Ahead of the Olympics starting August 8, authorities have "increased the pressure on the Chinese Church," said Netherlands-based Open Doors, an international group supporting Christians who reportedly face religious persecution around the world.
"Chinese Christians have asked us to pray that the pressure will decrease after the Olympic Games," explained Open Doors in a statement from its headquarters in the Dutch town of Ermelo.
Among those Christians supported by Open Doors is Pastor Zhang Rongliang, leader of the China for Christ house church movement, who was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years’ imprisonment in June 2006 for "illegally crossing the national border and fraudulently obtaining a passport."
SHORT VISITS
His wife, Chen Hongxian, said she was able to visit him once a month for 30 minutes in prison, located some two hours away from where she lives. In remarks published by Open Doors USA, the partner of the Dutch group, she said: "Sometimes I can not sleep, then I pray, and I can sleep."
However, "I have the feeling that my prayers are not strong enough; that they do not reach heaven. Therefore, I am so grateful that brothers and sisters (around the world) are praying for us. When I pray for my husband, I pray that he may be strong and that he may have peace in his heart."
Chen said that when she visited her husband in early April, he was doing relatively well and can walk again, but only short distances, as he still suffers from several chronic diseases, such as diabetes and high blood pressure. He suffered a stroke in July 2007 which paralyzed half his body, she said.
Authorities isolated him because his evangelising in prison resulted in too many new believers, Open Doors said. Other inmates allegedly risk punishment when they speak with him. “Last year a prisoner came to Christ shortly before he was executed. The prisoner wrote to his mother: "I am going to heaven to wait for you, so believe in Jesus."
MINISTRY HEART
Chen said her husband’s heart "is still with the ministry of the house church network. He said to me, ‘You can do anything to get me out, but under one condition — I will never leave China. My calling is here.’" She said she consider the times that her husband was in prison “just as a normal part of being" a Christian. "It is just carrying the cross, this is the price one has to pay as a Christian. I do not feel bad because my husband is in prison and my children can not stay at home because the authorities are after them. I do not feel like a widow."
Chen said that when her husband was sent to prison for the first time, some 30 years ago, she was not a Christian. But, "I was really touched by the care of brothers and sisters from the church. They brought me food and visited me during the Chinese New Year. Because of their witness, I also became a believer."
Chen said she hopes that with preparations for the Olympics underway, authorities may be willing to release her husband earlier. However authorities have demanded she comes with her children to a parole hearing. Open Doors said it fears officials are seeking her oldest son, who was elected into the leadership team of the house church network of Pastor Zhang.
EIGHT MINUTES
Open Doors in the Netherlands said it wants each Christian to pray for eight minute at different times of the day on August 8, and pledged to provide “actual prayer points” to those involved in the prayer action.
Last August Open Doors USA also launched a one-year countdown to the Summer Olympics called ‘One Minute/One Year/One Country’. "The goal of the campaign is to unite believers in the West to pray for their persecuted Chinese brothers and sisters in Christ."
English speaking Christians were advised to visit Web site www.OpenDoorsUSA
for the American prayer plan, or www.opendoors.nl for the Dutch, August 8, prayer action.
