Rebirth of a Drug Addict

(Clearwisdom.net) I was sent to a forced labor camp because of my drug addiction in 2000. The third day at the labor camp, I was ordered to monitor Falun Gong practitioners. At that time, I didn't know much about the practice. After getting to know the practitioners and learning about the practice in the labor camp, I began to practice Falun Gong in 2001.

I never used to believe anyone because I had been through so much and had seen the dark side of society. I didn't believe in retribution for the bad deeds I had committed because the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) had indoctrinated me with atheism.

Many drug addicts in the forced labor camp were very young. In order to get their sentences reduced, many of them followed the guards' orders and beat practitioners to try to force them to renounce their belief. If the camp didn't meet a certain "transformation" quota, the director of the labor camp would be in trouble. I later understood that the order to "transform" practitioners came from high up in the CCP.

Before I learned the truth, I participated in the persecution, something I regret doing. Though I didn't beat the practitioners, I yelled at and cursed them. To my surprise, the practitioners never held a grudge against me no matter what I did to them. They also never talked back or fought back. I gradually understood that they were nothing like what the guards told us. They were actually benevolent people. My conscience gradually awakened and my attitude toward them changed.

I got to know a practitioner in her 60s who had recently gotten her bachelor's degree in engineering. She patiently helped me memorize Lunyu from Zhuan Falun. I thought it would be fun to memorize the Fa. Once in awhile when I thought about it, I would recite it. Then, something strange happened to me after I took a puff of my cigarette--there was a really bitter taste in my mouth. Miraculously, I was able to quit smoking from then on. Even after so many years of smoking, I never wanted to pick up a cigarette again after that experience. I also couldn't stand the smell of cigarettes. I couldn't believe memorizing a few sentences in Zhuan Falun could result in something so wonderful. From then on, I often asked practitioners to help me memorize Teacher's articles and teach me how to do the exercises.

I clearly remember a dream I had where I said, "I want to practice Falun Gong." Afterwards I got sick for two weeks. It was summer, and everyone was wearing short sleeves. I, however, was freezing even with two comforters. I took medication, but my condition worsened. I started to cough out a lot of phlegm, got blisters around my mouth, my eyes were runny, and I couldn't open them in the morning because they were stuck together. I also began to vomit and had diarrhea. Several days later, all my symptoms suddenly disappeared. I felt very comfortable and realized that I was no longer addicted to drugs.

It was a miracle! After I was released from the forced labor camp, I tried to persuade others to quit drugs. Initially, my family was worried about my practicing Falun Gong because of the persecution. Now they believe Falun Gong is good after observing that I have quit doing drugs, gambling, smoking, and drinking. I also stopped using bad language and cursing others. I am no longer selfish or ill-tempered and I show respect for others. I found a job and got a new life. People at work like and respect me. I never imagined that someone like me would be able to live a happy, normal life. Falun Dafa is truly wonderful!