(Minghui.org) It happened several years ago, when most people in China were still deceived by the communist regime's vicious propaganda about Falun Gong. I still remember it vividly, because I witnessed how a person—even a thug who persecutes Falun Gong practitioners—could be changed by compassion and truth.
I had ridden my bicycle to the countryside that morning to distribute some informational materials about Falun Gong and the persecution. Someone reported me to the police and several officers stopped me on the way home. They all looked tough and swore at me as they took me to the police station.
One of them, who claimed to be well-trained in martial arts, brutally beat me, ignoring my attempts to explain why the persecution was wrong. After taking away my bike and my half-full bag of Falun Gong materials, these officers tied me to a tree in the yard. Another officer searched my pocket and found five yuan, the only money I had with me.
“Only five yuan?” asked the officer in disappointment, “It's not worth our efforts. Wait and see how much fine you'll have to pay later on.”
“I hope you will not do that,” I said to him calmly. “I came here handing out materials not for myself, but for people living in this area, including your family. The practice of Falun Gong improved my health, and my entire family has benefited from it. I sincerely hope your family can benefit from it, too.”
He looked at me, but did not say anything. With that five yuan, he left and came back with a watermelon. The officers then released me from the tree and led me into the police station.
Looking at the officers as they devoured their piece of watermelon, I felt sad for them: Working as low level police officers, their salary is low because all the money went to higher officials who easily embezzle millions or billions and who own luxury houses and high-end cars.
To make it worse, they were not aware that arresting and beating innocent Falun Gong practitioners is violating the law. By siding themselves with the Communist Party and defying the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, they were putting their future in danger.
My eyes filled with tears as I thought about the informational materials they confiscated, which could be destroyed and thus unable to help people learn the truth about Falun Gong.
“What are you crying for? Do you want some watermelon?” I looked up and saw the officer who beat me earlier, holding out a small piece of watermelon.
“No, thank you,” I replied.
“Tell me what you want,” he asked.
“Please give the materials back and let me go home. I did not commit any crime, and as a citizen I have the freedom of belief.”
“Nonsense!” he yelled, “You did not cry during the beating. Why do you care about those useless papers and want them back? Do you know you could be arrested again, beaten again, or even jailed because of them?”
Seeing several other officers also looking at us, I raised my voice for them to hear clearly. “Trust me, those papers could save people's lives.” I explained to him how some practitioners chose to live a thrifty life and, penny by penny, saving money to print another copy of the materials. “We did this from our hearts and we did this for people like you. Please, take a copy and read it. You will understand what I mean.”
Hearing what I said, one officer took several copies of the materials and handed them to others. They all began to read.
Two new police officers came at lunch time for the next shift. One of them was waiting outside and the other came into the room.
“Is that you? I have been searching for you for a long time. Do you remember me?” asked the policewoman, with surprise and excitement.
“Me? Have we met before?” I was confused.
“Of course we did,” she said. “I lost 2,000 yuan a while ago and you found it. You waited there until I returned. Then you gave the money back to me and did not tell me your name. When I thanked you, you told me to thank your Teacher, because it was your teacher who taught you to be a good person.”
Yes, now I remembered this incident a couple of months ago. “So, do you think I am a good person?” I asked.
“Definitely!” She then lowered her voice, and said, “I want to let you go, but I dare not do so.”
She came back after a while, bringing a steamed bun and a bottle of water, “Please eat something.”
“Sorry I cannot help much here.” She paused and told me, “There is chance that they may send you to a detention center. Please take a good care of yourself.” I saw tears in her eyes.
Hearing this, I felt a bit scared. After all, the Chinese communist could do anything to a practitioner, as they have done so to many imprisoned practitioners in the past. But on the other hand, I was clear that what I was doing was righteous and important. In the battle between good and evil, goodness always prevails.
“Thank you for your kindness—you will be blessed for it,” I said to her. “Please also tell your family members that Falun Gong is good and there is nothing wrong for one to follow the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. Remind them not to be misled by the Party's hate propaganda.”
“I promise,” she said.
After lunch was over, the police officer who beat me earlier came in first.“Hurry, we need to go now,” he said while walking towards me. Before I knew what he was doing, he put five yuan back into my pocket and lowered his voice, “If I had read those materials earlier, I would not have beaten you.”
At that moment, other officers also came in. Knowing that at least two police officers had decided to support practitioners, I was in tears again. I knew this was the power of compassion and truth.
By then, I no longer had any fear. I still did not know where they would send me, but it did not matter. Wherever I went, I would keep telling people—including police officers—about Falun Gong and the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.
