(Minghui.org) Greetings, Master! Greetings, fellow practitioners!
We started a Fa study group at my home in 1997. It was stopped after the persecution began in July 1999. Urged by fellow practitioners, we began studying together again in 2004 and have continued uninterrupted since then.
“As Long as Your Door Is Open, We Will Come”
In 1997, more than 20 practitioners regularly came to my home for group study. New practitioners also came to watch lecture videotapes and learn the exercises. We shared our understandings and experiences of following the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. Everyone made rapid progress, and several of my family members also began to practice, including my husband, my older son, and my daughter-in-law. We cherished this study group environment very much.
Our peaceful lives were disrupted when the Communist Party started to persecute Falun Gong in July 1999. Under the intense scrutiny and pressure, we had no choice but to end our group study.
After my eldest son and his wife were illegally arrested in 2004, we contacted attorneys and went to the local police, Procuratorate, and court to rescue them. Practitioners worked together on this, and we felt that we needed to study the Fa together as well. Thus, our group study was resumed in 2004.
A test came after a practitioner was arrested. Because she had often come to group study, someone reminded me to be cautious, since the police had a picture of me from when I had visited her in detention. I was fearful in the beginning, but when I thought it over, I realized that group Fa-study was one of the formats Master asked us to follow. Therefore, we should not stop reading as a group because of this incident. Plus, we should not acknowledge being taken advantage of and persecuted by the regime.
I shared these thoughts after Fa-study that day and most practitioners agreed with me. Many said, “As long as your door is open, we will come.”
I was very touched by these words. With support from other practitioners, we did not skip our weekly group study even one single time, regardless of the harsh environment in China.
Clarifying the Truth to Spies
Officials often sent spies to watch my home, especially during so-called sensitive dates, such as those of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) conferences. They usually came around 8 a.m. and didn't leave until 10 p.m. Sometimes they stayed for two weeks.
My husband and I did not consider these spies as bad people, because we realized that they had been deceived by the CCP propaganda to commit bad deeds. We walked right up to them, greeted them, and explained the facts about Falun Dafa to them. They were grateful and, from then on, no longer watched us so closely. Some even stopped working as spies.
Interestingly, the spies sent to watch us were always different. When one group left, another group came. I knew this was no accident; this was a rare opportunity for these people to learn the truth about Dafa.
One day, seeing several spies watching us downstairs, I took some fruit and went over to talk to them. While they were eating the fruit, I said: “Because I'm a Falun Dafa practitioner, I can tell you some firsthand information. Falun Dafa is indeed very good—so good that the Communist Party is scared of it. That's why it staged the Tiananmen self-immolation hoax and other lies to slander Falun Dafa.”
I then explained the consequence of following the CCP to do bad deeds, and how to quit the Party and its affiliated organizations for a better future. After they heard this, some of them decided to quit the Party immediately.
It seemed that whomever we clarified the truth to no longer came to monitor us. Whenever we saw them somewhere else later on, they always greeted me and my husband as if we were old friends. The ones we didn't have a chance to talk to always stayed around my home until we told them about Dafa.
Not Disturbed by Interference
There is a police station one block away from my home, and the police were aware of our study group. Concerned about safety, some practitioners suggested that we split this group into several smaller ones. Although I do pay attention to safety, I cherished this opportunity to read the Fa together and did not think that we should be worried about this. I also asked Master for help.
Through the years, spies often came around to watch us. But neither my family nor other fellow practitioners were disturbed by them.
One of the severest instances of interference occurred last May. At that time, my older son had been released from prison and lived with us. Seven police agents came to my home and confiscated Master’s image, Falun Dafa books, and over 10,000 yuan in cash with “Falun Dafa is good” printed on the bills.
It was a big loss for us. Nonetheless, I took the opportunity to explain the facts about Falun Dafa to the police. My husband, my son, and I looked within, and all of us found various attachments, such as fear, hatred, and attachment to struggle.
Because the group study was only two days away, I thought about notifying practitioners about this incident so that they would be aware of it. However, I couldn't find their phone numbers.
In the end, many—actually, more than usual—practitioners showed up for group study that week. We talked about this incident, and practitioners had mixed understandings. Some were afraid, some remained silent, and some sent forth righteous thoughts. It was a real test for my husband, my son, and me regarding what to do.
I remained very calm. After thanking practitioners for coming, I told them that my door would always be open, and that they were always welcome to come for weekly study. The following week, all of these practitioners showed up again. I was deeply moved.
Supporting Each Other
In addition to providing the weekly group study environment, I also help practitioners find Falun Dafa books and truth-clarification materials when they need them. Through the years, we've occasionally had conflicts. But with consistent Fa-study, we have improved our xinxing, enlarged our benevolence, and made it through these tests.
Practitioners sometimes visited us to get materials when it was time for group study. They chatted with us, and we occasionally invited them to eat with us. This happened many times, and we never complained. After all, we are all disciples of Master, and we should cherish our relationship during this period of time.
The practitioners in our group are of various ages and range from young to the elderly. Every week after studying the Fa, they pick up some truth-clarification materials or Shen Yun Performing Arts DVDs for distribution.
Some practitioners were afraid to distribute materials in the beginning, so I didn't force them to take any materials. As time went by, they understood the urgency of stopping the persecution and began to pick up more materials to give to people.
A number of elderly practitioners in our group are over 70. Every week after group study, we go to parks or markets, in groups of two or three, to tell people the facts about Falun Dafa and distribute informational materials.
We've met many students, especially in spring and fall, and they liked to listen to us and happily took our materials. We also go to places near prisons, detention centers, and courts to send forth righteous thoughts.
We've coordinated so that more practitioners could join, and we've all improved as one body.
One elderly couple came from another city. The wife had been detained and tortured, so she was very fearful. To avoid harassment from local police, they came to our area to stay with their daughter. Through studying the Fa and sharing understandings, they regained their righteous thoughts. They wrote appeal letters to expose the illegal detention and torture. They recently went back to continue clarifying the truth in their area.
There are quite a few similar examples. As long as we supported each other with righteous thoughts, practitioners made rapid progress. Some stepped out of illness tribulations, and more practitioners started to participate in truth-clarification efforts.
Helping New Practitioners
Other than telling people about Falun Dafa ourselves, we also help fellow practitioners do this. Many practitioners have learned to use computers and prepare truth-clarification materials on their own.
One practitioner began to practice Falun Dafa two years ago. He always tries to find more ways to save people by explaining the facts about Falun Dafa to them. He often rides a bike and distributes materials at bus stops, parking lots, and other crowded areas.
He has done this so well that sometimes people line up to get materials and Shen Yun DVDs from him.
Another practitioner often travels to her hometown with a large bag of Falun Dafa materials. She walks all night to distribute the materials and comes back the next morning.
There are many stories like this, and each practitioner has a unique experience. We all cherish our Fa-study group, support each other, do the three things well, and try to save more people.
