(Minghui.org) I recently donated one thousand yuan to help with the cost of making Falun Dafa pamphlets. The practitioner in charge of making the pamphlets in our area, Ms. Dong, initially refused my money, but I insisted, saying, “I have income and this is the least I can do. Please accept it.”

Ms. Dong said they had just been given one thousand yuan, and proceeded to tell me the story of Ms. Lian.

Ms. Lian and Ms. Dong both came from the same village. Life was difficult in the countryside in the 1940’s. As a child, Ms. Lian was often sick and did not go to school. She contracted a strange illness at age fourteen. She was not considered mentally ill but was often muddle headed and unable to take care of herself.

The villagers looked down on her and often took advantage of her. Ms. Lian's family somehow managed to find her a husband. She soon had a son and a daughter.

Ms. Lian's children grew up and got married. Nobody at home respected her and often only invited her over to eat if there were leftovers. She did not complain, and somehow managed to survive.

When Ms. Lian began to practice Falun Dafa, her main consciousness awakened and her health improved. Once day, she fell asleep on top of the main text of Dafa, Zhuan Falun. When she woke up she could read and recite every word.

The persecution of Falun Dafa by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) began in 1999. Ms. Lian was unmoved. Her family had been brainwashed by the CCP’s propaganda, and did not support her practice. They thought a normal person would not do something the Chinese government banned.

She did not argue with her family. Ms. Lian had never expected anything from anyone. She supported herself by rummaging through trash. As she got older, Ms. Lian qualified for a small social security stipend, but she barely got by. To supplement her income, Ms. Lian grew and sold flowers and vegetables, many of which were stolen.

So where did Ms. Lian get one thousand yuan to donate?

Ms. Lian’s daughter-in-law was diagnosed with throat cancer. She could afford to pay for treatment, but her prognosis was poor.

Upon hearing the news, Ms. Lian went to visit her. She spoke in a slow, distinct manner to her daughter-in-law, “I have something important to tell you. Please listen to me, then I will leave.

“I regained my health and my mental problem went away too. You all saw it. Falun Dafa is here to save people. Believe me, you will get better if you say from your heart, ‘Falun Dafa is good’ and ‘Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good’ every day.” Ms. Lian finished what she had to say and left.

Her daughter-in-law was desperate, so she decided to give it a try. Soon she was feeling better. When she returned to the hospital for a check up, she was told she no longer had cancer. It was gone!

She went to her mother-in-law in tears and said, “All these years I have not done anything for you, yet you have been so kind to me. Without spending a penny, I have recovered. Thank you!”

Ms. Lian replied, “You should thank Dafa and Master Li Hongzhi instead. He saved you.”

The daughter-in-law nodded. She came to see the goodness of Dafa and the compassion of Falun Dafa practitioners. She placed 500 yuan into her mother-in-law’s hands, “Mom, I have never given you anything all these years. This is what I have with me today, please accept it.”

Ms. Lian's daughter was also present and was very touched. She also put 500 yuan into her mom’s hands.

Since then, Ms. Lian's entire family changed their views toward Dafa and are now supportive of her.

This is where the donation from Ms. Lian came from.

Ms. Dong refused to accept the entire amount, but Ms. Lian insisted. Most people do not think twice about spending one thousand yuan on a meal or an article of clothing. To Ms. Lian, however, one thousand yuan is a large sum. Her first thought was to use it for a project to tell others about the goodness of Falun Dafa.