(Minghui.org) I have been providing part-time household services to Miss Lu, who is in her 80s, for almost three years. Last year, I temporarily resigned to support my son as he prepared for graduate school entrance exams. She hoped I would return to work for her when the exams were over, and even offered a raise. She repeatedly told me, “I could never find another person as good as you.”
On the final day of the exam, Miss Lu called me in the morning to ask if I could accompany her to the hospital because she felt unwell. I gently reminded her that my son had an exam and I needed to cook lunch for him, “If I were to accompany you to the hospital, I’m afraid I wouldn’t be back in time, which may affect his performance. Could your son accompany you instead?” She apologized for forgetting about the exam and confirmed she would call her son.
I called her later that night to check in on her, and she said she had had a stroke, and had fortunately been admitted to the hospital for treatment in time. Although she remained stable and could still care for herself, she was still in the hospital for post-treatment observation. I told her I would visit her in the hospital soon, and reminded her to recite the magic words “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.”
A Predestined Connection With Miss Lu
While I worked at Miss Lu’s home, I often shared with her the miraculous effects of Falun Dafa and the truth about the practice. The conversations seemed to resonate with her. She told me she didn’t know how wonderful Dafa was until she spent the past three years with me, which fundamentally changed her worldview and her perspective on Dafa. She frequently expressed her desire to be a good person, and her interest in learning the exercises. In fact, she had already begun reading Zhuan Falun, the book containing the main teachings of Falun Dafa, for the second time.
Miss Lu’s family is highly educated. Her son and his wife are professors, and her daughter lives in Singapore with her husband, a high-ranking official. They initially knew little about Falun Dafa and were hesitant to discuss it, fearing the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) reach. When I first started working for her, I told myself “It is a predestined relationship that brought us together. I must hold myself to the high standards of a Dafa practitioner. My duty is not merely to keep the home clean and beautiful, but to let her entire family see the greatness of Dafa and be saved by Dafa.”
My duties included general cleaning and meal preparation. I treated Miss Lu’s home like my own and never cut corners. I proactively sought ways to improve her living environment, including cleaning her kitchen until it shone, installing new wallpaper, and applying fresh paint to the walls and ceilings. My four hours’ of work in the morning were demanding, but I never complained.
I treated Miss Lu like family. Whenever I had good food, clothing, or daily necessities, I always shared them with her. She was often moved to tears. “Even my own children aren’t as thoughtful as you are. I’m so lucky to meet you in my 80s.” She praised me to everyone she met.
When her children visited her, they were deeply touched that I took responsibility for tasks that were beyond my job duties. They often tried to offer me extra money, but I politely declined. “Falun Dafa teaches me to be kind to everyone and always think of others first. I simply do what a practitioner should do. I am still far from meeting all the requirements of a Dafa practitioner.” They replied, “You are wonderful. We are truly grateful for everything you’ve done for our family.” Miss Lu’s grandson even told me, “Please treat Auntie well. She is truly an exceptional person.” After establishing their trust, I shared facts about Falun Dafa with them. They believed what I said and eventually agreed to withdraw from the CCP and its affiliated organizations.
Miss Lu’s daughter and her husband visit from Singapore twice a year. Because Miss Lu favored her son over her daughter when she was young, she sent her daughter to live with her mother-in-law in Shandong Province, which strained their relationship. Miss Lu was upset and complained to me about her daughter, while her daughter also confided that Miss Lu never made up for the lack of love in her childhood. Miss Lu never bought any special treats for her daughter’s visits, yet always did so for her son. To help them out, I began taking Miss Lu to buy treats for her daughter’s visit. Then I prepared meals that catered to their tastes. After one particularly special dinner, Miss Lu’s daughter hugged me with tears, saying, “I’ve never received such treatment in this home before. Thank you.” The relationship between the mother and daughter has subsequently become increasingly harmonious. Both of them told me gratefully that the place truly felt like a real home since I came. Miss Lu often reminded herself to be patient and kind, no longer treating her daughter with the resentment she had before.
