(Minghui.org) Students from a special class I taught gathered from all over the country in 2015 to celebrate Teacher’s Day with me. They said: “We miss you so much and have wanted to get together and see you for a long time. It was hard for us to gather together from so many different places.”
“We have grown up and experienced so much since you left us twelve years ago. Your teaching touched us deeply and we remember your words of ‘catch up when you meet with difficulties. There are still long roads ahead of us,’ which would remind us to be modest when we did well. ‘Suffering is not bad’ encouraged us when we were cheated.”
I told them that all of what I taught them was from what I learned from my teacher, Falun Gong’s Master, Mr. Li Hongzhi. I sincerely thanked them for making the trip to visit me. Those who could not come, called me by phone and asked one of the others to bring me flowers for them. I told them all that I was touched by their actions, but I knew the true purpose for their making the trip was to be awakened about Falun Gong. When we were together I told them all about Falun Gong and helped each of them to quit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its affiliated organizations.
Put in Charge of a Special Class
I am a Falun Gong practitioner. As a grade school teacher I gladly took any assignment my supervisor gave me. One spring, the supervisors gathered in the principal’s office and decided that I should take charge of the “special students” class. They were hesitant to ask me but I agreed to it without hesitation. I told them that if I did a good job, they should thank Falun Gong.
The principal and other supervisors appreciated my willingness by applauding. The principal even walked me to my classroom.
Though there were over 50 students in the class, I could not find a single person willing to be the class monitor. They were very uncooperative.
Master Li told us: "It’s hard to endure, but you can endure it. It’s hard to do, but you can do it." (Zhuan Falun)
I led all the students out to the playground and asked each one to shout out loud. From the sound and volume of all their voices, I picked out one of the students to be the sports monitor. I spent the next week training the class to walk in single file. The whole class soon walked like an army. Some of the teachers gave me a thumbs up or clapped when we walked by.
I selected the candidates for the class leaders. I considered each person based on his or her sense of justice and how they handled their responsibilities and if they treated others fairly or not. I then asked all the students to vote for their class leaders.
I then helped them set up their educational goals that would encourage them to study hard so they could catch up and build confidence. The class soon developed a good study environment. The students’ behavior improved and so did their grades.
I visited many of the homes of the students and brought back the ones who had run away from school and those who liked to be late for class. I didn’t even consider how much trouble or difficulty they brought me. I just wanted to help them to use their study time well. In just one month, the class transformed into a well disciplined group with each one looking out for the others. Their performance improved and they became eager to learn. It was a positive experience for all of us.
As Falun Gong practitioners we learn to be considerate of others and talk with them at their level of understanding. I spent two and a half years with these students and always demonstrated the kindness and consideration of a Falun Gong practitioner at all times. I took care of the kids as if I were their mother. I brought them moon cakes and boiled eggs on holidays and traded lunches with the ones whose parents had money difficulties to prevent a lack of nutrition. If one of the students was having difficulty in a particular area, I encouraged the whole class to be considerate and help out however they could.
I gathered the students together using Falun Gong’s principles of Truthfulness- Compassion-Forbearance. I used the good character I had gained from practicing Falun Gong and applied what I had learned about being a good person to influence these special children. As a result the kids excelled at their studies, and the confidence of the entire class improved.
Helping a New Teacher
After the persecution of Falun Gong started, I went to Beijing to appeal for justice. I was arrested and was sent to a forced labor camp. After I was released, the school couldn’t allow me to teach my class and they had already replaced me with a new teacher.
The new teacher worked very hard but did not have Falun Gong’s principles to guide the students with. She was very strict with the kids and punished them frequently. The whole class disliked her and several of them went to talk to the principal about replacing her.
They sent out the class leaders to find me and asked me to be their teacher again. I told them that I was not allowed to teach them any more because Falun Gong was being unjustly persecuted. Using Falun Gong’s principles I explained why it was important they respect the new teacher. I encouraged them to study hard and get even better grades to show her that they could do it if they put their hearts into it.
I reasoned with them, “If you kick her out, how will she work in this school in the future? She was just transferred to this school and hasn’t learned what the class needs yet. She is using most of her time to take care of your class. Her own child even has to sleep in the classroom which is cold and not very comfortable.”
Finally the students agreed to stick with the new teacher. Some students were so touched listening to my reasoning that they shed tears. That teacher may never know what Falun Gong had done for her.
Benefiting from My Practice
Before I practiced Falun Gong I had a case of severe rheumatism. My legs were sore and painful year round. The pain got so intense I could hardly get any sleep. I was always cold and had to wear long pants even on hot summer days. Over time it got so severe that my legs looked distorted.
I also suffered from severe low back pain in the lumbar intervertebral disc. I had to bend 90 degrees at my waist to avoid the pain. If I laid down, I couldn’t get up without help. Having chronic diarrhea I was super thin.
When I began to practice Falun Gong in 1995, all my illnesses were resolved without medication. The coldness left my knees while I was practicing the Falun Standing Stance exercise. When I was doing the sitting meditation, cold air poured out from my lower back. I had bloody diarrhea for two days after that but I have been fine ever since.
I now look and feel younger than I did before I started cultivation practice in Falun Gong. Along with that, I have a healthy weight and my outlook has become optimistic and positive. Practicing Falun Gong has greatly benefited me and so many others. It is the truly a righteous way for one to return to ones original nature; ones true self!
