders, and it told me not to believe in gods, so I didn’t. It said there were no gods, so I thought there were none.
“I did everything the CCP told me to do, and created a lot of karma. I later had many health issues, including bone spurs, severe nephritis, whole-body edema, nervous system dysfunction, insomnia, heart problems, and various other issues.
“My mood was terrible, and I felt like life wasn’t worth living. I attribute all of this to my belief in the Communist Party.
“I now no longer believe in the Communist Party; I believe in Falun Dafa. After I began practicing I haven’t spent a penny on doctors or taken any medicines, yet all my ailments disappeared. I’m healthy and I feel great. I take care of seven people by myself. I have no complaints.”
I pointed to my husband and continued, “Before practicing, I constantly quarreled with you. Now, no matter how late you return from playing mahjong or drinking, I don’t get angry.
“I have followed the standards of a practitioner and don’t argue with you. You once went to a colleague’s home, and the colleague and his wife were fighting. You asked his wife to practice Falun Dafa, saying that I practice Falun Dafa and we never quarrel. These are all facts. So, tell me, do I believe in the Communist Party or in Falun Dafa?” Our guests had no words to respond and left in silence.
After everyone left, I said to my husband, “Why have you gone with the flow, being unable to differentiate between right and wrong? You knew about this practice before. You not only acknowledge its benefits but also recommended it to others. You’ve lost your principles.”
He later told me, “Then you should practice. If our children don’t allow you, I’ll back you up.” That’s how the battle against the evil forces came to an end.
My husband told me that evening, “Pack up your books and things, leave only what you need, and I’ll take the rest and keep them at my workplace.” He emptied the roll cabinet, placed my books inside, and said, “Now, no one will know, and even if they search, they won’t find anything.”
A few days later, he said, “Give me some of your truth-clarification posters. I go to work early today, and I’ll put them up for you. You should go out less and pay more attention to your safety.”
When he returned in the evening, he told me, “Guess where I put up a poster? I stuck one on the rear end of a police car at the police station. I’m having them drive around with Falun Dafa truth-clarification messages!”
Our children also changed. They quit the CCP and the Communist Youth League. They went from strongly opposing my practicing Falun Dafa to wholeheartedly supporting me.
I’m grateful for Master’s compassionate protection and salvation. I will do my best to follow His requirements, and do the three things well.
I am determined to keep up with the Fa-rectification process, walk the final path well, and return home with Master.
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