According to the Cardinal Kung Foundation, on July 30, police in Zhangjiakou, Hebei arrested Yao Liang (82), auxiliary bishop of the Xiwanzi diocese. On August 1, Father Li Huisheng (33), from the same diocese, was also arrested. The next day, a petition was presented to the authorities calling for the immediate release of Yao and Li. Police responded by deploying 500 officers and arresting approximately ninety people. Two of the church members were seriously injured and a pregnant woman miscarried as a result of the violence suffered in the arrests. At last report, twenty of those arrested remained in custody.
In an unrelated incident, China Aid Association reported on August 3 that a Sunday School teacher's training course was raided by security police in Huainan City, Anhui on July 27. Under the pretext that the Christians were disturbing the peace, police swarmed the house, searched every corner and carried away some church equipment. The ninety children who were present were released after registering their names. The forty adults were held until early the next morning. Pastor Li Lizhong (40) and Cai Yili (38) were each given fifteen days of administrative custody without having any charges laid against them.
Pray that the peace of God will rule in the hearts and minds of those arrested (Philippians 4:7). Pray for the healing of those injured.
For more information on the persecution of Christians in China, click here.
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