(Minghui.org) Two brothers, who became Falun Gong practitioners during an extreme difficult time in their lives, experienced positive changes in their lives after beginning cultivation. Their families also benefited.
When the communist regime started persecuting Falun Gong in 1999, both brother were arrested, incarcerated, and mistreated for not giving up their beliefs. They were sentenced to prison and had to leave their families behind. When they were released, the authorities continued harassing them and their families. The wife of the younger brother was even arrested and threatened with forced labor if she decided to practice Falun Gong.
Families Suffer after the Brothers' Arrests
Mr. Li Dexiang and his older brother, Mr. Li Dequan, were arrested in April 2008. The younger brother was detained in Shiling Prison in Jilin Province for four years, while the older one was held in Gongzhuling Prison, Jilin Province, for three years. Because both remained firm in their beliefs, they were beaten, subjected to brainwashing, and forced to do slave labor.
Despite a variety of pressures, their wives took care of the families and carried on their small business together with their children. They also visited their husbands in prison. The older brother's son was due to get married during that time, and with the help of relatives, his mother borrowed enough money for the festivities. Unfortunately, his father was still incarcerated and could not be present on his wedding day.
Even after they were released from prison, the brothers and their families were often harassed by Bai Yan, director of the 610 Office in Jilin City, and officials from the Changyi District 610 Office and the Xinhua Police Station.
Brothers Arrested Again, Wife Taken to Police Station and Threatened
The brothers were arrested once again on October 17, 2013, because they remained steadfast in their beliefs.
The younger brother, Mr. Li Dexiang, is a resident of the Xinhua Community in the Changyi District of Jilin. The lights in the house were on when his wife got home on October 17, 2013. She was pleased because she thought that her husband was home, but she was instead surprised by several tall men as soon as she entered the home. She immediately noticed that the home was in disarray, and all the Falun Dafa books and MP3 players had been confiscated.
She was taken to the Xinhua Police Station in the Changyi District and charged with "disturbing social stability." She didn't know that her husband and his brother, Mr. Li Dequan, had been arrested and taken to the detention center in Jilin City by that time. The officers intimidated her, saying, “You will be put in a labor camp if you practice Falun Gong.” She was held in the police station until the next day.
Their families became grief-stricken once again after the brothers were detained for more than 20 days. With no further information about them, their mother, who is 81, became seriously ill. Mr. Li Dequan's five-year-old grandson asks about his grandfather all the time.
How Practicing Falun Gong Changed Their Lives
Mr. Li Dexiang, 51, had a serious car accident in 1998. He became blind in one eye, and his legs were fractured. The family had financial difficulties after this accident, and he lost the will to move on. His aged mother, wife, and young child, plus his siblings, had a tough life.
The older brother, Mr. Li Dequan, was also in poor health. He was very skinny due to a stomach problem from excessive drinking. He also had pain in his legs and back and was unable to work. He had a negative and pessimistic attitude, and played mahjong, smoked, and drank every day. His wife and son took care of all the work, but he mistreated them when his bad temper flared up. His wife didn't see a future for them and asked for a divorce. On top of that, his younger brother was in a car accident. Dequan lost hope.
The brothers chatted about their misfortunes and decided to see a fortuneteller when Mr. Li Dexiang was discharged from the hospital. The fortuneteller looked at them and said, “You belong to kindhearted people. I have read the book Zhuan Falun and you should take a look at it.” They followed the fortuneteller's suggestion and got the book. The older brother started to read it as soon as he got home and finished reading it within two days, even though his reading ability was limited from only having attended elementary school for two years. The brothers then became Falun Gong practitioners.
The older brother quit smoking, drinking, and playing mahjong the first day after he had read Zhuan Falun . He smiled quite often and became healthier day by day so that he could work in the field. He began respecting his wife and cared for his son. His neighbors and relatives were amazed by the positive changes within his family. Whenever the changes were brought up, he said with tears in his eyes that Master Li had saved his family and himself.
The younger brother also experienced physical and mental changes after he started practicing Falun Gong. Both brothers moved to Jilin City and started a small business. Their mother was very happy about the changes, and, as a result of these changes, many people started to practice Falun Gong.