Letting Go of Attachments and Selflessly Helping Miss Lu
I had planned to stop working once my son finished his exams, and devote more time to my cultivation. Meanwhile, my husband’s hair salon became incredibly busy before Chinese New Year, and I agreed to help with the overload. However, Miss Lu’s sudden health issue caught me off guard. Knowing my plan, she was too embarrassed to ask me to stay, yet she couldn’t find a suitable caregiver on short notice. Her son was also reluctant to ask for my help, even though he was scheduled to give a lecture at an out-of-town university, which could not be postponed.
As a Dafa practitioner, I reminded myself that I should always think of others first. I should not watch the mother and son struggle. Stepping in would be the most effective way to bring peace of mind to both of them. To be honest, I truly did not want to continue with the household service any longer. Although I am pretty good at it, there was always a lingering feeling that the work was demeaning. But when I truly looked within, I realized that I needed to let go of the attachment to reputation and personal status. In addition, my wanting to help my husband reflected my attachments to personal gain and sentiment, which I also needed to eliminate.
Once I thought it through, I immediately called Miss Lu and told her I would help her after she was discharged. She was so overjoyed that she wept. When I visited her the next day in the hospital, she grasped my hands and said, “You have truly done me a tremendous favor. I’ve been so anxious over the past few days.” When her son heard this, he said, “I have always known that Falun Dafa is good, but I never realized how great the practitioners are. I am completely convinced by Falun Dafa.” Miss Lu later said, “You have truly moved a university professor.”
During her hospitalization, I brought meals for her and her son every day, including steamed buns, dumplings, and noodles, and I never repeated a dish. Her son was very grateful, and insisted they could just order takeout to spare me the trouble. I felt the nutritious meals would help Miss Lu recover, so I continued making them. I also brought roasted sweet potatoes to share with other patients in the ward. They were very grateful. Out of compassion, I truly wanted to tell them the facts about Falun Dafa, but with so many people in the ward, including four patients and their caregivers, I did not know how to begin.
When I arrived at the hospital one day, a patient in the ward was about to be discharged. I anxiously told her that I had something important to share. Miss Lu quickly interjected, “I know exactly what you want to say. Last night, I already told everyone to remember ‘Falun Dafa is good. Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.’ They all know it now. I also told them how wonderful Dafa practitioners are and how quickly I recovered by reciting the magic words. They all spoke highly of you and told me I must formally adopt you as my goddaughter. And your brother (her son) definitely wants to claim you as his sister.”
I was moved to see them developing a positive understanding of Dafa and to hear Miss Lu speak such heartfelt words. However, I felt regret about one of the patients who had once practiced Dafa but had subsequently turned to Buddhism. Her daughter mentioned that they used to have a photo of Master Li in their home. Due to time and location constraints, I was unable to have a proper conversation with her. I felt deep pity for this precious life.
Good Outcome
After Miss Lu was discharged, I arrived at her home earlier and stayed later than usual to ensure that she had fully recovered before returning to my normal schedule. I even cooked dinner for her during the first week. She gave me a 200 yuan raise, which I accepted with a clear conscience, because it was fair compensation for the extra work I was doing.
Recently, the workload has lightened. My son’s exam score was 50 points above the minimum requirement. He is now waiting for the second-round interview, which is still a few months away. Miss Lu encouraged me to go home early to be with him and cook for him. She also started learning to cook and reads one lecture of Zhuan Falun almost every day. She has benefited immensely from Dafa.
After my workload was reduced, I felt it was too easy to earn what I was being paid. To balance this, I frequently bought Miss Lu the fruits and snacks she enjoys. When her son returned from his trip, he expressed his deep gratitude. “You truly did me a huge favor and lifted a heavy burden.” I told him, “It’s really nothing, Brother. I simply did what a Dafa practitioner should do. I still have a long way to go to meet the requirements of a Dafa practitioner.”
He looked at me with deep admiration. My eyes filled tears of gratitude for our compassionate Master. Thank you, Master, for cleansing me with the Dafa principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. Thank you, Master, for repeatedly uplifting and transforming me into a true Dafa disciple.
