It was on June 4, 1989, when Chinese soldiers gunned down untold hundreds of nonviolent civilian protesters in the streets of Beijing – an event that shocked the world.
Chai Ling was commander-in-chief of the student protesters on that day in Tiananmen Square, and now she is telling the dramatic story of what happened in "A Heart for Freedom."
But her story only begins with her work that shocked the Chinese behemoth used to controlling its citizens' every move and thought, and stunned the world by revealing China's government's real agenda.
Her story leads to another level: her work today to save the lives of thousands of baby girls being killed – aborted – every day in China.
And that's what "A Heart for Freedom" describes.
She was on a path to success: a girl from a small fishing village now attending China's most prestigious university. But everything changed when the Chinese government cracked down on the student protesters in Tiananmen Square, killing hundreds of unarmed citizens. She became a fugitive, on the run from authorities who wanted her imprisoned.
Among the many snapshots of Tiananmen Square, Chai Ling relates the story of "a young student, dying of a gunshot wound, his face covered with blood, but still repeating as he lay on the ground, 'Persevere until the end, persevere until the very end ...'"
She eventually escaped to the U.S., earned two Ivy League degrees, found true love, and became a highly successful entrepreneur. But her desperate quest for freedom, purpose, and peace was never satisfied until she had an unexpected encounter with a formerly forbidden faith.
And her newfound passion for God led her to her life's greatest mission: fighting for the lives and rights of young girls in China.
In "A Heart for Freedom" Chai Ling calls China's one-child policy "gendercide."
Her "All Girls Allowed" organization now is dedicated to:
- Helping end gendercide – Educating families against female gendercide and easing the financial burden of having a baby girl.
- Educating abandoned girls – Providing scholarships for abandoned girls to receive primary, secondary, and post-secondary education.
- Rescuing trafficked children – Equipping parents to find their kidnapped children.
- Defending mothers – Supplying legal defense to victims of forced abortion or sterilization as well as those at risk.
"What was it like to be at the center of the Tiananmen democracy movement in Beijing in 1989? Chai Ling, who was the commander in chief of the students, tells the story in a gripping and moving way. She shares her insights into the student movement and the personal narrative of her dramatic escape from China and experience as an immigrant in the United States. If you want to read one book about China's student democracy movement and what happened to its activists, 'A Heart for Freedom' will keep you completely engrossed," said David Aikman, former Time magazine Beijing bureau chief and an eyewitness to the Tiananmen massacre.
