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China

• Imprisoned Underground Bishop Dies

  Bishop John Han Dingxian Photo fromAsiaNews

  Bishop John Han Dingxian (71), an underground Chinese bishop who was repeatedly detained for his faith since 1960 and who was placed in solitary confinement in an unknown location for the past two years, died on September 9. His remains were cremated and buried that night. Though he had been ill, the Cardinal Kung Foundation questioned the haste behind the cremation and burial and called it "suspicious."

  Thank the Lord for the faithful service of Bishop Dingxian. Pray that those who mourn for him will find comfort in the fact that those who die in Christ will be raised with Him (1 Corinthians 15:50-58). Pray that other imprisoned Christians in China will know that there are those who remember them and who are willing to stand with them as they suffer for Christ.

  For more information facing Christians in China, visitChina's Country Report

• Recent Update from China

  Father Jiang Sunian, one of two underground priests arrested in late September 2006 and charged with making "illegal exits" when returning from China to Europe (read more), was released on August 24. Since his release, he has been diagnosed with several cardiac health issues.

  For more information facing Chinese Christians, visitChina's Country Report.

• House Church Leaders Detained

  Eight house church leaders were detained in late August, according to an August 24 report from China Aid Association.

  One church leader was arrested and two others were injured during a raid of a house church during a worship service on August 19 in Jianhu, Jiangsu. This church was previously attacked in early July while hosting a children's Bible school program.

  On August 21, seven church leaders were detained from a house church meeting in the village of Leizhiwa, Inner Mongolia. Four pastors from Liaoning province, Qin Tao (29), Wang Cong (34), Wang Shengjun (34), and Wang Youjun (47), and three Christian women leaders from Inner Mongolia were taken to the local Public Security Bureau office. At last report, all were still in detention.

  Pray that these church leaders will be released. Pray that God will give them opportunities in prison to share the Gospel for which they suffer (Colossians 4:2-3). Pray that the Lord will continue to raise up church leaders to serve congregations whose pastors have been detained.

  For more information on persecution in China, visitChina's Country Report.

• Please Write to Shuang Shuying “I was in prison, and you visited me….”
  
  The Voice of the Martyrs is asking that Christians from around the world pray for and write to Christian prisoner, Shuang Shuying, a 77-year-old woman who was sentenced to two years imprisonment by the Beijing Chongwen District People's Court on February 26, 2007. She was sentenced on charges of "willfully damaging private property." She and her son, Hua Huiqi, were attacked by police and arrested on January 24, 2007. Hua was released on July 26. Shuang suffers from a heart problem and diabetes.

  Please write a letter or card of encouragement to this dear sister. An attractive Christian greeting card would probably be especially cherished. Express your Christian love and mention you are praying for her (then do!). If you want to make your letter even more personal and special, you may want to include a snapshot of yourself, your family or your prayer group.

  Please do not send the letters to The Voice of the Martyrs Canada for mailing. The letters are more effective when the officials see persons have sent them from many different parts of our nation. Do not criticize the Chinese government or discuss politics and do not include your mailing address (you may state your name and country). Please do not mention The Voice of the Martyrs or any other source of information.

  You may write Shuang Shuying at:

  Shuang Shuying
  No. 3 Run He Xiang, Huifeng Street, Tiantang He Qing Feng Road,
  Daxing District,
  Beijing
  People’s Republic of China

  If you can write in Chinese, you may write to:

  北京市大兴区天堂河庆丰路汇丰街润荷巷3号

  Thank you for ministering to Sister Shuang Shuying in this vital way.
  
  For more information regarding Chinese Christians, visitChina's Country Report.

• Church Leader Released, Others Still Detained

  Hua Huiqi, just after his release Photo fromChina Aid Association

  Hua Huiqi, a Beijing house church leader, was released on July 26 after serving six months in prison, according to China Aid Association. Hua was detained on January 26 and formally charged on June 4 (follow links here for more details).

  Last week's Persecution & Prayer Alert reported on the detention of fifteen Chinese Christians
  (click here for more details). CAA reports that eleven of them have been released following international pressure. The four from Inner Mongolia remain incarcerated.

