Li Xiaojuan (pseudonym), born in 1986, was a mother of two and became obsessed with the Church of Almighty God for more than ten years. She once lived in escapism, neglected her family and immersed herself in the so-called “church” activities until she was eventually detained during a police operation. Even after arrested, Xiaojuan remained stubbornly attached to the cult.. Through the efforts of anti-cult volunteers who appealed to her emotions and reason, provided in-depth analysis and detailed explanations, she gradually came to recognize the true nature and dangers of the the Church of Almighty God. Thanks to the relentless efforts of the volunteers, Xiaojuan break free from the cult’s grip, allowing her to return to her family and reclaim the life that was rightfully hers.

Repeated Business Failures, Marital Discord, and Falling Prey to the Cult’s Manipulation

Xiaojuan was born in a remote rural village in northern Anhui Province, China. Her parents were farmers, and she had many sisters. The family held a strong preference for boys over girls, and as a result, Xiaojuan dropped out of school at a young age to help her parents with farm work.

Hoping to improve her family's situation, she left home to work in southern China once she reached adulthood. During this time, she met Da Song, a fellow Anhui native, and the two fell in love.

After getting married, they soon had their first child. Hoping to provide a better life for their growing family and ensure their child’s proper upbringing and education, they decided to return to their hometown and run a small business.

Back in Anhui, they took on odd jobs while searching for opportunities. They eventually discovered that pig farming could be profitable and decided to rent a pig farm. Through painstaking effort, their pig farm finally began to operate. . Although it was exhausting, they were able to make a living.

For several years, life seemed stable. However, disaster struck when an outbreak of swine fever wiped out their livestock, causing them not only to lose all their investment but also to fall into debt—owing hundreds of thousands of yuan.

Around the same time, their second child was born, the baby was diagnosed with congenital heart disease. With no choice but to give up their pig farm, they had to juggle working to repay their debts while also seeking medical treatment for their baby.

The bad things come in succession, Xiaojuan was diagnosed with tuberculosis and had to stay home to recover.

 This meant the already debt-ridden family lost another source of income while medical expenses piled up. The heavy burden of life and the mounting pressure led Xiaojuan's husband to develop bad habits like smoking and drinking.

Given her illness, Xiaojuan was particularly sensitive to the smell of smoke, which led to frequent arguments—sometimes escalating into physical altercations. Their once harmonious marriage was rapidly unraveling, with divorce often brought up in heated fights. The emotional turmoil pushed Xiaojuan to the brink.

Around 2013, Xiaojuan was lured into the Church of Almighty God. Members convinced her that belief in the “God” would heal her daughter’s heart condition, mend her marriage, and bring a better life.

Xiaojuan began to participate in daily gatherings with other followers, where they “studied the scriptures" and shared their experiences. The temporary relief from reality made her believe she had found solace.

Thus, she placed her faith entirely in the cult and gradually became ensnared in its web, unable to extricate herself.

Blind Devotion to the Church of Almighty God: A Life of Absolute Submission

After 2013, under the Church’s instructions, Xiaojuan rented an apartment in a nearby county to serve as a “reception home” for its members who had abandoned their families to “serve full-time duty”.

A few months later, she was assigned to the cult’s “propaganda team” where she helped draft so-called “testimony” articles and other written materials.

Even when she was gravely ill, the Church of Almighty God never allowed her to rest, claiming it was a “test from God” and a “refinement of her loyalty”.

Encouraged by such rhetoric, Xiaojuan continued to “fulfill her duty” in the propaganda team while attempting to recuperate .Later,  the Church of Almighty God ordered her to turn her rented house into another “reception home” and, in April 2022, reassigned her to spread the cult’s so-called gospel.

From then on, she devoted herself entirely to spreading the cult’s doctrine across various townships, tirelessly shuttling in the county regardless of the season or weather.

Whenever the cult issued an order, she obeyed without hesitation. In the process of “spreading the Gospel”, she was reprimanded by the cult for failing to produce “results”. She didn't even dare to visit her parents, for “God” had decreed that she would be “evading her duty”—a sin that would mark her as a “wrongdoer.”

Xiaojuan endured immense physical and psychological suffering, yet she dared not question anything.

Brainwashed by the Church of Almighty God, she believed that her sacrifices were acts of virtue, bringing blessings to her children and salvation to others. She never realized that she was propagating a destructive cult and endangering others .

Awakening from Darkness: Deliverance of the Self

In September 2023, Xiaojuan was arrested. Even at that moment, she still believed she had done nothing wrong, insisting that she was simply “doing good deeds and practicing kindness”.

Considering her psychological state, family background, and living conditions, the government enlisted professional anti-cult volunteers to help her.

Through systematic lessons, they exposed the true nature of the Church of Almighty God as a cult, helping her re-evaluate society and the country’s development from multiple perspectives—including traditional Chinese culture and ordinary heroes in times of crisis.

Slowly, the fog of deception lifted. In her reflections, she wrote: "Cults make people give up their work and family, demand money, and force them to abandon their kinship. This is wrong." She also wrote: "The Church of Almighty God kept me from going home, controlled my mind, and brainwashed me with absurd doctrines. I feel exhausted in my heart. I hate my own ignorance and naivety. I mistakenly regarded Yang Xiangbin and Zhao Weishan as ‘gods’. I can no longer be deluded. I want to spend the rest of my life with my parents, children, and husband."

Once Xiaojuan returned home, the local government took proactive steps to help her reintegrate into society. With continuous support and care, she gradually regained confidence in life, rediscovered the warmth of society, and rekindled her love for her family.

Currently, Xiaojuan has secured a stable job and is working hard alongside her husband to change her destiny and improve their financial situation.

They plan to buy an apartment in the county town and rebuild the life they once lost. Deeply remorseful for neglecting her children’s education at critical moments, she is now fully committed to raising them with love and guidance, determined to provide them with a better future.

Now, Xiaojuan is resolved to expose the crimes and dangers of the Church of Almighty God. By sharing her personal experience, she hopes to help others escape the cult’s grip and return to a normal family life.