(Clearwisdom.net) I am a veteran practitioner who started practicing Falun Dafa in 1998. I was arrested by the police in 2001 while distributing Falun Gong materials and imprisoned in a detention center. Some fellow practitioners were already imprisoned there at that time. We performed the exercises together in the morning, studied the Fa during the day, and memorized the Fa at night. In the beginning, the detention center guards did not allow us to practice. They shocked us with electric batons after they saw us doing the exercises. We talked to them and explained that as cultivators, we were required to do the exercises. We also told them about the benefits of the practice and the principles of karmic retribution -- that good meets with good and evil meets with evil. Gradually, they stopped interfering with us when we did the exercises.
One morning, while the guards were doing roll call, one guard said, "Stand there first. You may do your exercises after we finish the count." From then on, it became a routine. There is a detention center regulation stating that all cells are to be inspected once a month, but we were still able to make small books by dividing regular letter-size paper into four pieces. Each small book contained one lecture of Zhuan Falun. Each fellow practitioner had a book to read, and we also tried our best to make two copies of all the Dafa materials. We read from one of them and kept another as a backup. Gradually, fellow practitioners outside the detention center and my family members were able to coordinate with each other and carefully pass Master's new articles to us. We memorized Essentials for Further Advancement, Hong Yin and other new articles.
The detention center guards refused to give us pens and paper. An inmate who was imprisoned in the same cell figured out ways to get pens and paper from the guards for us, and some inmates worked together to get materials for us. Most of our Dafa materials were copied by us and the inmates together. Some of those inmates started practicing Falun Gong, while some helped to protect Dafa practitioners and materials.
I remember one evening when the power in the detention center was cut off. We recited the Fa out loud together for several hours, so that everyone in the detention center could hear us. Each time we started a new article, we tried our best to pass it on to other fellow practitioners, and eventually, all the practitioners in the detention center had a copy. If we did not have enough truth clarification materials, we wrote letters to the chief police officer and guards.
Once, officials from the provincial government came to inspect the detention center. After we learned about this visit, we immediately made materials and talked about the magnificence of Dafa. There was too much information to put in writing, but as long as we let go of ourselves and walked on the path of validating Dafa whole-heartedly, our great Master would be watching and protecting us. I could see and feel that Master was with me no matter how often I was sent to the detention center, public security bureau or local police station. Master was taking care of me, encouraging me, and offering me wisdom and courage. I also felt the mighty virtue, the solemnness and compassion of Dafa.
Waking up Former Fellow Practitioners
Upon my return from the detention center, I wholeheartedly embraced the Fa. However, several years had passed since I was imprisoned, and I didn't know the situation of our fellow practitioners in my area. A practitioner from the city spoke with me and said, "Now that you've come back, please shoulder the responsibilities in this area."
When I first visited the fellow practitioners in my area, I found that they had all given up cultivation after a few of us were arrested in 2001. Some gave up cultivation after being released from the forced labor camp. We visited them one after another, patiently shared our experiences with them and sent them Dafa materials. Over a dozen practitioners resumed cultivation and now practice diligently. Some practitioners did not want to get up early to do the exercises, so I talked to them one at a time, and asked if I could join them in their homes to do the exercises. I did the exercises with one practitioner for a few days, then with another for several days. Now they are on a good routine of getting up early to do the exercises. When fellow practitioners did not have the exercise music, I helped them to buy the equipment and asked fellow practitioners from the city to load the Fa lectures and music for them.
Now, we have established a small local Fa study group. We are doing the three things that Master asked us to do and fulfilling our historical vows. During the process of waking up former fellow practitioners, I also met people who turned me away. However, I was not frustrated and visited them again and again. Some of them eventually came back, and I will continue my efforts. Through prolonging the time of Fa-rectification, Master is waiting for those practitioners who have not stepped forward.
Written December 9, 2009
