(Minghui.org) I am 69 years old and started practicing Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong) in 1996.
In 2010, a coordinator invited me to join our local team to help rescue practitioners who have been illegally detained. I thought that as long as it is needed, I will definitely do it. I will look at this as my duty and mission.
I have been involved with the rescue team for the past six years. We have enjoyed many successes and seen positive changes in the way Falun Dafa practitioners are treated by the authorities. My xinxing level has also elevated, through the power of consistent righteous thoughts and righteous actions.
We have aided in practitioners cases being returned from the intermediate courts for retrial, practitioners getting released from police stations, and practitioners having their sentences rescinded.
Personnel at various levels of the public security organs have changed their attitudes about Falun Dafa after having come into contact with us, and have become more sympathetic towards practitioners. Some even dare to say that Dafa practitioners are good, kindhearted people.
Family members of Dafa practitioners, who do not practice themselves, likewise have gained a more positive attitude towards Falun Dafa. With some assisting with the rescue efforts.
Our team continues to explore ways to make our rescue efforts a success, and in the process, I have learned to validate the Fa rather than myself, and to always bear in mind that we are one-body and must work in unity.
I would like to report to Master, and share with fellow practitioners, on what I have learned over these past six years in terms of cultivation and raising my xinxing.
Different Groups Responsible for Different Tasks
As soon as we're informed that a practitioner has been apprehended, our team coordinator gathers us together to study the Fa and exchange ideas on how to proceed with the rescue efforts.
When bad things happen to practitioners it is because we have omissions in our cultivation, so we send strong righteous thoughts to negate any interference by the old forces and eliminate all the interfering elements in other dimensions.
We then divide into groups comprised of four or five practitioners. The groups will either liaise with the arrested practitioner's family members, send forth righteous thoughts, or write letters.
Those assigned to work with the family members will research the names, ranks, and other pertinent information on relevant personnel in all departments of the Public Security Bureau. They will also accompany the family members to visit these people to clarify the facts to them and request the unconditional release of the practitioner.
The group responsible for sending righteous thoughts will do so at someone's home or in close proximity to where the practitioner is being held. Those that send forth righteous thoughts at someone's home further divide into morning, afternoon and evening groups, and include Fa study sessions.
The remaining group collates the details obtained on personnel in the Public Security Bureau, and writes to each one in turn to inform them about Dafa and the persecution, and request the release of those detained.
We know that the old forces will look to exploit what they can, so everybody communicates and cooperates well with each other.
Whatever has been decided is unanimously respected and followed.
Helping Family Members is a Top Priority
I am with the group that works with the family members.
We are all aware that when a practitioner is arrested, their family members are affected most and can behave in different ways.
Some family members who are not practitioners may turn their resentment towards Falun Dafa because of the arrest. Some may feel hopeless, believing that it is pointless to do anything.
Master said:
“Wherever there's a problem, that is where you need to clarify the truth and save people.” (“Teaching the Fa at the Washington, D.C. Fa Conference” from Teaching the Fa at the Conference II)
We understand that a practitioner's family members have strong predestined relationships with Dafa, so we clarify the facts as best we can, and helping them becomes our top priority.
On one occasion, we visited the spouse of an incarcerated practitioner for the first time. He would only talk to us from behind his closed door, and said, “We don’t need your help. She does whatever she wants. I don’t care! Let her stay in the detention center!”
We tried to understand his feelings, and so I replied, “We know you don’t truly mean what you say. You're upset with her and worried about her. She's your wife. How can you not care? We are here to see how we can help. We want her to be released, so that she can come home to take care of you. We know you're upset. We’ll leave now, but we’ll be back another day.”
Another family, who was strongly influenced by the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) lies and propaganda against Falun Gong, refused to listen to us. One of them said, “She [the detained practitioner] told my mother-in-law to practice Falun Gong. My mother-in-law is sick and she won’t let her take medicine or go to the hospital. We are all upset about this. We don’t care what happens to her. Nobody cares.”
I explained to them, “Dafa’s Master does not say we can't take medicine. Our Master only expounds on the relationship between cultivation and taking medication. We are governed by the universal laws of birth, old age, sickness, and death. Sicknesses plague everyone and all stem from the karma that we’ve accumulated. Our Master has purified all genuine practitioners’ bodies. When a person who practices Falun Gong maintains a pure and kind heart, he or she can retain good health. So many people already have had their illnesses cured, so of course there is naturally no need for them to go to the hospital or to take medicine.”
Her family members finally understood about Falun Gong’s stance on the issue of medicine and hospital treatment.
When I told them that their practitioner family member has done nothing wrong, and should be released promptly and unconditionally, they were finally willing to cooperate with us. They even asked us to hire a lawyer for the detained practitioner.
