(Minghui.org) I was arrested along with another practitioner in 2011 while distributing information about the Chinese Communist Party's persecution of Falun Dafa. Most people we talked to that day were glad to receive our brochures. Some immediately sat down to read, while others gave us food to thank us.
However, someone reported us to police, who seized us before we got a chance to contact the last few families in this village.
Arresting Officers Softened Their Attitudes
On the way to the police station, we told the officers about how Falun Dafa is practiced in over 100 countries. We also told them about the goodness of Dafa and the principle that good will be rewarded with good, and evil with evil.
The officers soon changed their attitude towards us. A young officer appeared to be conflicted, wondering whether he should have arrested us in the first place. Another older officer acted less aggressively and left us alone.
We were locked up in a place where practitioners had been severely persecuted before. At first, that worried me, but then I realized it was a golden opportunity to tell people about the persecution.
My fear and resentment toward the arresting officers vanished. At the same time, I felt the compassion and dignity of Dafa.
Interrogator Stopped Questioning Me
At the police station, an officer tried to make me give him information about another practitioner, but I said to him, “What I do is my own choice. It has nothing to do with anyone else. You will not get anything out of me.”
When he heard my firm words, he instantly changed into another person and stopped interrogating me. He asked me to fill in some forms. I wrote “Falun Dafa is good” and “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good” on these forms. He commented that it was well-answered.
Through explaining the persecution, I can see that many police officers respect Dafa disciples in their hearts. Some of them believe that good will be rewarded with good, and evil with evil.
Some admire the noble character of Dafa disciples. Although a few still had negative thoughts, as a practitioner I treated them with compassion, and the ice slowly melted.
Detention Center Cook: “You're Welcome!”
The day after our arrest, we were transferred to the local detention center. A cook in his 60s was responsible for preparing meals for prison inmates. He would shout impatiently, “Meal time!” when he delivered food to the cells.
We were given leftovers mixed with water. Sometimes there were bits of chicken bones and slices of meat in the food. Being a vegetarian, I said to the cook with a smile, “I haven't eaten meat since I was young. Could you not put meat in my food?”
He frowned and retorted angrily, “How dare you be picky in this place!” Even the cook was hostile here.
I realized that I should validate the Fa and save everyone by showing the kindness of Dafa disciples.
I observed that other detainees would ask for a lot of food and then throw away what they could not finish. As a practitioner, I knew that I should not waste food. When I had leftovers, I would keep them for the next meal.
Once, with some leftover rice in my bowl, I asked for a small serving of vegetable soup. Both the cook and a detainee asked me, “How come you didn't throw away your leftovers?”
“We shouldn't waste food. Besides, you make an effort every day to prepare the meals,” I said.
They both lowered their heads and said nothing. Soon after, I noticed that each time the cook called out “Meal time,” his voice was softer and he spoke more amicably. I was given food with more vegetables.
Every time I was given food, I would thank him, but he would quickly answer, “You don't have to thank me.”
Other prisoners also started saying “thank you” as they received their meals, and the cook would reply, “You're welcome.”
The whole environment gradually changed.
Petitioner Cheered Up
There was an elderly female prisoner in my cell. She had been arrested for petitioning the government. She was stressed out, worrying about this and that and could not sleep at night. She paced up and down the cell fretfully.
I saw that she was on the verge of a mental breakdown and went up to chat with her. I told her about Dafa and that if she followed the principles of “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance,” misfortune and pain can be averted.
She observed that Dafa practitioners were always happy and did not regard themselves as prisoners. She gradually let go of her worries and cheered up. At her release, she asked for my family's phone number and said she would let them know how I was.
Dafa Changes People
While I was detained, I reminded myself to act according to Dafa's principles and to treat everyone I met with kindness. I just wanted more people to know about the persecution of Falun Dafa so that they could sever their ties with the violent communist regime.
Many people, from police officers to the detention center cook to inmates, have changed their attitude towards Falun Dafa and practitioners during my detention. Some even quit the Chinese Communist Party and its subordinate organizations.
