(Anhui – August 6, 2025) On August 4, 2025, Xu Chao, wife of Pastor Zhang Sen of Maizhong Reformed Church in Fuyang, Anhui Province, released a prayer request letter. The letter revealed that her husband had been criminally detained on July 9 for his faith. 

In the letter, Xu Chao questioned that despite Article 36 of the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China clearly stipulating that citizens enjoy freedom of religion, her family and church had been subjected to religious persecution by authorities since 2021. She listed a series of harassment, including surveillance cameras installed at the door of their residence, GPS trackers placed on their vehicles, and listening and tracking devices planted in their computers and phones. 

Xu Chao stated that the church had attempted to file complaints to government departments, but all materials were refused. She questioned: “Who exactly is breaking the law?” She also noted that her children had suffered severe psychological trauma from witnessing the long-term persecution their family endured. The children asked in confusion: “Aren’t the police supposed to protect us? Why did they beat Dad? Why did they lock Dad up?” 

The letter detailed several perplexing incidents: 

• Security equipment stolen: In March 2024, community personnel removed the security devices installed at the door of her residence without informing her. When she reported it to the police, they replied that it was for “case handling needs.” Xu Chao questioned whether the community had the authority to handle cases and whether “case handling” could override the law. 
• Water and electricity cut off: In July of this year, the family’s electricity was cut off without notice, causing all the food in the refrigerator to spoil. Xu Chao questioned who gave these individuals the right to do so and suspected that “someone was backing them” and allowing them to break the law blatantly. 
• Absurd reason for detention: The letter revealed that in March 2024, Pastor Zhang Sen was administratively detained for 15 days on the grounds of “praying without prior reporting.” Xu Chao pointed out that prayer is a daily right of Christians, and no law stipulates that prayer must be reported. 

In the letter, Xu Chao expressed her anger and helplessness over her husband’s detention, while showing steadfast faith. She quoted Psalm 27:13: “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” She viewed her family’s ordeal as a “play” for the angels and the world, praying that the Lord would use them so that justice and glory might be revealed through the plight of the church and her husband. 

Xu Chao linked her and her husband’s suffering to the suffering of Christ, learning obedience through hardship. She said: “I look up to the Lord who was born in a manger for me, who walked to the cross for me, who rose from the dead for me, and I sigh, weep, and am comforted daily in His grace. He is the Lord who works all things together for good. May His will be done in my husband, in me, and in our children.” 

Finally, Xu Chao earnestly asked brothers and sisters from all walks of life to pray for them to navigate through this difficult time. 

Fuyang Maizhong Reformed Church is a Presbyterian congregation that has consistently maintained a house church stance, refusing to join the government-controlled Three-Self Patriotic Movement. On June 29, 2025, the church’s Sunday worship was disrupted, and Pastor Chang Shun was taken by police and criminally detained on July 2. Pastor Zhang Sen was arrested on July 9 while visiting friends in another province, brought back to Fuyang, and has been held under criminal detention since then. 

(China Aid Association)