(Minghui.org) There is a bridge called the “Falun Gong Bridge” in a remote village of Jilin Province, China, which was named after Falun Gong practitioners from the village who voluntarily re-built it. Many people in nearby villages know of it.
Floods damaged the bridge on the main road of the village in 2011. It was difficult for vehicles to pass over the broken bridge. There was a school bus in the village carrying more than 40 students of grades K through 6, which was unable to pass over the bridge. The students got off the bus and helped to push it across the broken bridge every day.
The bridge was broken for more than a month. No one took care of it. The undersides of some cars were damaged from crossing the broken bridge.
Local Falun Gong practitioners saw it and discussed repairing the bridge. There were seven of them, including five women. The eldest was in his seventies. Everyone agreed to join the voluntary effort to repair the bridge, and they started working the next day. The work began by moving cement pipes, sand, and pebbles.
Four or five villagers joined the effort to dig out the mud and bury the cement pipes on the third day. The practitioners rented a truck to carry sand, and bought cement pipes with their own money. The bridge was repaired well, at a total cost of 700 yuan (about $110).
Drivers and passengers who passed by during the construction asked who was sponsoring the bridge repairs. The villagers on site said that Falun Gong practitioners paid for it. One said, “Falun Gong is awesome. The practitioners paid for the bridge repairs. We all should appreciate Falun Gong.”
Upon hearing this, the drivers and passengers were touched. One said, “Falun Gong is great. Thank you for your repairing the bridge. You work hard. The local officials don’t take care of this bridge, even though it is their duty.”
The school bus came back at 3:00 p.m. on the day the bridge repairs were finished. The driver was excited and stepped down. He asked, “How much did the repairs cost? I will pay for all of it.” A Falun Gong practitioner declined his good wish.
The driver said, “I went to the township government and asked the head and education office to repair the bridge. They told me to ask our village administration. I asked our village head, but he took no action. I worried about this bridge even when I fell asleep at night. Now you have repaired it. I appreciate you very much. I no longer have to worry about it.”
Villagers call this bridge the “Falun Gong Bridge” and spread the name to other towns and villages. Many people nearby know about the bridge.
The repairs were made five years ago. The bridge has remained intact, even though the roads on both sides have been damaged by floods several times.