(Minghui.org) My mother was imprisoned for her faith in Falun Dafa. With practitioners' help, my sister and I have been seeking her release and, in the process, exposing the unjust persecution.
Mother began to practice Falun Dafa in 1998. Following the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, she became more patient, and no longer argued with my father. Our home life had improved dramatically.
My mother was arrested in May 2016 after someone reported her to the authorities for talking to people about Falun Dafa and the persecution. My younger sister and I did not know what to do.
Seeking Mother's Release, Overcoming Fear
We tried to get our mother released by using our connections, but the police kept extorting more money from us. They also used things we said as evidence against her.
Several practitioners visited us after they learned about her situation. They told us not to comply with the police since our mother was not guilty, that we should instead work with a lawyer to secure her release.
We also wrote letters and sent texts to clarify the truth to everyone at the police station. They threatened to imprison us if we continued to “bother” them.
With practitioners’ support, our righteous thoughts became stronger and we ignored the threats. We started to study the Fa, and our attachment to fear decreased.
Encouraged to Keep Going
My sister and I were finally allowed to visit our mother in March 2017, after she was imprisoned. We told her how practitioners were trying to rescue her and promised to study the Fa every evening. She was very touched. I knew Master was taking care of her.
She shared two encouraging stories. She said she was very depressed after she heard the verdict, when a cellmate told her that there was a Bodhisattva sitting on my mother’s blanket. That encouraged her, and she knew that Master was giving her a hint.
She was still a little depressed nine months after the second trial. Another inmate urged her not to lose faith.
Master was encouraging her again through other people. She realized that she should always clarify the truth, no matter where she was, and that she should not let Master down.
After that, she began to give her lawyer lists of names of people who had quit the Chinese Community Party and its youth organizations.
Improving My Character
Before my mother was arrested, she used to ask my sister and me to study the Fa, but we only did it superficially or told her we were too busy at work.
When I first began to study the Fa again, any sound from outside would make me fearful. I did not know why I was afraid and wondered if this would affect my mother.
I ran into two practitioners the next day and shared my dilemma with them. They told me that it was interference from the old forces, so I should eliminate them and ask Master for help.
I realized that I had a lot of fear, so the old forces used my attachment to interfere with me. I felt my situation improve tremendously after realizing this.
Do Not Compromise with the Police
As a young practitioner who has just begun to truly cultivate in Dafa, I would like to encourage other practitioners’ family members who face similar situations:
1. Don’t compromise with the police when the practitioner is arrested. Don’t sign anything or say anything they can use as evidence. You know firsthand how your family member improved after he or she started practicing Dafa.
2. Please coordinate with local practitioners to secure the practitioner’s release. I understand you may be afraid, but, as long as your thoughts are righteous, Master will help and protect practitioners and their family members.
3. Even if the practitioner was pronounced “guilty,” do not think that judgment has brought shame upon the family. If trying to be a good person is wrong, then what is right? You need to visit them often, have righteous thoughts, and encourage them. Even while imprisoned and tortured, these practitioners refuse to give up their belief. Shouldn’t we be proud to have someone like this in our family?
