CHINA: NINE CHURCH LEADERS SENTENCED TO RE-EDUCATION

The Voice of the Martyrs has learned that nine house church leaders who have been missing for nearly two months were given “re-education through labour” sentences ranging from 12 to 18 months in Hubei province on August 6. According to an October 4 report from China Aid Association, the nine were detained in on Jul y 15 when authorities found them holding a worship service at the home of church leader Ms. Qin Daomin.

The four men—Wang Caizhang (34) Ma Zhao (35), Yang Situan (39) and Du Dongliang (32)--were given an 18 month sentence. The five women—Hu Rong (42), Li Mei (42), Ren Xianxue (35), Qin Daofang (40) and her sister, Qin Daomin (33)--were sentenced to 12 months. The believers were sentenced for “engaging in and making use of an evil cult organization to undermine the enforcement of State laws.” The official sentencing document listed activities such as singing Christian hymns to villagers, showing the Jesus film in a nursing home and praying for a disabled elderly man as evidence of their “crime.” Qin Daomin is temporarily serving her sentence at home in order to care for her young child. Her father was severely beaten and sentenced to ten days administrative detention for hosting the Sunday worship service at his home. Li Mei has been serving her one-year sentence in a local hospital with both hands chained to her bed. She is in very poor health due to the repeated beatings and torture she sustained during the first month of her detention.Pray that these believers will rely on the Lord’s strength and not on their own as they are suffering for Him (2 Corinthians 1:8-9). Pray their persecutors will come to know Christ as Lord. Ask God to continue to bring forth church leaders to guide those churches whose leaders are imprisoned.