(Minghui.org) I used to be a kind person during my childhood and always fought against injustice. As an adult, I was polluted by society and liked to fight with others, drink to excess, and gamble. Because I injured others in a fight, I was imprisoned in Jiamusi Forced Labor camp between 1999 and 2002.
At the labor camp, I came across a group of people who were very different from the others. They refused to give up their belief. I couldn't understand why they'd rather suffer in police custody than being released, when all they had to do was declare that they would stop practicing Falun Dafa.
I also noticed that they treated others well and were humble and peaceful, so I wanted to be near them. I realized that they were all good people who were imprisoned wrongfully in the persecution of Falun Dafa.
One time, when they asked for permission to do the Dafa exercises, the guards penalized them. In the freezing cold winter, their clothes were removed, their hands were cuffed behind them, and guards poured cold water over their bodies. This was so cruel! How could I possibly tolerate such behavior? It pained my heart greatly.
At the labor camp, I saw the dark side of human behavior. When practitioners' families brought them food, the guards kept it for themselves instead of passing it on. The practitioners were also deprived of toilet paper. This was outrageous!
When it was my turn to watch them, I purposefully used a mop to turn the surveillance camera away from them so they could do the exercises without being seen.
One time, the guards searched their bodies for Dafa books. They stripped them naked and beat and punished them when they found any Dafa books. When the guards weren't looking, I helped practitioners hide seven books. However, a few days later, the guards searched for books again and found them. As a result, I was handcuffed, beaten, and my term was extended by three months.
But I never regretted what I did or complained about it because I felt that I was on the side of justice, and for that, I felt happy and honored.
One practitioner often told me about the beauty and goodness of Dafa. It was truly intriguing to listen to him. I didn't want him to stop talking. I also thought he had to leave so he could clarify the facts about Dafa to people.
One time, I saw an opportunity for them to escape. I told them to take shovels and brooms and go outside and pretend to do some cleanup. Nine of them managed to leave the labor camp. However, three were arrested and brought back.
I was watching from the second floor of the building when they were brought in. I was so concerned about their safety that my legs began shaking. I begged for Master's help deep down: Master of Dafa, please help them get out of here. While saying this, I saw some of the senior practitioners limping, and tears rolled down my face.
I finally obtained Dafa in October 2017. When I finished reading Zhuan Falun, I came to understand that my kind behavior in the labor camp had planted the seeds for me to become a practitioner today and that Master had been watching over me ever since.
After I became a practitioner, I gained a lot of confidence, for I began to understand the meaning of life. I also came to understand why those practitioners refused to comply when they were told to renounce their faith. It was just as Master said:
“You should know that once a person learns the truth and the real meaning of life, he will not regret giving up his life for it.” (“Some Thoughts of Mine,” Essentials for Further Advancement II)
Through studying the Dafa books and doing the exercises, I recovered from my lumbar disc herniation. I felt that my body was very light and I could walk very quickly. I felt lighthearted every day. With that, I also stopped drinking and gained some weight. My boss observed my transformation and said I looked much younger than before.
Through further study, I came to realize the relationship between loss and gain and began to hold myself to the Dafa principles of “Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance” at work. I managed to record every single transaction with no errors and never took things that didn't belong to me. My neighbors also witnessed my changes and praised me.
I realized that there was still room for me to improve my character. I want to get rid of my fear of talking about Dafa with people face to face, which I will continue to work on.