Ten-Year-Old Jiarui's Hope

Ten-year-old Zhang Jiarui is at First Middle School. The school is affiliated with the Daqing City Oil and Chemistry Co. Jiarui is a very levelheaded child.

One winter, when little Jiarui was six years old and in the first grade, Jiarui's Mum ran a fever of 39.8 Celsius (103.6 Fahrenheit). She was only semi-conscious. She was unable to leave the bed all day long until late into the night. Jiarui went hungry that day, as there was no one to make something for him to eat. After his mother regained consciousness, it was already 9 p.m. His mother needed medicine. Therefore, the six-year-old gathered all the coins and cash he could find at home and went to get the medicine. He walked in the dark night. It was cold and he was scared and hungry. During the year of his mother's poor health, when she was unable to make food for Jiarui, he taught himself to cook simple food.

Zhang Jiarui missing his dad

Jiarui's dad is Zhang Bin. Zhang Bin is 38 years old and was employed at the Third Chemistry Factory of the Daqing City Oil and Chemistry Co. In December 2004, Zhang Bin was arrested for practising Falun Gong, and is currently detained at Suihua Forced Labour Camp. Zhang Bin was tortured and forced to watch videos slandering Falun Gong. His palms and the bottoms of his feet were burned and injured from electric shocks.

Young Jiarui put all the hopes and feelings he held in his heart in a letter he wrote: "I hope kindhearted people will help me rescue my daddy, so he can return home. I want daddy!"

Zhang Bin grew up in a very caring family and was spoiled. He lacked the basic skills to take care of his daily needs. He was used to be waited on and helped by others. He never had any consideration for others. On the day when his wife gave birth and had a Caesarean section, he played games with his friends until midnight and then ran to the hospital to see his wife. He also was addicted to smoking and drinking, His health was deteriorating and he became physically very weak. In 1997, his wife Cheng Qinglan divorced him. Jiarui was one year old at the time and custody was awarded to Zhang Bin.

In early 1998, Zhang Bin started practising Falun Dafa, which changed his life. Within a short period of time he quit smoking and drinking. He became very healthy, and became a very considerate person. He did very good work, took care of his son Jiarui and turned his life around.

In July 1999, the persecution of Falun Gong started. Zhang Bin went to Beijing to appeal to the government for an end to the persecution and to tell people the truth about Falun Dafa. Therefore, he was persecuted. In late 1999, Zhang Bin was detained for one month in a detention centre. In 2000 he was sent to Daqing Forced Labour Camp for one year. In 2000, his workplace terminated his work contract. After his release, the police harassed Zhang Bin. He and his son Jiarui became homeless, moving from place to place.

After several years with Zhang Bin, it was time for little Jiarui to start school. Because Zhang Bin was unable to take care of Jiarui due to the persecution, and he couldn't help Jiarui with his schoolwork, Jiarui's mother Cheng Qinglan took over responsibility for Jiarui. Jiarui's mother is not in good health and she could become an invalid at any time. She has heart disease, kidney stones, and suffers from dizziness, low blood sugar and other health problems. Jiarui's school demands a very high tuition, but his mom doesn't have a job. Mother and son lead a very difficult life.

Jiarui's Mum has a very strong character. She doesn't like to accept help from others, including her relatives. She does her best to take care of Jiarui. Jiarui has a strong sense of self-respect. He did not want to accept food from others if he was not able to give anything in return. So he'd rather stay home eat instant noodles than eat at his grandmother's home. It took a long time for relatives to talk Jiarui into changing his mind.

Little Jiarui was harassed at school. One day, after noticing that Jiarui's lips were injured and swollen, his mother cried and asked about what had happened. With tears in his eyes, Jiarui told his mom that because he did not study well, his teacher scolded him and humiliated him by saying, "Your Dad became a fool after practising Falun Gong. You are just like your father, a fool." Then, the teacher pushed and shoved little Jiarui. Jiarui stumbled and hit his head on the podium, and injured his lips.

Zhang Bin was living an unsteady life due to the persecution. But he tried his best to take care of his son. During holidays or on Jiarui's birthday, Zhang Bin always bought some gifts and visited Jiarui. On one of Jiarui's birthdays, the police suspected that Zhang Bin would visit his son. They hoped to arrest him. Zhang Bin suspected that the police would try to arrest him and therefore asked other people to deliver the birthday cake for Jiarui.

Once after visiting Jiarui, Zhang Bin was very upset and cried. He noticed that to take care of little Jiarui, his former wife slept only three to four hours every day. Her health was deteriorating. Jiarui became depressed and lost weight, and he did not do well in school. He became the last one of his class. Zhang Bin carried the hardship his family suffered in his heart. At the same time, though his own financial situation was very difficult, he supported Jiarui and his mother both financially and materially.

Related phone numbers:

Administration Bureau of Heilongjiang Province Forced Labour System
Address: Hanguang Street, Nangang District, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province, postal code: 150080
Phone: 86-451-6334371, 86-451-86334371
Chief of the Bureau of Heilongjiang Province Forced Labour System, Zhang Zhian: 86-451-82726600 (daytime: 86-451-82726608), 86-451-86245607 (evening)

Police:

Yang Bo: the most responsible perpetrator in Heilongjiang Province in the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners 86-13089960004 (Cell)
Gao Zhonghai: former education director for detained Falun Gong practitioners' team of Suihua Forced Labour Camp 86-455-8323562

Chinese version available at http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2005/9/26/111252.html