(Minghui.org) Practitioners are well aware that Master Li Hongzhi, the founder of Falun Dafa, has sacrificed so much, and borne so much for every one of us. I have often asked myself how I could repay His compassion.
I have come to believe that this is only possible if I live by the Falun Dafa principles and complete my cultivation.
I am a 69-year-old Falun Dafa practitioner from a rural village. Before I practiced Falun Dafa, I was illiterate. I also had multiple ailments and had to see the doctor every other day.
A practitioner who noticed my health problems in 1998 suggested that I look into Falun Dafa. She told me that she had returned to good health, and after I heard that there was no cost involved, I decided to give it a try.
I joined the group in my village, which numbered over 30, to do the exercises every morning. It was not easy at first, and I had to rest several times during the exercises. I also attended the Fa-study group, and listened attentively when others read Zhuan Falun, the main book of the practice.
I, too, wanted to read the Dafa writings, so I copied the words that I did not know,and fellow practitioners and my family taught me how to read them. I can now read almost all the words in Zhuan Falun. Although we no longer study the Fa as a group, due to the persecution, I still get up at 3:50 a.m. to do the exercises and study on my own.
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) began its persecution of Falun Dafa about six months after I became a practitioner.
The police came to my home in early 2002, and demanded that I renounce Dafa and sign some documents. When I refused, the local police chief said that they would take me to a brainwashing session.
It was winter when fellow practitioners and I were taken to the police station. The place was cold and dirty. That night we cleaned the police station instead of sleeping. The officers were surprised when they arrived for their shift, and they looked much friendlier.
They brought eight “transformed” practitioners from the city to “transform” us. One gave me a book that slandered Dafa, which I tore in half. They beat me and demanded that I sign the “transformation” statements, but I refused.
They ordered me to sit on the icy ground, and cuffed my hands between two beds. They then beat my legs with bamboo sticks until I was covered with bruises, and again ordered me to sign the statement.
The police chief threatened that I would be taken to a labor camp if I did not sign. My attachment to fear surfaced, and I scribbled something on the statement, but I felt terrible afterward.
When I returned home, fellow practitioners told me that signing the statement was wrong, and that I should retract it. I wrote a retraction, sent it to the police, and a few days later the police chief and two officers came to my home. They wanted to know who had written the retraction, since they thought I was illiterate. I had to write the retraction in front of them to prove that I could write.
I was arrested again in March 2003, and taken to be brainwashed. Guards locked me in a cage. They also tried to take my mugshot, but I kept my eyes shut. I did not cooperate when they tried to get my fingerprints, so two guards held me down.
I stayed on the ground, without moving, and sent righteous thoughts. They thought that I was injured and released me in September 2004.
After the onset of the persecution, I was the only practitioner in my village, and the village authorities assigned two people to monitor me. They were afraid that I would go to Beijing to petition for the right to practice Falun Dafa.
By sheer chance I found out that a practitioner lived near one of my relatives. I wanted to ask this practitioner for help on how to tell people about Falun Dafa, so I walked 15 miles to his home.
The practitioner's family didn't trust me, and refused to let me see him during my three visits. Finally, after the autumn harvest, I asked Master for help. I then worked with this practitioner's mother an entire afternoon in the field. The mother realized how serious I was about meeting this practitioner, and she finally told me where he was in the orchard.
This practitioner was a great help. He gave me Falun Dafa materials and some of Master's new lectures. I distributed the materials throughout three villages in one night.
When I was distributing Dafa materials on one winter night, I took a shortcut across a large ditch and accidentally stepped into the icy water. I ignored my wet shoes and pants, and continued to distribute the materials and put up Dafa posters in five villages. By the time I got home, my cotton shoes were completely dry.
Only then did I realize what had just happened—I, a 60-year-old lady, had just walked dozens of miles in one night, even though I was drenched in cold water, it was winter, and I was carrying 30 pounds of materials. I realized that Master had seen my desire to save people, and had me experience Dafa's extraordinary power.
I began talking to people face-to-face and trying to persuade them to quit the CCP and its affiliates. I often distributed materials and CDs in the market, and have convinced many small business owners to quit.
I talk to people every day. I usually start by chatting about everyday things, and then transition into advising them to quit, and the facts about Falun Dafa. Most people are receptive.
I have also encountered people who do not accept the facts. When I stopped to talk to one young man at the market, he did not say anything until after I gave him a Dafa amulet. He then told me that he was a police officer. He wanted me to go with him to the station and held on to my tricycle.
Unafraid, I sent a strong righteous thought, “Dafa is here to save people. Only Master and Dafa disciples have the say.” I said, “I told you about Dafa for your own good. Even police officers need to protect themselves. I don't want you to be late for work, and I also need to be on my way.”
I pried his hand loose and drove off. He did not pursue me.
I have run into bad people several times, but each time I managed to get away unharmed. I believe that Master helped me dissolve these tribulations. Thank you, Master!
My husband and I do not have a regular income. He does odd jobs to help meet our needs. When I noticed that practitioners at the materials production sites used their own money to pay for Dafa materials, I felt the need to contribute, so I started to grow vegetables in my backyard and sold them in the market.
In the spring I picked wild vegetables, during the wheat harvesting season I picked up wheat grains on the roadside or in the fields, and in the autumn I picked up mulch in the vegetable fields. I also picked peanuts in the fields and sold them in the market.
Whenever I have 100 yuan, I give it to practitioners at the materials production sites. I have thus far contributed about 8,000 yuan.
I was working in my backyard in April 2014 when I fainted and was unconsciousness for almost an hour. When I woke up, I could not move my right side or stand up. I sent righteous thoughts for an hour, after which I crawled into the house and read Master's lectures. For the next two days I felt awful and weak, and my husband had to take care of me.
On the fifth day, a voice told me that I was all right, so I sent a righteous thought that I needed go out again to talk to people about Dafa. I did the meditation exercise and got better.
I continued sending righteous thoughts and studying the Fa, and by the sixth day I felt much better. I did the standing exercises, but could not feel or control my right leg. I remembered Master's words:
“When it’s difficult to endure, you can endure it. When it’s impossible to do, you can do it.” (Zhuan Falun)
So I grit my teeth and completed the exercises.
I set out on my tricycle to a practitioner's home to get more Dafa materials. After a while I was too tired to peddle, so I got off and pushed the tricycle for over two miles. Seeing that I was covered in sweat, a practitioner asked me what happened. I explained to him that I had just overcome a test of illness karma. He advised me to rest for a few more days, but I told him that I needed to distribute Dafa materials.
On the way home, I even managed to persuade two people to quit the CCP. Although it took me twice as long, I did not feel very tired.
Under Master's care, I managed to overcome this test of illness karma in six days. I came to the understanding that when we face tribulations, we should not rely on other practitioners to send righteous thoughts. One must have faith in Master and the Fa, send righteous thoughts intensively, and catch up on studying the Fa.
I would like to pay my respects to and thank Master! I would also like to thank practitioners who have helped me in times of difficulty!