I am Yang Qiyu, a 48–year- old woman. I only received primary school education. I was born in Dujun City of Guizhou Province and married a man from Maoming City of Guangdong Province. I am responsible for farming and my husband is an honest construction worker. My husband and I have three sons. Two of our sons work as migrant workers and the other one studies in school. We used to live a harmonious and happy life.
I believed in a cult and began to tell a pack of lies.
In September 2011, I went back to Guizhou to visit my aged mother. One day, I met my childhood friend Zhang Li in the free market. Zhang told me, “doomsday is approaching in 2012. Only through believing in the Church of Almighty God and yelling out ‘God’ and ‘Almighty God’, can you be saved.” At that time, I was skeptical. However, because of my trust and her incitement, I joined the Church of Almighty God.
Thinking of doomsday, I, who only received primary education, began to read all the books related to Church of Almighty God, hoping to obtain “rescue and safety”. I strictly followed the teachings from the Church of Almighty God and made up information. I made up two names for myself: “Huang Yahua” and “Huang Yaling”. Also, I told others that my parents and husband had already died and that I only had one son but I did not know his whereabouts.
After returning to Maoming, I ran around every day to evangelize and persuade others to believe in the Church of Almighty God. I attended the gatherings and no longer cared for my family so as to avoid being replaced. However, pain in my back and waist all disappeared. Gradually, I thought: The Church of Almighty God is the only true religion. Only through believing in Church of Almighty God, can I be saved. I firmly believed that the Almighty God had almighty power. Also, I ignored the persuasion of family members. I no longer cared for my family and was devoted to the Church of Almighty God, wholeheartedly.
I was obsessed with practicing and lost my love for my family.
On June 2012, my eldest son who worked in Hubei felt ill and suffered severe pain in his stomach. After being examined in the hospital, he was diagnosed with cirrhosis and needed to receive an operation, otherwise, his life would be endangered. Hearing this news, I did not feel upset and nervous. I did not plan to care for him, or even give a phone call to ask whether he had received treatment or not. Instead, I thought it was his fate and did not need to offer any help or money!
On December 21st, 2012, the so-called doomsday, I stayed at home to avoid the disaster. I held a book from the Church of Almighty God to recite and prayed for the protection of the “female Christ”. I did not eat, drink or sleep. Also, I did not dare to go outside. I kneeled at home for a day and a night. I chuckled to myself when the doomsday passed. I thought it was my sincerity that had touched “God”.
I was trapped and used up all the family savings.
With my continuous efforts, in March 2013, I was promoted to be a small leader “kalbi” responsible for over 20 followers’ studies. For a person who only received a primary school education, I felt greatly honored and thought: “the higher the level is, the faster I will be saved.” I was even more dedicated to the Church of Almighty God. Also, out of my own will, I used almost 400 yuan every month to rent a room with my own savings to organize the gatherings and educate the followers. I, whose life was already not very rich, used family savings secretly and donated up to 12,000 yuan to the Church of Almighty God.
Since then, my husband and sons hardly saw me, and I did no cooking or washing. Seeing the messy family, my husband became angry and shouted to me: “I don’t know why you believe in it! You cannot make money or even use our own money to support it! If you continue to believe in this cult, I’ll divorce you!” My sons who received higher education also opposed me, especially my eldest son. He said to me determinedly: “If you continue to believe in this cult, I will break off ties with you!” However, I never shook my faith. The followers of the Church of Almighty God always said, “Divorcing and breaking up ties are just tests”. Therefore, words like his could not affect me.
I woke up and rebuilt my home.
Later, with the help of anti-cult volunteers, I recognize the nature of the Church of Almighty God and came to know their evil actions. I think I was so ignorant for believing in the Church of Almighty God. My mother and husband are still alive, but I lied that they had died. How evil and hypocritical I was! The doomsday passed and I deceived myself that I had obtained help from the Almighty God. I did not hesitate even when my son wanted to break up our ties! Also, when my son was ill, I would not care for him. Instead, I used my family savings for “sacrifice” and almost lost my affection for my family members. How regretful I am for believing in the Church of Almighty God!
A recent photo of Yang Qiyu
(Executive editor: YUN Shan)
