(Minghui.org) I am 73 years old, and my wife has been practicing Falun Dafa for 20 years. There were many ups and downs during those 20 years.
Falun Dafa Changed Our Lives
My wife suffered from many ailments before she practiced Falun Dafa, including neurasthenia, stomach problems, and insomnia. She was often sick and had to take many medicines. My health was nothing to brag about, as I had been diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat, stomach problems, and bronchitis.
Because I was persecuted during the Cultural Revolution, I was forced to retire at age 37. I was depressed and often drank and smoked all day. Most of our neighbors avoided me because I always stirred up trouble when I got drunk, and I had a very bad temper. I beat and cursed at my wife when I got upset with her. She tried to divorce me for years, but I never agreed.
She tried many different exercises and qigong practices to improve her health, but all failed. She then started practicing Falun Dafa in 1996. I didn't think much of it at first, but I soon noticed changes in her. She was happier, and she no longer argued with me when I got upset. She always took care of me and our children no matter what I did. She explained to me how Falun Dafa had changed her.
I was very moved. I had never heard of anything like that, which could change a person for the better. I knew that my wife was following the Dafa principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. She also recovered from her ailments without taking any medicine. The changes in her also affected me. I realized that Falun Dafa was a higher level cultivation practice.
I cleaned up our second floor so that practitioners could watch the Dafa lecture videos there. I helped to keep the fire going and brought them water when they were there. I felt so happy when I saw so many of them watching the lectures. Without noticing it, I became healthy myself. My wife said, “...with one person practicing, the whole family benefits.” (Teaching the Fa at the Fa Conference in Australia) And I truly believe it.
Persecuted for Her Belief
The persecution started in 1999, launched by Jiang Zemin, former head of the communist regime. No one could go to the practice site any longer, and the Fa-study group at my home was dissolved. We kept hearing about practitioners being arrested and beaten. I became nervous, fearing that we were facing another Cultural Revolution. I didn't allow my wife to leave our home, as I was worried that she would be arrested.
She was arrested, however, when she went to a copy shop to copy Falun Dafa materials. The police refused to let me see her when I went to the detention center. I was so angry and blamed her for practicing Falun Dafa, and I blamed other practitioners for my wife's arrest. One day, I saw another Falun Dafa practitioner on the street. I was in such a foul mood that I just beat him, but he didn't say anything and simply walked away. My wife was sentenced to prison.
When my wife was released from the prison, I dared not let her practice Falun Dafa again. I beat her whenever I saw her practicing the exercises. But she still went out and talked to people about Dafa.
Installing a Satellite Dish
My wife had a practitioner install a satellite dish at our home to watch NTD television programs. At first, I was curious because I had never watched any programs like these. After I watched the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, I realized that my wife was right. It was as if I had lived half of my life in a daze and I finally woke up. I invited all of our neighbors to come to our home and watch NTD TV. I again became supportive of her practicing Falun Dafa.
One day, we couldn't receive NTD signals. I was so used to watching NTD that I got irritated. My wife suggested, “Why don't we get a computer? We can do more than watching NTD, we can read other websites and make Dafa materials, too.” I agreed. With the help of fellow practitioners, we bought a computer and a printer. When I saw Falun Dafa materials made by my wife who was in her sixties, I was so proud of her.
Arrested and Detained
Unfortunately, my wife was arrested soon after for clarifying the truth about Falun Dafa. The police came to my home and confiscated our computer and printer. I went to the police station and demanded that my wife be released. Sometimes I got drunk and went to the police station. They pushed me out or called my son to get me. I was very frustrated. I wrote “Falun Dafa is good” on my clothes, walls, and doors of our home. A practitioner took some pictures and sent them to the Minghui website. A friend once told me that he saw a Falun Dafa flier in South Korea that had a story about my family.
My wife was sentenced to five years in prison. I visited her often. I was very worried because I heard that some Falun Dafa practitioners were being killed for their organs. When I saw her, I asked how she was doing in prison. She said she was fine, to keep me from worrying. But I knew that prison cannot be a good place.
During her imprisonment, other practitioners visited me and brought food. I spent an autumn festival at the home of one practitioner. Every time I visited my wife in prison, I put a lot of money into her account. I knew there must be many imprisoned practitioners who didn't have money to purchase daily necessities. I knew my wife would help them in any way she could, and I wanted to help her do so.
I bought another computer and a practitioner helped me set it up. I was able to watch NTD and read articles on the Minghui website again. I subsequently had a stroke and was hospitalized. Falun Dafa practitioners came to help me after I returned home. They cleaned our home, tried to teach me the exercises, and studied Falun Dafa books with me.
Filing Lawsuits Against Jiang Zemin
When my wife was released from prison, she taught me to recite “Falun Dafa is good, Trustfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good” to help me stay healthy. One time, one of my legs hurt badly. My son took me for heat therapy. After one hour of heat therapy, my leg felt worse. I was given vouchers and told to come back for future treatments. I decided to follow my wife's advice and repeat “Falun Dafa is good” instead. The pain was gone in a few days.
I now understand why my wife goes out every day to tell people about Falun Dafa. She is so busy that she sometimes doesn't come home for lunch. On those days, I just make some instant noodles for myself. I try my best to help practitioners, and I feel very happy whenever I can help them.
When my wife filed a lawsuit against Jiang Zemin, I decided that I wanted to file my own lawsuit against him, too. I wanted to sue him on behalf of all the family members of Falun Dafa practitioners who had been persecuted. We have been suffering so much because of him and the persecution.
What I am most proud of in this life is that my wife is a Falun Dafa practitioner. I feel most fortunate to be a family member of a Falun Dafa practitioner. Even though I have not started the practice myself for a number of reasons, I want my wife to continue cultivating well to fulfill her mission.