When we accompany family members to request the release of incarcerated practitioners, we always ask them to take a written statement detailing the detained practitioner’s physical and mental changes after practicing Falun Gong, and how the changes have positively affected the family.
We want to use the practitioner’s real-life touching stories to impress the public security personnel, move their hearts, rouse their compassion, and wake up their conscience.
Once they have written the statement it is handed to the letter writing group to review and modify as necessary, to ensure it is well-presented.
With the statement in hand, we visit each of the relevant personnel in the Public Security Bureau, including staff in the legal department and the 610 Office.
The staff at the Bureau are, on the whole, very receptive. Some even offer us new ideas and recommendations on how to do our job more effectively.
Learning to Use Compassion and Wisdom to Clarify the Facts
Each member of our group has come to a clear understanding that at the very moment the police take away a practitioner, he or she is already committing a sin against Dafa. If they do not stop or repent, the countless sentient beings he or she represents will be faced with a most devastating fate.
Therefore, our ultimate goal is to save these public security personnel and government officials who have been duped into carrying out the CCP's policy to persecute Falun Gong practitioners.
When we set out on each rescue mission, we are enveloped with the wisdom and righteous thoughts from practitioners in our rescue group, and the knowledge that Master and all righteous Gods are by our side.
I used to get straight to the point when talking to people, and never thought to consider others' ability to accept my words. As a result, the other party would often interrupt me with, “Stop talking to me about that.”
However, it later dawned on me that I was merely validating myself and not Dafa. How can I truly save people with this approach? So, I started to listen carefully to other practitioners’ conversations, especially on how to speak effectively. Gradually, I began to learn how to communicate with people better so that they could understand and accept my words.
One time, I accompanied the daughter of a detained practitioner to the police station. She proceeded to tell them about her mother's situation.
“My mother is over 60 years old,” she said. “She has labored half of her life, taking care of her family and raising her children. She is a simple, humble and honest lady who grew up on a farm. Due to years of hard work and not willing to spend money on herself to take care of her own health, as she aged, she came down with multiple health problems. She was especially plagued by the swelling in her right knee, which was very painful at times. Since she started practicing Falun Gong, she has not suffered any pain for the last two years. My mother is a good person. I hope that you can help her. Our family needs her. I can’t do without my mother. Please help us. Please allow my mother to come home. Whatever you can do, I and my family will forever be grateful. Thank you.”
People in the police station were very sympathetic. One of them said, “We will forward your message to the higher-ups. We understand and feel for you and your situation.”
The daughter’s words were easy for them to accept and truly touched their hearts.
Master said:
“On the surface, we’re seeking support for Dafa from the world’s people. This is the thinking of the worldly human side, manifest in this human place. Yet it’s reversed on the other side. Whoever supports Dafa or advocates for Dafa is establishing for himself his being’s existence in the future and is laying a foundation for obtaining the Fa in the future.” (“Teaching the Fa at the Western U.S. Fa Conference” from Guiding the Voyage)
Every time we return from meeting the authorities, we inform the group of all pertinent information. The letter writing group then uses this information to help with their letter writing efforts.
We cooperate fully with each other and do everything with one heart and one mind. Our goal is for every case to end with the practitioner being released.
One time, I went to the court with the detained practitioner's daughter to talk to the judge about her mother. We were determined to have the case dismissed, believing that it is the only way to save the people there.
The practitioner’s daughter started to tell the judge about her mother’s great changes after practicing Falun Gong, but the judge soon interrupted her and said, “Let’s talk about this in court during the trial.”
The practitioner’s daughter couldn’t control herself and blurted out in a loud voice at the judge, “No trial!”
The bailiff showed up with other staff, and took us to the judge's chamber. They took our pictures, and the atmosphere turned tense.
I knew that there was a battle between good and evil in another dimension. I sent forth righteous thoughts to eliminate the old forces interference, and pleaded for Master to strengthen me.
The judge and the others sat down and listened to the practitioner’s daughter. She related to them many facts about her mother and Falun Gong.
I backed her up and said, “It's getting too difficult for this young lady at home. As soon as she heard about a possible court trial, she felt distraught as she knows that her mother has not broken any law or committed any crime and there is no legal basis for her arrest, so she finds it hard to understand or accept. We really need you to lend a hand. We appreciate your taking the time to listen to us.”
One of the people there replied, “Well said.”
I realized that we really should demonstrate, to the judge and all the others, the serenity, compassion and forbearance befitting genuine Dafa practitioners.
We accompanied the practitioner’s daughter to the 610 Office several times to validate Dafa and relate the facts of her mother’s physical and mental changes after practicing Falun Gong.
