(Minghui.org) I live in Qingdao City and began practicing Falun Gong 20 years ago. After the brutal suppression of Falun Gong started in 1999, I lost my job because I refused to give up my belief. People around me wondered why I would give up a decent job like that, and my family complained about it as well.
For me, I know that the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance are the most important thing in life. I would not trade them for anything – no matter what.
To make a living after I lost my job, I studied accounting and received an accounting certificate. After gaining some experience, I applied for an accountant job for a foreign firm. The owner, from another Asian country, hired me as a cashier. The job description indicated that I would soon be promoted to an accountant's position, so I accepted the offer and began working there.
Time passed quickly, but there was no sign that the owner was going to change my position. I couldn't understand why. But as a Falun Gong practitioner, I didn't argue with him, and continued working diligently to fulfill my responsibilities.
This company had a high employee turnover. Some temporary workers just worked a short time and left, without even coming back for their wages. Within a few months, I had a surplus of 8,000 yuan. After failing to reach those workers by phone, I knew they would not be back to pick up their wages. So I made a detailed breakdown of the uncollected wages and gave the money to the owner.
He was surprised, saying that this had never happened before. I told him, “I am a Falun Gong practitioner. I wouldn't take anything that does not belong to me.” I then talked to him about the principles of Falun Gong, the physical and spiritual benefits that Falun Gong has brought to people, and the mistreatment that practitioners have suffered in China.
Similar things happened a few more times. Whenever there was some extra money, either from unclaimed wages or other sources, I would add it to my list and remind the owner about it from time to time.
He was very surprised. He told me that since opening a business in China, he'd witnessed many people trying various ways to wrangle money out of him. Because of this, he sometimes even checked the raw materials himself to make sure the amount and type received was correct.
Because of my performance, my work is waived from being audited. At year's end, we often gave cash bonuses to employees or gift cards purchased from stores. I handled all of these transactions myself and no one felt that they needed to check it. A coworker told me that the owner had told her I was very trustworthy.
Then, the owner of my previous company had some new projects and asked me to come back. The monthly salary was 1,500 yuan higher than what I currently received.
Since my training and profession is accounting, I told the current store owner that I was thinking of resigning and going back to the other company. But he asked me not to. “It's hard to find someone as reliable as you. I need you to stay here,” he implored.
He promised me a promotion and a raise after 18 months. Seeing his sincere attitude, I believed him and stayed on. One year later, as promised, he promoted me to the position of treasurer of the company, responsible for all of the finances.
Despite my new title and increased salary, my boss still assigned me to work as a cashier. “I don't trust anyone else for this position,” he told me.
Two years have passed, and as of today I am still the treasurer who works as a cashier.
This is my experience. I've heard that owners of other companies are also wanting to hire Falun Gong practitioners, because they are honest and reliable.
I think the credit should go to Falun Gong and the practice's founder Mr. Li Hongzhi. Master Li told us to discipline ourselves according to a high standard and to treat others with compassion. Despite the harsh persecution in China, we still strive to live according to our principles.