(Minghui.org) I live in Heilongjiang Province, the most northeastern province in China, and was born in the 1960s. The winter cold has bothered me since I was a child. I suffered from chilblain, a painful, itching and swelling of the hands and feet.

Most families lived in poverty when I was young. My family lived in a small cottage and the average temperature in January was about -9°F (-23°C). Three out of the four cottage walls had frost on them, as did the windows. There was no plastic wrap available, so we covered the gaps around the windows with paper, which did not do much.

We used thatch for cooking and had no real source of heat. The freezing cold would always seep in, turning my hands and feet red and swollen. Mother had me wear cotton gloves, but I still got frostbite on my hands and fee every single winter.

Someone said eggplant stalk soup could cure chilblain. Mother tried it on me, but it was no help. My elder sister suggested a type of medicinal wine, but it didn't help either.

As a result, I always took good care of my hands when winter approached. Even if it was a little chilly, I put on gloves, starting with thin-layer ones, and covered with heavy ones. In addition, I made sure my hands were not be exposed to cold water or air. Nonetheless, I had chilblain every year, from elementary school to middle school, and from college to work.

Some coworkers like to play chess during the lunch break on winter days. I was interested, but I didn’t want to risk it. I would be embarrassed if other people saw my swollen red hands. So I wore gloves as much as possible.

In 1997, someone gave me a copy of the book Zhuan Falun. After reading it, since I agreed with the principles I began practicing Falun Dafa. One day I suddenly realized that I was no longer bothered by frostbite. Before the practice was banned in July 1999, we often did the exercises as a group outdoors. It was occasionally snowing and windy, and the temperature dropped to less than -22°F (-30°C), but I was fine. Even when exposed to cold water or air, I had no problems with my hands at all.

Practitioners doing the Falun Dafa exercises in Shuangcheng City, Heilongjiang Province, in January 1999. The Chinese communist regime banned the group nationwide six months later.

I was very surprised and happy. I never thought I would be rid of the chilblain in my life. Now it is gone and it did not cost me a penny. I no longer need to hide my hands, and I can lead a normal life.

Nonetheless, I still wear gloves during the winter. I guess I subconsciously want to have my hands covered. This is normal in northeastern China anyway.

I realized the other day that I didn’t need gloves all winter, even though the cold will be gone soon. I have been waiting for buses outdoors every day, and my hands never felt cold. This is a big change for me.

I am sharing my story because I want to tell people that with the help of Falun Dafa, your life can change for the better. It happened for me and for tens of millions of other practitioners around the world.