(Hengyang, Hunan Province—June 21, 2021) On the morning of June 16, police seized Chen Wensheng, a Christian attending a house church in Hengyang, Hunan, and several others and transported them to the hospital for a physical exam and the Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT), a type of viral diagnostic test for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. An officer phoned families of those detained, notifying them that officials would detain their relatives for 5–10 days.
During the past few decades, police have seized Brother Chen more than 100 times. Nevertheless, Brother Chen reports he is willing to sacrifice himself for the gospel, for proclaiming the gospel on streets in China. He has even prepared himself mentally to be imprisoned and preach the gospel in prison.
- Hengyang Municipal State Security Department, and United Front Work Department officials called her.
- Xiao, one of the directors, called her multiple times, hoping that she could stop Brother Chen from proclaiming the gospel outside [on the streets].
- In addition, related department officials visited Brother Chen’s son and the school where his daughter-in-law works, threatening them.
- Officials warned his daughter-in-law that if Brother Chen continued to proclaim the gospel outside [publicly, on the streets] that not only would Chinese Communist Party (CCP) authorities remove her from public office, they would also bar Brother Chen’s granddaughter from taking the National Civil Servant Examination and teaching at school.
- Several State officials asked Brother Chen’s family members to persuade him to stop proclaiming the gospel in public.
Brother Chen said:
I am thankful that God lets me know from the Bible, “for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments” (Exodus 20: 5–6).
Those who love God and obey his commandments will be blessed for hundreds of generations. However, those love God must suffer and have a cross, because “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12).
Thank God for granting my family the opportunity to learn the lesson about the cross and suffering because of proclaiming the gospel… He will be responsible for this and hold us through it.
Glory be to God.
Hope you all pray for us.
On May 21, the Suining County Public Security Bureau issued a 15-day administrative detention charge of “disturbing the public order” to Brother Chen for proclaiming the gospel on the streets in Suining County, Shaoyang City. On June 5, at the end of 15 days, officials released Brother Chen . On June 15, 10 days later, he and other Christians from the Church boarded the light rail and headed to Wenzhou.
When Brother Chen and others proclaimed the gospel to passengers riding the train, some reported them to police. As a result, police officers arrested and detained the group at Wenzhou Guidao District Bureau of Public Security for a night. During the afternoon of June 16, police officers transported them to Wenzhou Detention Center.
Brother Shao, one of the Christians traveling with Brother Chen told police, “You do not have the right to detain us. We are the Lord Jesus’ servants. If He does not allow you to detain us, none of you can…” On June 16, after police transported the group to the hospital for the NAAT and a physical, they detained them for 5–10 days. While police prepared to transport the Brother Chen and the group to the detention center, they unexpectedly received a “Decision to Terminate Case Investigation” order from the Public Security Bureau.
When police received that “Decision to Terminate Case Investigation, they had to immediately release Brother Chen and others. Brother Chen posted on WeChat Moment:
Thank the Lord Jesus for intervening in this affair. Thank God for letting us wear the gospel T-shirt this morning while three police officers transported us [handcuffed] to the hospital and express train station. Today, while we took every opportunity to proclaim the gospel to others, many read the gospel account printed on our shirts.May God have mercy on the world and save more sinners.Amen….
Brother Chen said, “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel.”
During the afternoon of June 16, a male Christian from Wenzhou drove more than one hour to take Brother Chen and the others to dinner. Afterward, Christians drove Brother Chen’s group to homes where they bathed and rested.
Later, police officers forced them to board the express train.
When Brother Chen’s group arrived in Wenzhou, CCP authorities relentlessly phoned and harassed the Christian hosting them. State Security officers even visited his father’s place to search for Brother Chen. They also asked his older brother to phone him. The lead pastor of the hosting Christian’s parish called him, warning him of the potential serious results for hosting Brother Chen and the others.
When Bureau of Ethnic and Religious Affairs officials followed the hosting Christian to his parking spot, Brother Chen felt bad for getting others involved. The loving Christian host, however, touched Brother Chen’s heart as he insisted on providing food, lodging and travel for the group.
Yu Bing, ChinaAid Special Reporter
ChinaAid Media Team
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