China: Nine House Church Leaders Sent to Labour Camps in Hubei
Oct 16 2007
Postings >> China

The families of nine house church leaders missing since August have just been told they have been sent to labour camps in Hubei.

One of the nine, 42-year-old Mrs Li Mei, has been tortured so badly that she is now in hospital needing a hysterectomy, 'with both hands chained to her bed'.

The pastors, who are from four different provinces, were arrested in July when security officials raided a worship meeting at a house church; they were charged with 'undermining' state laws by belonging to an 'evil cult'. The four male pastors have been sentenced to 18 months' hard labour, the women to 12 months.

They include a husband and wife, who have three school-age children, and two sisters. Qin Daomin, whose home was the venue for the worship meeting, is 'temporarily serving her sentence at home' because she has a two-year-old child, says China Aid.

China Aid also reports that Shuang Shuying, mother of Beijing house church activist Hua Huiqi, is 'dying in her cell' after being severely beaten. Huiqi, who was jailed for six months earlier this year, says that police frequently told him his mother would be released if he gave up his work. In a recent statement, he said his family have been harassed continually: large groups of police occupy the house, windows have been smashed, electricity cut off, the front door sealed. A powerful light is trained on his bedroom window. 'Now all my family has lost their freedom,' says Huiqi. 'Please pray for the Chinese police and ask God to soften their heart and pray for the early release of my mother.'

Act:

• You will find more details about the nine jailed house church leaders and how you can write to them and to the authorities on their behalf by visiting the Prisoners of Faith page on the RI website at www.releaseinternational.org/prisonersoffaith

Pray:

• Pray that God will have mercy over all His people who are suffering so terribly for His name's sake. Pray that international lobbying on their behalf will cause the Chinese authorities to relent of their current crackdown on Christians.