In 2016, legislation was passed to expedite the approval process for churches in Egypt. Prior to this, congregations that had applied for registration encountered significant opposition over the years, and the construction of new worship facilities was often delayed. Since 2017, however, the committee responsible for reviewing the applications approved an average of approximately 475 churches each year.
In 2017, Pastor John Cao was arrested by Chinese authorities for allegedly "organizing illegal border crossings." Sentenced to seven years in prison, he was finally freed in March 2024. Following his release, Pastor John hoped to reunite with his wife and two children in the United States, where he holds permanent residency. However, Chinese authorities have withheld the church leader's passport, forcing him to remain in China. (For more details, see our previously published report.)
