Wife of Christian Prisoner Appeals to Christians Around the World to Pray

03 December 2003

^{Liu Fenggang}

As reported in the Persecution and Prayer Alert, Dr. Xu Yonghai, a prominent Christian psychiatrist was arrested in Beijing on November 9, 2003 and interrogated about the activities of Liu Fenggang, a house church leader who has been held by the PSB since October 13 (click here). VOM sources learned this week that Brother Liu has been moved from Beijing to Xiaoshan City in Zhejing Province, where Liu Fenggang is also being detained. Apparently, authorities are continuing to try to tie Xu together with Liu who has been falsely charged with revealing national secrets (click here for more information). Xu's wife was not informed of her husband's whereabouts by authorities and only learned of her husband's location through VOM sources this week. She has written an open letter to Christians around the world on her husband's behalf:

"Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord, the Church of Christ in the world. Peace to you in the Lord.

My husband, Dr. Xu Yonghai, is a Christian believer. He is a graduate of the medical school of the Beijing University and is now a doctor at Pingan Hospital. He has been a believer for many years. Since the day I met him until the day he was arrested, he has been spreading the gospel. Besides his professional job as a doctor, he dedicated most of his time to the Lord. He shares the gospel to everyone he knows and dedicated his only house (which is only 10 square metres in size) as a house church and by God's grace, many people have come to believe in the Lord in that house.

^{Dr. Xu Yonghai & Li Shanna in the remains of their house}

Every Sunday, brothers and sisters gather together at that house, praying, singing and having Bible studies. In order to prepare for church services, my husband often read the Bible and studied the Lord's lessons when he returned early on Sunday morning from his Saturday night shift without taking any rest. Though facing all types of persecution, yet he relied on Christ and our house church meetings persisted until the government forcibly destroyed our house.

My husband is a good believer and a good doctor. He has been bringing the love of our Lord Christ to anyone whom he has been able to encounter. He cares very much for everyone and is always busy interacting with ordinary people. Their difficulties became his difficulties. He was raised in an ordinary family and he was dedicated to serving ordinary people. Wherever there is injustice, you can find his shadow. He is a very fine social activist.

^{Dr. Xu Yonghai}

His arrest today is a great irony to the phenomenon of social injustice. I am convinced that my husband is innocent, having committed no crime. I call upon the Chinese government to release my husband. I plead to the brothers and sisters in the Lord to pray before the Lord on Brother Xu's behalf. Pray that the Lord will protect him with peace. Pray that he will come back home peacefully as soon as possible.

Emmanuel,

Li Shanna

November 27, 2003"

China

Current Ministry Projects
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada continues to help distribute Bibles to Christians in the country, making it possible for them to have their own printed version of God's Word. Additionally, VOMC works with various mission partners to facilitate a Biblical understanding of persecution and discipleship, while presenting ways to effectively respond and minister within the context of hostility.

Project Funds: Underground Church, Bible, Relief & Development
Country Information
Population
1,413,142,846 (2023 est.)

Ethnicity (%)
Han Chinese (91.1), ethnic minorities (8.9 - includes Zhang, Hui, Manchu, Uighur, Miao, Yi, Tujia, Tibetan, Mongol, Dong, Buyei, Yao, Bai, Korean, Hani, Li, Kazakh, Dai, and other nationalities) (2021 est.)

Religion (%)
Folk religion (21.9), Buddhist (18.2), Christian (5.1), Muslim (1.8), Hindu (< 0.1), Jewish (< 0.1), other (0.7 - includes Daoist [Taoist]), unaffiliated (52.1) (2021 est.)

Leader
President Xi Jinping (2013)

Government type
Communist party-led state

Legal system
Based on civil law system; influenced by Soviet and continental European civil law systems

Sources: CIA World Factbook
Pray for China
Pray that the Gospel will be proclaimed throughout China without government interference so many more names can be added to the Lamb's "Book of Life." May there also be a spirit of unity demonstrated among the country's growing churches, further strengthening existing believers and spurring them on in their ministry service and evangelistic outreach within the country's numerous communities.