(Clearwisdom.net) I am 72 years old and began Falun Gong practice in 1997. I used to be completely illiterate but can now read Zhuan Falun and Master's lectures and articles, and I can also operate a computer and print flyers. Everything I have comes from Dafa and is the result of my belief in Master and Dafa. For a long time I had wanted to share my cultivation experiences and report them to Master and practitioners, but I cannot write. Fortunately, another practitioner wrote my experiences down so I can submit them to Master.
37 years of illness
My parents died while I was still very young. My brother, sister, and I relied on each other. We panhandled in the streets. I never attended school for a single day and cannot even write my own name. My marriage was unhappy. I divorced and had to bring up three children on my own. Prior to beginning Falun Dafa practice on March 5, 1997, I suffered from numerous illnesses. I weighed less than 40 kg [88 lbs] and was emaciated. Constant diarrhea and general weakness, heart disease, low blood pressure, dizziness, varicose veins, and insomnia plagued me. Medical treatment did not help. I lived in great discomfort.
A woman in the same village introduced me to the Falun Gong exercises on March 5, 1997. I thought, "My conditions are really hard to treat. I might as well give it a try." What I did not expect was that I felt light and energetic after doing the exercises the very first time, and all my symptoms disappeared after one week. Then the same woman gave me a copy of Falun Gong. I said, "How can I read this book? I'm illiterate." She said, "Just take it home and ask your daughter to read it to you." So I took the book home, and my daughter read it to me daily. Master's words are principles that I embraced wholeheartedly. After reading the book, my daughter also began practicing Falun Gong. I was completely cured. My weight increased to 60 kg [132 lbs]. I was amazed at this miracle. Master is indeed divine!
From then on I studied Dafa books and did the exercises at every opportunity. I also learned to ride a bike and told everyone, "Falun Dafa is good." At that time someone introduced me to an older man. I agreed to marry him on two conditions, "First, you have to let me study Dafa books; second, you have to let me do the exercises." He agreed, and we got married.
My husband tried to stop me from practicing Dafa after the Party began the persecution on July 20, 1999. I said to him, "I have benefited from Dafa; how can I not believe or practice it? Dafa cured me of illnesses that afflicted me for 37 years. I have no education, and yet Dafa helped me read and learn to ride a bike. How can I give up such a wonderful practice? I must persevere and speak up for Master and Falun Gong, and I must not betray my conscience."
I visited a few practitioners in the same village in the summer of 2001 and asked them to join me to appeal in Beijing. They refused. I had never been to Beijing or even made any long trip in my life. I could not read, so the difficulties were overwhelming. Yet, it was absolutely not an option for me to practice secretly at home when Dafa was been attacked and Master was being slandered. I was determined to validate Dafa in Beijing.
I thought, "I can overcome everything with Master and Dafa's help." I bought a yellow banner and asked my husband to write "Falun Dafa Is Good" on it. Then put it in my bag. I took a train to Beijing. Right after I got off the train a police officer asked, "What's in your bag? Did you come by yourself?" I said, "No, I came with a friend and I am looking for her." Then I walked around Tiananmen Square and saw lots of police officers. I did not get an opportunity to unfurl the banner and had to buy a return train ticket at night. However, I was unhappy with this decision and I asked myself, "Why did I come here? How can I go back without having done anything?" Amazingly, everyone left the waiting room at the train station when the inspector checked tickets, and I was able to take out the banner and hang it in the waiting room. Then I returned home safely. I knew Master was protecting me and had given me an opportunity to validate Dafa after seeing my intention.
My husband fell ill with untreatable lung cancer. I took him home from the hospital. I told him that there is no other way but to believe in Master and Dafa. I asked him to say, "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good! Falun Dafa is good!" His cancer miraculously disappeared after only a few days. Although he does not practice Dafa, he does not oppose me practicing and sometimes helps me distribute flyers.
I was detained twice for my belief. I was held in Sanshilibao Prison for 37 days, and the second time in 2002 for 18 months in Masanjia Forced Labor Camp.
I was reported and arrested when posting Dafa materials at a public location. We did not have Dafa materials in our village. After getting flyers from another practitioner I slowly hand-copied every single character and then made a bucket of glue to post the flyers. I posted them everywhere, including at the police department. I did not know it was the police department and posted a flyer outside. A woman saw me and shouted something. The police came out and arrested me. They asked, "Where did you get these materials?" I said I picked them up in the street and told them Falun Dafa was good and that it cured me of all types of illnesses. The police said, "Wow, you posted something on our door. You are a brave old woman!"
