For Father’s Day – Dad, I Will Pick a Flower and Save it For You!

(photo credit: Henry Chan, NY)

亲爱的爸爸：

My Dear Dad:

一转眼的功夫，又是美国的父亲节了。大街小巷，电视网上全是温情脉脉的感恩和销售父亲节礼物的广告。 让我的心里一阵阵的感触，不经意的一晃，时间就把我从一个十八岁的小姑娘给催到了三十而立之年。同时还有的，就是那十年青春，您那十年的冤屈，在中共残酷镇压下的委屈和心酸。

Time has flown by. It’s another Father’s Day in America. There are kind regards and gift advertisements for fathers everywhere from street corners to the TV and Internet. However, my heart is not calm. In the blink of an eye, time rushes me from 18 year-old girl to an almost thirty-year-old woman. At the same time, I am grieving over the lost ten years we should have shared while you have been wrongfully imprisoned – this long, arduous sentence under the Chinese Communist Party’s brutal persecution.

最近我经常听到一些人讲，做一件事容易，一直坚持做这件事才是最难的。我对此也深有同感。不是因为您被抓了，十年后这件事情就随着时间的流逝而不再重要，没有新闻的新鲜感了。这十年来，您的坚持，对法轮功信仰的从一而终 -- 是我最最钦佩的。对于女儿来说，最难最难的是坚持我们的立场，无论在任何情况下都相信真理一定会有大白的一天。同时，看着中国的同胞被中共社会灌输着幼稚可笑的党文化，不知道法轮功的真相，也是我一定要继续努力的力量源泉之一。

Recently, many people have mentioned this to me that it’s easy to do one thing, but to do this one thing for a very long time is the hardest. I deeply agree with this point.  You were arrested 10 years ago; the importance of this event won’t fade away as time passes by. Your story would still be fresh as the newest news. For these past ten years, your persistence in your belief in Falun Gong is the most inspiring to me. For your daughter, the hardest among the hardships is to maintain a righteous standpoint, believing that under any kind of circumstance the truth would prevail in one day. At the same time, watching our fellow Chinese being force-fed with the ridiculously childish Chinese Communist Party Culture without knowing the truth of this evil persecution against Falun Gong is another major reason for me to continue on my journey.

不同以往的是，今年发生了我生命中很重要的事情，订婚和结婚了。人家都说，“男大当婚，女大当嫁”。因为一些具体的情况，订婚和结婚都是在如此的匆匆中一闪而过，就像梦中的烟花一样，几乎都没有时间伸手抓住什么，身心就又投入到忙碌的责任中了。

What differs this Father’s Day from others during the past is that something major happened in my life. I was engaged and then got married! There is an old Chinese saying: “Upon growing up, every male should take a wife and every female should take a husband”. Because of some special circumstances, the engagement and getting married seemed to happen in such a hurry. Everything happened like the fireworks in a dream. Then just as quickly we needed to refocus both mind and body back into the busy responsibilities of daily life.

家里的亲戚传来了消息，说当您听到我要结婚的消息时，非常的高兴，心中放心了许多。孰不知，我听到您很高兴的时候，眼泪真的就不争气的掉了下来。这份不能克制的心酸，好令人难受。还没有来得及告诉您我交往了男友，就已经听到了我的喜讯了。不知道您的心里除了高兴，还有没有遗憾呢？

Our family recently told me the news that when you heard that I am getting married, you were so happy for me. Your heart felt much relief. When I heard that you were truly happy for me, the tears started rolling down my cheeks uncontrollably.  I felt heartbroken and sad. I didn’t even get a chance to tell that I had a boyfriend in person, let alone getting married and now you have already heard my good news. Would there be any regrets hidden under your joy for me?

十年时间了，好漫长的岁月，最近有国内家人问起我的心里历程，我老老实实的告诉他们，怎么能不累呢? 但是为了您的自由，为了千千万万在大陆受迫害的同修，受欺骗的中国老百姓，再怎么累也是值得的。

Ten years, such long ten years. Recently someone asked me about my the course of growing up. I told them sincerely, “How can I not be tired? But to fight for my father’s freedom, for millions of Falun Gong practitioners persecuted in China, for all the fellow Chinese who have been deceived, it may be tiring, but it is more than worthwhile.

心中最大的遗憾，莫过于您不能亲自看到女儿的成长，不能牵着我的手，将我交付给我的先生，到时婚礼我会一个人走过礼堂的过道，因为在我心中，这一切是作为父亲的荣誉，没有第二人选。而且第一排的第一个座位专门一定留给您，我会放上一只花来代表您的缺席。在我生命的转折点，折一支鲜花留给您！

One of the biggest regrets for me is that you could not see your only daughter growing up in person, and couldn’t hold my hand and give me to my husband. When the formal wedding ceremony comes, I will walk down the aisle by myself because such honor could only be reserved for you as my dearest father, as there is no second candidate. I will reserve the first seat in the first row for you. On it, there will be a flower to represent your absence. At this turning point in my life, I will pick a fresh, beautiful flower and save it for you!

请照顾好自己，

爱你的女儿丹丹

Please take care of yourself,

Love you with all my heart,

Your Daughter: Dandan

June 19^th, 2009

Happy Father's Day!

A new video in honor of Zhiwen Wang on Father's Day




Please pass this on to your friends and family so more people can know Zhiwen's situation. Together we can end the persecution and bring him home!!


Thank you for your support.


Sincerely,
The Rescue Team

Your Daughter's Life

My Dearest Dad:

Within a couple of months, my life completely changed. Everything is so unpredictable. I got engaged and then --married!