As we were leaving one time, someone there said, “Ever since you guys started dropping by here, I've been receiving a lot of mail about Falun Gong.”
“Since you've got them, read them.” I replied. “This is your predestined relationship.”
I later wrote this person a letter, to offer him further encouragement to release the practitioner.
Looking Inward Helps Our Rescue Efforts
A practitioner was recently brought to trial. I accompanied her younger sister, also a Dafa practitioner, to the Procurtorate.
As we were nearing the building, I asked the sister what document she had prepared. She showed me what her lawyer wrote. It was entitled “Proposal and recommendation to dismiss the lawsuit.”
After reading it I told her that some of the wording is not suitable to use, and suggested not to hand it to the Procurtorate.
However, she was eager to get her elder sister released. She was upset with my words and ended up bursting into tears.
I realized that I must have done something wrong, so I tried to explain, “We can’t rely on the lawyer and must be in control of things ourselves, especially in checking all relevant materials. It is the righteous thoughts and actions of practitioners that can ensure the lawyer’s capability. The lawyer is under a lot of pressure and needs our righteous thoughts and support.”
Before we went to the Proceuratorate, I had asked the family several times if the lawyer had made the necessary changes. So I couldn’t figure why the practitioner’s sister could have got so upset with me. I knew that I must look inward to find where I had gone wrong.
I found out that I had not proceeded with the others in mind. When the family and I talked, I was in the habit of taking over the conversation, believing that I had a better understanding, as if I knew it all.
I also looked down on other practitioners.
How miserable was the state of my heart! I was supposed to be helping to rescue practitioners, yet I treated others unfairly. What qualifies me to look down on other practitioners? That must have stemmed from an impure heart and must be rooted out.
Master said:
“...if you do not cooperate well with someone, as a person in charge or project coordinator, you have leaks in your cultivation, which you need to patch. If you cannot patch them up, you’ll have leakage and it will be a problem on your way toward Consummation.” (“Fa Teaching at the 2016 New York Fa Conference”)
I felt ashamed that I had let Master down, but at the same time, I was grateful for the practitioner’s sister to provide me with the opportunity to improve.
When practitioners pointed out my inadequacies before, I would not say anything, but would feel resentment towards them. I must cultivate that away or the old forces would take advantage of the gaps that I had created for myself.
I know that the success of a rescue mission depends on whether our hearts are righteous. We must cooperate with each other and form one body with no gaps.
After I corrected my thoughts, the practitioner’s sister's attitude also changed. She said to me the following day, “I’m sorry I got upset and yelled at you yesterday.”
Another time, the lawyer got off at the wrong train station and so had to abort the trip.
When I looked inward, I realized that I was still holding a grudge.
Before we embarked on this project, I learned that a practitioner had objected to my participation, saying that I had a bad cultivation state. I resented her opinion and that she didn’t speak her mind to my face.
I soon corrected this thought, and when the lawyer came a second time, he was able to see the incarcerated practitioner and review all of the relevant documents. He later remarked that he had never had things run so smoothly, and was able to finish what he set out to do ahead of schedule.
Seeking Help from My Own Family Member
Cooperating with practitioners’ family members in the rescue work is an arduous, tiring and worrisome task. Getting cooperation from my own family is not easy either.
My husband had been a soldier for eight years, and is not used to doing the household chores. I also have a grandson in high school for whom I must prepare lunch every day. It has become very difficult and stressful when I had to dash home to fix meals while spending my time outside talking to people about Dafa.
I decided that I must get my husband's understanding and support.
I chose to talk to my husband when I was making dumplings. There's no TV in the kitchen, so I could get his undivided attention.
I said, “When I was being persecuted, you had the courage to run around to different departments to request my release. On the surface, you were saving your wife, but from a practitioner's perspective, you are saving a Dafa practitioner. Your mighty virtue is immeasurable. I am a Dafa practitioner and must work to help other practitioners. I hope you can understand and offer me support.”
My husband understood and wanted to help. He said, “From now on, if you are running late, don’t worry. I’ll do the cooking.”
From then on, my husband has kept his word.
I read every one of Master’s lectures to my husband, and continue to tell him about Dafa and the persecution.
I have dedicated my time and energy to doing rescue work over the past six years, experiencing physical and mental fatigue. But I remind myself that I am a Dafa practitioner with the noble mission to help Master save sentient beings. There can be no such thing as fatigue. Working hard is part and parcel of cultivation.
When I am on the road, I recite verses from Hong Yin, and where possible, talk to people about quitting the CCP and its affiliated organizations.
There are times when I slack off, but I do my best to rectify myself within the Fa. I am determined to do well the three things and to live up to Master’s expectations.
