(Minghui.org) I started cultivating Falun Dafa when I was 35. That was 21 years ago.

I was born into a poor family during the Cultural Revolution. I often went hungry when I was a child. My siblings and I didn't have warm shoes in the winter, so my mother made us shoes out of corn husks. I started doing hard labor when I was only 13 years old.

I eventually fell ill from constant overwork. I suffered from stomach problems, arthritis, cholecystitis, and costochondritis. I could not even do basic household chores in the end. The little money my family made was all used for my medical expenses, but I didn't get any better. My life was sad and difficult.

December 1996 was a turning point in my life. I started practicing Falun Dafa. When I read Zhuan Falun, it was like I had found something I had been looking for all my past lives. In the book, Master talked about human history, the present, and the future. He answered many of my questions. The book has been my guiding light for the past 20 years.

Within 20 days after I started doing the exercises, all my symptoms of illnesses disappeared. I was able to eat regularly, whereas in the past I could only eat porridge. My strength also returned. My life changed for the better.

A Miracle

In the fall of 2003, I noticed a small lump on my back about the size of a fingernail. It itched and hurt. In only two days, I became so weak that I could not do anything. The lump on my back grew to the size of a fist and turned a black and red. I could not lie down or lean up against anything, and even sitting was difficult.

At the time, my family's financial situation was at its worst due to the persecution of Falun Gong. The police kept extorting money from us, and even money for my son's tuition was confiscated. My husband was worried and angry. He decided to leave home and look for temporary jobs elsewhere. After he left, my father came to our home to look after me.

My father had cerebral arteriosclerosis before and was cured through practicing Falun Dafa. Although he was in his 80s, he was able to cook for me and take care of basic household chores.

I was only able to eat one bowl of porridge each meal, but I was so fatigued that I had to take three breaks just to get it down. I couldn't do the Falun Gong standing exercises, so I did the sitting meditation. I would meditate for an hour, then sleep for a while, and then do another hour of sitting meditation before taking another nap.

Then I started to have a high fever, which lasted about two weeks. The lump on my back became infected. All my family and friends heard about my condition. My brothers came and urged me to go to a hospital. I told them, “Life is full of tribulations, but I practice Falun Dafa and I won't die. I am not afraid. I will be fine once I pay off my karmic debts. It is my debt, I have to pay it back. Don't worry!”

My younger brother asked me to stay with his family so that they could help me. I gladly accepted.

I was responsible for grafting cucumber seedlings at a dozen greenhouses that year. Few people knew how to do it at the time. The vegetable farmers were counting on me. My brother told me to have them find someone else. I knew that they wouldn't able to find anyone else. I decided to follow the standard of a practitioner, putting others' need before my own. I went to each greenhouse to graft the seedlings. The owners were very happy and were full of appreciation for me.

Later, the wound on my back opened up and my bones were visible. Everyone who saw it was scared and thought I would die for sure. But my faith in Dafa and Master was firm. I did not use any medicine, and I didn't go to the hospital.

About two months later, as my brother was cleaning my wound, he saw that an area of flesh on my back had turned black. There were about ten small bumps on my back that itched and hurt. People said to me, “Go to the hospital right away. No one has survived this type of sore.” But I was unmoved. I kept studying the Fa, sending forth righteous thoughts, and doing the exercises every day.

One day, my brother said, “Another piece of flesh has turned black.” I said, “It must stop deteriorating, it will get better tomorrow.” The next day when he cleaned my wound, he said, “It is turning red!” From that day on, the flesh on my back grew back little by little. My back healed and I recovered my strength. My complexion glowed. Everyone in my family was happy for me. They all praised Falun Dafa and were amazed by its power.

I am so grateful for Master's compassion!