Elderly Christian Prisoner Crippled for Evangelizing

31 March 2004

Chen Jingmao is a seventy-two year old South China Church leader, in prison since July 2001 for his ministry, including the "active recruitment of evil cult members." The main evidence of his "crime" was sending his granddaughter for Sunday School Teacher's training.

According to a March 29 report from China Aid, the imprisoned Chen was seriously beaten and crippled on February 6 as a punishment for leading fifty of his fellow inmates to faith in Jesus Christ. Both of his legs were broken and he must now be carried everywhere he goes.

"This news is heartbreaking," says Bob Fu, president of China Aid and China Analyst for VOM. "The sentence was unjustified, and the brutal beating illegal and inhumane, especially to a 72 year old man."

Pray for healing and strength for this elderly saint. Pray that his faith and love will continue to show to those around him.

Concerned readers are encouraged to politely express your concerns for Chen by writing the prison authority at Section 3, Sanxia (Three-Gorge) Prison, Wanzhou, Chongqing City, 404023. Letters of encouragement can also be sent to his relatives at Group 9, Gaofeng Village, Longjao Town, Yunyang County, Chongqing City, China.

For more information on the situation facing Christians in China, click here.

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.