Sixteen Yuan — A Witness to a Change of Heart

One day a community cleaning worker came to my apartment and wanted to give me 16 yuan (approximately £1.30). Puzzled, I asked him why, since we hardly knew each other.

He explained, "Someone else has lost this money and I picked it up. I know you are a good person. Probably you don’t remember it anymore, but a few years ago, you and others handed me some materials clarifying the facts about Falun Gong, and my wife, who has also read a lot of the materials, told me many stories about how good Falun Dafa is. I didn’t think much of it at first, and then I realised the real distinction between good and evil, right and wrong. Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is the criteria. Isn’t that obvious? Whoever opposes this principle is a bad guy. You Falun Gong practitioners try to be good people by observing this principle of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. How can you be considered wrong and in violation of the law? I am clear about everything now. This society has degenerated and has been destroyed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). People all over China are suffering the consequences. The CCP is in the habit of telling lies and fooling its people. Now they accuse Falun Gong practitioners of committing suicide. We don’t believe what the party says and feel you are treated unjustly. This is what I think: good people are being persecuted, and it’s a nationwide suppression. That only proves that this Communist Party is wicked and this government is no good anymore. Their followers are guilty, too. I believe all of them will be punished by Heaven someday. I am really worried for those who don’t know the truth. I hope they will stop going along and doing bad deeds."

Seeing him become more emotional, I cut in. "Please calm down and talk slowly. I am truly happy for you. You now know the truth. Did you know that more people learning the truth means more people will be saved?"

He continued, "I used to care a lot about money. Your behaviour enabled me to understand a truth, and that is, where there is a gain, there is a loss. I want to follow you Falun Gong practitioners as examples. You have said that one’s body will feel light when one does not care too much about wealth and fame." He paused a moment, turned his eyes to the money in his hands, and then said, "This is not a big amount, but I think you will need it. Besides, it’s not my money. Please take it." With that, he lowered his voice. "All members in my family took your advice and say ‘Falun Gong is good. Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good’ to themselves. The whole family has changed so much for the better!"

As he turned to leave, he did not forget to conclude, "I will practise Falun Gong too in my next life." I watched him as he left and said to myself, "It’s not too late to start now."