By a young Falun Dafa disciple in Mainland China

(Clearwisdom.net) The year 2005 has passed and the 2006 Chinese New Year is just around the corner. With the coming of each new year, I eagerly think of my father, who has been illegally imprisoned for practicing Falun Gong. I always hope he will be reunited with his family and celebrate Chinese New Year with us. Since the persecution of Falun Dafa started on July 20, 1999, it has already been six Chinese New Year's Days that my family--my father, my mother and I--has not been together.

Six years ago the persecution started in Mainland China. My father didn't like to see such a good thing as Falun Dafa being persecuted. Two days before that Chinese New Year's Day, he made a firm decision and went to the appeals office in Beijing to say a few just words for Dafa. The police arrested him and imprisoned him in the provincial government agency office in Beijing, handcuffing him to a radiator heating pipe. This was how my father spent that New Year's Eve.

After my father was arrested, the local police came to our home, took away my mother, and imprisoned her in the detention center. It was Chinese New Year's Eve, and she was just going to take me out to buy a lantern. Only my maternal grandmother and I were left at home for New Year's Eve. Outside, firecrackers sounded all over in celebration, while in our home, we felt cold and lonely. Grandma, who had originally been healthy, became ill suddenly.

My father eventually left home and went from place to place to avoid further persecution. My mother was illegally imprisoned in the detention center and was later sent to a forced labor camp. After suffering a great deal and going from place to place, I went to the home of my paternal grandmother.

Before the 2001 Chinese New Year, this grandmother was taken away when she was cooking. She was imprisoned in the brainwashing center just because she practiced Falun Gong. My grandfather was also put under house arrest by his workplace because they knew he also read Dafa books. I spent that Lunar New Year alone, though a relative stopped by to check on me.

In 2002 my mother came back, but my father, who was still homeless, was arrested again and placed in a detention center, where he was hung up and beaten. The police tied him onto a tiger bench and did other terrible things to him. He was given a long prison sentence. On the morning of New Year's Eve, I received a phone call from him. He told me not to worry and to have a nice New Year's Day. He said he was all right, but from his voice I could tell that he was tired and frail. We were very worried for my father that Chinese New Year.

I spent the 2003, 2004, and 2005 Chinese New Years with my mother, just the two of us. My father was in prison. My mother's job was unstable, so we endured many difficulties. Sometimes I really wished I could play basketball, take a walk, or eat a meal with my father. But this was impossible, simply because we wished to lead our lives according to the principles of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance".

Before the persecution of Falun Dafa began, our family was full of joy. After my father started to practice Falun Gong, his temperament became better. He didn't smoke and didn't drink. His body became stronger, and he often gave his own money to help people who had difficulties. Yet this good person was put in jail.

Six years have passed. My father's freedom has not been restored. In Mainland China, many practitioners are still suffering the persecution. Their families are broken, and they are unable to return to their homes.

The 2006 Chinese New Year will be here very soon. I really hope that this year the three of us will be reunited for New Year's Day. I hope many practitioners' families will be able to celebrate the New Year together this year!

I wish Master Happy New Year!

I wish all fellow practitioners and their families Happy New Year!

January 20, 2006

Posting date: 2/4/2006
Original article date: 2/3/2006
Category: Eyewitness Accounts
Translated on 1/29/2006
Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2006/1/21/119109.html

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