They sent me to Masanjia Forced Labor Camp where they would not let me sleep. Collaborators bombarded me with their twisted theories for three days. I had the thought: "They only want a piece of paper [guarantee statement], it's OK as long as I have Dafa in my heart." So, I wrote the guarantee statement. Then I felt terrible and knew I had done wrong. I cried my eyes out.
I slacked off in my practice after returning home in April 2003. Once I twisted my ankle while working and realized I should seize the time to study the Fa and do what Master wants. At first I went to another practitioner's home to study the Fa, but we encountered interference because they had non-practitioners living with them. Later I set up a Fa study site at my home where we studied the Fa three times a week and did the three things Master requires.
Establishing a materials site and learning how to use the computer in eight months
All of our materials initially came from another town, and it was very inconvenient, so we planned to establish a production site in our town. A practitioner gave me a computer and asked another practitioner if he could join me. He refused, because his family did not practice Dafa, so I thought, "Perhaps I should do it?" But I was completely illiterate. When I first started learning Dafa it took me six months to memorize the two characters for Lunyu. Had it not been for Dafa and Master giving me realizations, I would have never been able to read.
However, I was still in doubt as to whether I could learn to operate a computer. The contact person encouraged me and said, "You will certainly be able to do it as long as you want to." She also said, "Your husband can read. He can help you." I thought, "The purpose of studying Dafa is to rescue sentient beings. Master will certainly help me as long as I have the intention to do it.
So I started learning about computers on January 5, 2009. Since I could not read, I had to look at every word and memorize it. It took me a long time and countless repetitions to remember the English word "OK," as well as where the word "OK" is located on the computer screen, what function it serves, and when it will pop up. I slept little and studied it over and over again until I was familiar with it. I lost more than five pounds; my husband said to me, "You never went to school; are you sure you can learn something high-tech like that?"
I was anxious, because my hands had hardened from holding a hoe all day long. They lacked the dexterity required to operate a computer mouse. When I tried to click on something with the mouse, I would slam it repeatedly on the desk. But eventually I was able to access the Internet and download materials. It was like climbing a mountain; every step was arduous, every problem presented a test.
When confronted with the choice of whether to persevere or quit, I decided to speak to the computer and printer and sent righteous thoughts. I asked them to work with me in assisting Master to rectify the Fa and fulfill our mission to rescue sentient beings. The equipment is quite intelligent, and I was able to use it at will. I practiced my skills repeatedly and asked Master to help me. I completely devoted myself to studying the computer and went online whenever I had a break from other work. I tried different methods after running into roadblocks, and I dug my heels in and learned from my mistakes. First, I looked at my xinxing and then I looked at things from a technical perspective. Then the mouse started to listen to me and I could get online easily.
Next, I downloaded and printed materials. I did it through trial and error. When there was a paper jam in the printer I would look inward, because I felt awful every time the printout emerged with smeared ink. I also asked other practitioners for their expertise. After eight months I was able to independently download and print various types of materials, empowered by Master and other practitioners' help. I took on the responsibility of providing materials for practitioners in the entire village. I was very happy with the successful printout of each beautiful flyer and felt it was due to Master's help and protection. I would have been unable to do anything had it not been for Master's tremendous help.
A while ago Party officials fanatically set about blocking websites, but they could not block anything on my computer due to my firm belief in Master and Dafa. I get up at 3:50 a.m. daily to do the exercises, send righteous thoughts, and search for printable materials online. I am 72 years old and I had poor eyesight at a young age. Back then I could not thread a needle, but now I have perfectly clear vision when reading the Fa, and I never feel tired or drowsy. Master has given me so much. I can only study the Fa well and study more often, produce more materials, and rescue more people in order to express my gratitude to Master for saving me.
Besides supplying other practitioners with materials, I also distribute flyers myself. Each time before I leave home I send righteous thoughts and then carry a few pamphlets with me. I hand them out as I go along. My husband is very supportive. He often helps me deliver the materials and put up posters. My sisters, son, daughter-in-law, and grandson have all quit the Party.
I sincerely thank Master for saving me. Master has given me everything, and I want to repay Dafa with everything I have. I will rescue more sentient beings, follow Master's words, do well with the three things, and follow Master home.
Thank you, Master, for your compassionate salvation, and thank you, fellow practitioners, for your encouragement and help.
Heshi