  Praise God for those who have been released. Continue to pray for strength and courage for those who are being held in prison because of their faith in Christ. Please remember to pray for Hua's mother, Shuang Shuying (77) who remains in prison and in poor health.

  For more information on the persecution facing Chinese Christians, readChina's Country Report.

• Four Priests Arrested Three Catholic priests who had been in hiding in Inner Mongolia were located by Chinese security police on July 24 and arrested for refusing to join the government-approved Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association, according to the Cardinal Kung Foundation. The three, Liang Aijun (35), Wang Zhong (41) and Gao Jinbao (34) were initially locked in an iron cage and were not allowed to speak or given water. They have since been transferred to an undisclosed location.

  Earlier in July, another priest, Cui Tai (50) was also arrested after he was involved in a minor traffic accident in Hebei. He is being held in the Zhuolu County detention centre. Cui has also refused to join the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association.

  Pray that those in custody will recognize the presence of Christ with them. Pray that they will stand firm in their resolve in the face of pressure to compromise their convictions.

  For more information on persecution in China, visitChina's Country Report.

• Fifteen Church Leaders Arrested A total of fifteen church leaders were arrested in three separate incidents in the first two weeks of July, according to a July 19 report from China Aid Association.

  On July 10, Pastor Lu Jiangxiang was arrested by members of the Public Security Bureau (PSB) on allegations of involvement in "illegal religious activities" at his house in Qiaotou, Mingguang County. He was given no legal papers for his arrest.

  At approximately 4:00 p.m. on July 11, PSB members along with the Committee of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement and the police arrested and assaulted church leaders while they were conducting a children's Bible school at the Zhongzhuang House Church in Jianhu City, Jiangsu Province. Ten Christians were arrested, including the church's pastor, Pastor Zeng Zhengliang. Two Christians were hospitalized for their injuries.

  At 11:30 a.m. on July 14, four church leaders were arrested by PSB members at the home of Pastor Fu Pengtu in the city of Wuhai, in the autonomous region of Inner Mongolia. No legal papers were provided for the arrests. The names of those arrested were: Gao Chinxia (Pastor Fu's wife), Xie Yanan, Pastor Liu Yukang and Chen Bingui.

  Pray for the release of these Christians. Pray that they will stand firm in their faith while in prison. Ask God to continue to bring forth more Christian church leaders to guide those whose leaders are imprisoned (Luke 21:13-15).

  For more information on the persecution facing Christians in China, visitChina's Country Report.

• Pastors Released on Probation

  The Voice of the Martyrs has learned that Pastor Zhou Jieming and Pastor Niu Wenbin, two church leaders detained in Shanxi province on June 9 and accused of involvement in an "evil cult" (click here for details), were released on parole that same evening. According to a July 13 report from China Aid Association (CAA), both men are restricted from traveling outside of their hometown and they have to report to the PSB office periodically.

   For more information on the persecution of Christians in China, go to the China Country Report.

• Updates from Shandong and Shanxi

  Pastor Zhang Geming and Pastor Sun Qingqen, two of the six church leaders who were arrested during a church raid in Shandong province on June 15 (for more information, click here), have been sentenced to one year re-education through labour. According to a July 7 report from China Aid Association, both have been sent to a labour camp in Jining City to serve their sentence, which runs from June 29, 2007 to June 14, 2008. The four other detained church leaders were released after paying a fine of 10,000 yuans ($1400 CAD).

  Six church leaders were arrested on June 9 while distributing literature in Jiaocheng county and were later released (click here for more). On June 29, they went to the local Public Security Bureau office for an official explanation for their arrest. Ms. Gao Qiuxiang (54) accompanied them. While at the PSB office, Gao was arrested and sentenced to ten days of administrative detention.

  For more information on the persecution of Christians in China, go to theChina Country Report.

• Hua Huiqi Secretly Sentenced

  Photo fromChina Aid

  Beijing house church activist Hua Huiqi, who was formally arrested in February (click here for more details), was secretly sentenced to six months in prison on June 4, according to a June 4 report from China Aid Association. Neither his wife nor his lawyer was allowed to attend the two-hour trial. Huiqi is expected to be released next month.

  To learn more on the persecution of Christians in China, go to theChina Country Report.