I wish you were here to share my life and happiness with me. I only wished that you could have been there to put my hands into his. At this milestone in my life, I miss you as ever or more. I don't want you to miss the important moments of your only daughter's life. :(

During last call talking to the family, they said that you have known I got married. You were really happy for me. I instantly couldn't hold my tears anymore. I felt heart-wrenchingly sore. Your unselfish good wishes for me mean so so so much. And I can't even share this precious moment with you. But I will, one day, recall all the happy memories with you together.

My husband is a extremely nice guy who has always been supportive of you. Together, we try to tell people your story and Falun Gong. He is very eager to meet with you in the future. He thinks you are the best dad and a man of honor. As for me, I feel lucky to have you both in my life.

How is everything with you? With an age of almost approaching 60 years old. I want you to be able to breath in the free air. To be able to believe in "Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance". To not be forced to do labor everyday. Most of all, I want your name to be cleared and all the Dafa practitioners innocence proved!

Love you with all my heart,

Your daughter: Dandan

Wishing You Happiness During the Holidays!

Dad, I miss you so much! I am still doing my best to call for help for you and the many other practitioners in China. Someone mentioned to me recently: "Xiaodan, if your dad knew what you are doing at the moment, he would be really proud."

I spoke often about your story to others to awaken their kindness and conscience. But who would know how many hardships that I have to overcome throughout the entire course of my journey? I hope you are free, that is one of my three wishes on my last birthday.

With love,

Dandan

Happy 59th Birthday, Zhiwen Wang!

Make a Wish

Dear Zhiwen,

Today we honor you on your 59th birthday - the 9th birthday you have spent in prison. But today we do not look on the present in despair, we look at the past with joy and the future with hope.

Your reputation in China prior to July 20th, 1999 when the persecution against Falun Gong began was that of a great man constantly giving all of himself to help others. You devoted your time and energy unconditionally helping others. People liked your kind and calm demeanor. Your neighbors appreciated your hospitality and help around the home. You are a loving father and true gentlemen.

This day is your day. We only wish we could celebrate with you in person. You deserve so much more than cake and goodwill, you deserve your freedom more than anyone. We want you back in society and back in our lives. We need good people like you to light the candles of goodness.

Zhiwen, although you are not here, you are here in spirit. You have encouraged and inspired hundreds of good people to light their own candles and stand up for the belief in truth and all that is good. Next year may we cut cake together.


Wishing you all the best,
The Rescue Team

ps.

In Need of More Helping Hands

Dear Everyone:

During the past year, so much has been achieved. The Freemydad.org website has played a major role in raising awareness about my dad -- Zhiwen Wang -- and calling for the people around the world to rescue him and the other Falun Dafa practitioners being persecuted in China. The rescue team members also lended their hands and played an important role.

But I would like to ask more people to help in the rescue efforts. To be able to reach out to more people and different governments for my dad's safe return, we need more help.

Here, I sincerely hope that more people could lend a hand to help. Through only my team and myself, the resources and time are both very limited. It is simple enough to help. Just by passing on the website to your friends and family through email, or posting it on blogs and forums, we can increase the awareness and have more of an impact.

If you have other ideas, please post them in the comments here. Thank you so much everyone for your continued support.

Thanks ~

Your truly,

Danielle Wang

4,730,400 Minutes of Persecution and Torture

Dear Zhiwen,

July 20th, 1999 around 6a.m. marks exactly 9 years since you were illegally detained. 9 years you have been forbidden to contribute your great skills to society and physically be the loving father that you are.  People in your neighborhood all knew of your strong moral character and kindness to all. You were generous with money and generous with your belongings. You would sacrifice your lunch break to ride a bicycle back home to make lunch for your daughter every day.  We ask the Chinese Communist Party and your captors: Is this the kind of person you want in prison? Is this the kind of person you want to remove from society? In 9 years of persecution, has society become better because you imprison good people and torment their families? No. No. No.

Falun Gong practitioners have endured 9 years of persecution. 4,730,400 minutes of physical and mental torment and anguish. 

At rally in front of the White House, Danielle gave a speech for you and said, 

"Perhaps it is hard to comprehend the pain one can endure over such a long, agonizing time, where minutes feel like hours, trapped in a prison cell. Once a number reaches a certain point it becomes inconceivable. When it comes to the persecution of Falun Gong, it became inconceivable before it reached minute number 1 and another moment that it continues is a moment too long. My dad’s experience is only a miniature of the persecution of hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners."

Your daughter is strong, Zhiwen. Her strength comes from goodness, not from force. As other Falun Gong practitioners have done for 9 years, she peacefully appeals for your release. Not by venting anger, nor calling names, but by speaking the truth of the situation with compassion.  It is difficult to understand how someone with such trying conditions could possibly maintain a positive demeanor, but she has done it.

You have much to be proud of. You have led by example and raised your daughter well. Although you are detained, you continue to encourage people to step forward to help rescue you and end the persecution.

July 20th will forever be a day of infamy for the Chinese Communist Party -- the day it betrayed the Chinese people and attempted to snuff out this hope for a moral return. However, with the passing of 9 years, not only has Falun Gong continued to flourish, but also what is good and what is evil grows ever more apparent.  More and more people are realizing that Falun Gong is group of good people trying to live peaceful and healthy lives, and it is even brining back the traditional Chinese culture that was lost since the invasion of Communism in China.

We do not know how much you are able to hear about the outside world in prison, but perhaps you can feel the tide changing. We will continue to call for your release and righteous people will continue to step forward. It is only a matter of time before this persecution ends, but 9 years is already 9 years much too long.

We wish you all the very best and a speedy return to freedom where you belong.

Sincerely,

The Rescue Team