(Yunnan province, China) According to a prayer request letter dated from the 19th from Dashanli in Nujiang, Wang Shunping, a millennial Christian of the Nu ethnic minority group, was criminally detained on August 17th by the Public Security Bureau of Fugong County, Nujiang Prefecture, Yunnan Province, on the grounds of “suspected activities in organizing and financing illegal gatherings.” Another Nu Christian, Nu Sangdeng, was detained on the same charges. A third Christian, San Luobo, was also taken into criminal detention (the alleged charges are still unknown). They are all being held at the Fugong County Detention Center. In addition, two unidentified female Christians, not local to the area, were also taken.
Their current situation is unknown. Itis is also uncertain whether they are all detained together.
On August 19, the family received Wang Shunping and Nu Sangdeng’s criminal detention notices. The charges for the others havenot been received yet.
Wang Shunping returned to his hometown after graduating from Yunnan Theological Seminary in 2014 and has been serving the church since then. He is pure in faith, gentle in character, and loves the Lord very much. Before being criminally detained, Wang Shunping tried his best to do his duty as a Christian–to love God and to love others. He taught the villagers in Fugong County music for free, such as the guitar and piano. The villagers spoke highly of Wang Shunping, and some villagers took the initiative to send their children to him to study. For all these teachings Wang Shunping did not take a penny.
The prayer request letter was sent by Wang Shunping’s sister Ni Lingli. The prayer request letter specifically mentioned:
…Wang Shunping only wants to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the duty of all Christians. I didn’t expect it to be a crime! I urge brothers and sisters who are moved to pray for Brother Wang Shunping, Brother Nusang Deng, Brother Sanluobo, and the other two sisters. We pray that the Lord will help them.
More than 100 years ago, the honored missionary Funengren and his co-workers spread the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the Nujiang Grand Canyon, making the Nujiang Grand Canyon a “Gospel Valley” where there is no need to lock the doors at night. The Lisu and Nu ethnic minority Christians living here are pure and kind.
~ Yu Bing, Special Correspondent of ChinaAid