Religious Liberty Prayer List - No. 202 - Wed 15 Jan 2003 --------------------------- CHINA: THE SPIRITUAL BATTLE --------------------------- China is presently a paradox. There is significant movement towards reform and yet there is also severe persecution. When China does truly open up and religious liberty becomes a reality, it will release an amazing, enormous mission force. Economic openness and engagement brought Christmas to the commercial centres of China, and with the government easing restrictions on the Communist-run 'Patriotic' Churches, last Christmas saw official churches in Beijing overflowing with the curious. The fields are ripe for harvest! In RLP 199 (10 Dec 2002) we asked God to bless the mid-December US-China Human Rights dialogue. Well, God did bless and significant breakthroughs were made. China has agreed to invite United Nations experts on torture and religious freedom, plus a representative from a UN working group on arbitrary detention, to visit the country. US representative Lorne Craner (for whom we prayed) was greatly encouraged, saying he believes China is serious about trying to improve its human rights record. The Chinese voices of reform are getting bolder and louder. In the January issue of 'China Chronicle', a leading political magazine in Beijing, an article by Li Rui (85) called for democratic reform within the Party and the nation. Li also wants rule of law to protect citizens from Communist Party officials who like to act above the law, and freedoms and rights to be expanded and respected. Li Rui was Mao Zedong's secretary in the late 1950s. Yet, amidst the debate and rhetoric, severe persecution continues. Reports come in continually of pastors being harassed, beaten, fined and tortured. According to Voice of the Martyrs, on 5 January some 10 unidentified men burst into the home of Brother Hua Huiqi and his wife, Ju Mei, in Beijing. The family was beaten, with Hua's 80-year-old father sustaining a broken leg. The police beat Hua when he reported the attack to them. All their heating has been confiscated in mid-winter - now minus 14 Celsius. Hua had been collecting clothing to help the poorer believers in rural areas. Compass Direct has a report from the New York-based Committee for Investigation on Persecution of Religion in China that documents prevalent suffering. Over three months in late 2002, 182 house church Christians from 24 widespread cities were detained, interrogated and fined, with many being tortured by police. PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY: * and praise God for his blessing on the US-China Human Rights dialogue. * for Brother Hua Huiqi in Beijing, his wife, Ju Mei, his father and all the family, to recover their health, strength and courage, and that their electricity and heaters will be restored to them quickly. * that all persecuted believers in China will know the love of the Father (Deut 33:27), assurance of salvation from the Son (1 Cor 15:58) and the continual presence and fellowship of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:20b), and thus be sustained and encouraged. * for God to soften hearts amongst the Communist leaders, especially the new leader Hu Jintao, and give them the courage and conviction to step boldly into reform. (Prov 21:1) Pray especially for religious liberty to become a reality in China. * for God to prepare the way for the election of a new government of his choice at the National People's Congress in March. SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE: ------------------------------------------------------------ THE SPIRITUAL BATTLE FOR CHINA China is presently a paradox. There is real movement towards reform but severe persecution persists. Li Rui, Mao Zedong's secretary through the late 1950s, is one of many significant Chinese voices calling for full democratic reform and respect for freedoms and human rights. Religious reform is on the agenda and the US-China Human Rights dialogue held in mid-December 2002 was very encouraging. However, severe persecution still plagues the Chinese house church movement. Because of house church activities, Brother Hua Huiqi of Beijing and his wife and family were recently seriously beaten and had all their heating confiscated - it is mid winter there and below zero Celsius. Monitors of persecution continue to report numerous incidents of detention, beatings, confiscation and destruction of property, and even the torture of believers by police. Please pray for religious liberty in China. ---------------------------------------------------- Previous RLPs may be viewed at http://www.evangelicalalliance.org.au/rlc/ If you downloaded this message from a website or it was forwarded to you, you may receive future editions by sending an empty e-mail to <> Please send this RLP to others, with attribution to World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) Religious Liberty Prayer List <> ---------------------------------------------------- The WEA Religious Liberty Commission sponsors this RL Prayer List to help individuals and groups pray specifically and regularly for religious liberty issues, and in particular to uphold the Church where it is suffering persecution. RL Prayer is moderated by Ron Clough, a commissioner of the WEA RLC and convenor of the Australian EA RLC. Elizabeth Kendal researched and authored this message.
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