(Minghui.org) By the summer of 2000, I had already worked for over a year with a tunneling company. This time we were working on a tunnel in a mountainous area, and had completed a portion of the work. The entrance to the tunnel was a slanted, well-lit structure that stood above ground level.
It was raining very hard one day, and I was on the night shift. I called the supervisor to see if we should continue in the rain. He came over to inspect things and saw no risk. He told me to have the workers continue.
Shortly after he left, I noticed a lot of water, dirt, and gravel coming towards us. Some of the water got into the partially completed tunnel because the drainage system was not able to handle the large volume of water and debris. I didn't know where this water was coming from, but I knew that 12 workers were still inside the tunnel. They would be overcome by the water and gravel if they didn't get out.
It was clear to me that I had to leave immediately. A thought then hit me. Teacher said that practitioners should consider others first. So I rushed back into the tunnel to warn the others about the danger. Everyone worked together to get out of the tunnel. As I was assisting the last person to leave the tunnel, we had to fight against an incoming current.
Many other workers were already outside trying to use whatever means available to redirect the water away from the tunnel entrance.
I later learned that a dam higher up on the mountain had cracked under the weight of the downpour. The water was coming from the breached dam.
When I returned to our residence hall, I noticed bruises and cuts on my feet and legs. My feet were very swollen the following day, and I couldn't walk. So I sat in meditation. A week later my feet had recovered.
My supervisor got our agency to send out an article about my courageous act that saved the workers. I think that Teacher's words made the difference for me. Had I escaped by myself, things would have been totally different. I am grateful for Teacher's guidance on how to save myself as well as others.
