(Minghui.org) Since the persecution of Falun Gong in China started in 1999, millions of Falun Gong practitioners and their family members have suffered non-stop mistreatment.
Here, a 13-year-old girl recounts the pain the persecution brought her family.
So Close, So Far
When I was 4 years old, I read Zhuan Falun with my mom and other Falun Gong practitioners. I was more mature and thoughtful than most children my age, and my teachers often praised me.
One time, my mom had symptoms of a high fever. She could not take care of herself, and she lay in bed. My dad was very busy at work, and did not have time to take care of her. “Dad, you can go to work,” I told him. “I'll take care of mom. Don't worry.” My dad was very touched.
I put a wet towel on mom's forehead, and I started to read Zhuan Falun to her. Mom and I fell asleep together. Soon, I woke up to her delighted voice, “Weiwei, Mom is fine now!”
At this point in my life, I was very happy and felt surrounded by love and kindness. When I turned 11, however, my life was turned upside down.
Everything changed on July 6, 2012. That day, I hurried to the school entrance and waited for mom to pick me up as usual. Mom was never late, but that day she did not come. Instead, my dad came later. I asked where Mom was, and he replied in low voice: “Your mom went out of town, and she will be gone for a while.”
When we got home, I noticed it was a mess. All our Falun Gong books and the computer were gone. My heart sank as I realized our home was ransacked and mom must have been taken away by police. My voice shook as I asked my dad, “Please tell me the truth. Was she taken away by the police?”
I felt my whole world collapsing. I cried and shouted, “You evil police! Why would you take my mom away? My mom is the best person in the world. Bring her back!” Dad stood up and patted my shoulder. “Weiwei, stop crying,” he said. “We need to survive no matter how hard it is.” I saw his eyes full of tears.
My mom was taken to the Yaojia Detention Center. My dad and I visited her several times, and we brought her clothes and money. She was soon transferred to the Masanjia Forced Labor Camp on August 23, 2012.
After she was transferred, I could not see her any longer. I cried every night, but I did not want Dad to know. I was afraid he would be sad and worry more about me. My grandma was also very upset. Her health suffered from the pressure and worry and she went blind. When my classmates and teachers heard what happened, they all looked down on me. They had all listened to the communist Party propaganda against Falun Gong and had misunderstandings. I felt lost and stopped practicing.
My mother was gone and I felt I had lost everything. My happiness and joy disappeared. I became absent-minded and could not focus on my schoolwork. I walked around in a daze and sat by myself.
One day we suddenly learned we could visit mom. I was so happy that I could not sleep. I woke up at 2 a.m., anxious to see her. We headed out at 3 a.m. Since we were not familiar with the route, we didn't get to the labor camp until 10 a.m.
A female guard named Guo Ying stopped us. My dad was very anxious and phoned the policeman who notified us to come, but the officer did not know what was going on. My dad begged the guard. “It's not easy for us to come here,” he said. “We left home at 3 a.m. and it took us 7 hours to get here. This trip cost us $1,000 yuan (~$155 USD). My child has not seen her mother for six months, and she did not sleep the entire night from the excitement of getting to see her mom. You are a daughter too. You must understand how painful it is to not be able to see your mother. Please let us see her just once.”
The guard shouted at us: “No! There are orders from my superior that you cannot visit her. Go home!”
She looked at me and said, “Your mom only cares about Falun Gong. She does not love you!” I became upset. I wanted to smash the prison up with my fists. I cried and shouted with all my strength. My piercing cries touched my father, and he cried too.
After dad and I returned home, the days passed by very slowly and painfully. I cried every day, and dad went to work during the day and came home in the evenings to prepare food and do laundry. I felt so sorry for him, and I ached to see my mom. I did not understand why my mother, who was such a good person, was locked up. I was only 11 years old.
One month later, Dad, Grandpa, my aunt, and I went back to the labor camp. Yet we were refused again. The reason given was that my mother still refused to give up Falun Gong. I felt so bad and was confused. Why is it wrong to be a good person?
Without Mom I felt like a lost soul. Suddenly the guard said we could talk to her over the phone. My dad told her, “Please come home soon—Weiwei and I need you!” I cried and said, “Mom, please come home! I miss you so much!” My mom softly said, “My baby, please listen to your dad, read your books, and keep practicing.” Choking back my tears, I said, “Yes, Mom.”
When we were finally able to see my mom in person in November 2012, I barely recognized her. Her hair had been chopped off and she walked with a limp. Her once rosy complexion was now very pale and sallow. She looked completely different from the pretty mom I knew before. My heart was broken. I stared at her. I wanted so much to hug her. I wanted her to know how much I missed her and loved her. I wanted her to come home.
But we were separated by thick glass and could only talk over the phone. A female guard monitored her, and two male guards watched us. We only had 5 minutes, and I cried when they took her away. “Mom,” I shouted, “come back!” I hated those people who had taken my mom away, keeping us apart.
She was finally released on May 29, 2013. We wept and hugged. She suffered a lot mentally and physically, and to this day still has not fully recovered.
