Landlord terminates lease of Early Rain family

Shu Qiong, congregant of Early Rain (Photo ChinaAid source)

(Chengdu, China) On the afternoon of September 30, 2022, Christians from Early Rain Covenant Church received eviction notices. Their landlord terminated the lease early without providing a suitable explanation.

The husband of Shu Qiong—a Christian attending Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu— received a phone call from the sub-district staff who required that their family move out as soon as possible. Shu Qiong also received the landlord’s message that evening, which stated that they can’t renew the lease and are required to move out before the lease is up. The breach penalty and rent would be refunded, however. Shu Qiong asked why the lease was terminated early, but the landlord did not give a straight answer, saying that the home had some issues. Shu asked him if he was threatened, but the landlord denied it. Shu Qiong also received the landlord’s message that evening, which stated that they can’t renew the lease and are required to move out before the lease is up. The breach penalty and rent would be refunded, however. Shu Qiong asked why the lease was terminated early, but the landlord did not give a straight answer, saying that the home had some issues. Shu asked him if he was threatened, but the landlord denied it.

 

Shu Qiong said that they would not move out until the lease was up, she didn’t break the lease or laws. According to her, the only reason was that the government publicly persecutes Christians. If she broke any laws, the sub-district and Bureau of Public Security should arrest her instead of using eviction.  

 

Shu told the landlord, “You are also under pressure in this matter, for which I am very sorry. I only ask God to remember your grievances. I can understand the pressure you are under. It would indeed be quite tempting if I could take your breach of contract and find another house and sign a high one, as if not only would it be no loss to me, but I would easily be able to make some money. But I am a Christian, and although I am poor, so poor that I need to rent a house and be driven around, I still know that it is not pleasing to God to covet unjust money in this way.”  

  

She shared the gospel with the landlord, telling him that she wouldn’t meet the landlord’s two requests based on two reasons. First, she wouldn’t fear or hide while facing these malicious people because the God she believes in is greater than anything else in the world, not because she is bold and brave. God abhors evil, so she hates evil as well.  

 

Second, God gave the landlord a conscience even though he does not believe that he is God’s creature. She has no idea what pressure he endured, but she hated to see that the landlord was involved in this malice. Shu was not afraid of trouble and could go through the judicial process for the sake of everyone’s conscience. 

 

On September 18, 2022, Shu Qiong’s father passed away in Chengdu. Police disrupted the memorial service, and many congregants’ homes were watched in advance. 

 

Shu posted on her WeChat: 

 

My father’s funeral drew a lot of attention from the Chengdu police. Thank God. It doesn’t look good from the human perspective, but God is good and uses my father’s funeral to preach the good news which descends from Heaven that nobody could stop. Praise the Lord!  

 

 

~Yu Bing, ChinaAid Association Contributing Reporter 

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Landlord terminates lease of Early Rain family

Shu Qiong, congregant of Early Rain (Photo ChinaAid source)

(Chengdu, China) On the afternoon of September 30, 2022, Christians from Early Rain Covenant Church received eviction notices. Their landlord terminated the lease early without providing a suitable explanation.

The husband of Shu Qiong—a Christian attending Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu— received a phone call from the sub-district staff who required that their family move out as soon as possible. Shu Qiong also received the landlord’s message that evening, which stated that they can’t renew the lease and are required to move out before the lease is up. The breach penalty and rent would be refunded, however. Shu Qiong asked why the lease was terminated early, but the landlord did not give a straight answer, saying that the home had some issues. Shu asked him if he was threatened, but the landlord denied it. Shu Qiong also received the landlord’s message that evening, which stated that they can’t renew the lease and are required to move out before the lease is up. The breach penalty and rent would be refunded, however. Shu Qiong asked why the lease was terminated early, but the landlord did not give a straight answer, saying that the home had some issues. Shu asked him if he was threatened, but the landlord denied it.

 

Shu Qiong said that they would not move out until the lease was up, she didn’t break the lease or laws. According to her, the only reason was that the government publicly persecutes Christians. If she broke any laws, the sub-district and Bureau of Public Security should arrest her instead of using eviction.  

 

Shu told the landlord, “You are also under pressure in this matter, for which I am very sorry. I only ask God to remember your grievances. I can understand the pressure you are under. It would indeed be quite tempting if I could take your breach of contract and find another house and sign a high one, as if not only would it be no loss to me, but I would easily be able to make some money. But I am a Christian, and although I am poor, so poor that I need to rent a house and be driven around, I still know that it is not pleasing to God to covet unjust money in this way.”  

  

She shared the gospel with the landlord, telling him that she wouldn’t meet the landlord’s two requests based on two reasons. First, she wouldn’t fear or hide while facing these malicious people because the God she believes in is greater than anything else in the world, not because she is bold and brave. God abhors evil, so she hates evil as well.  

 

Second, God gave the landlord a conscience even though he does not believe that he is God’s creature. She has no idea what pressure he endured, but she hated to see that the landlord was involved in this malice. Shu was not afraid of trouble and could go through the judicial process for the sake of everyone’s conscience. 

 

On September 18, 2022, Shu Qiong’s father passed away in Chengdu. Police disrupted the memorial service, and many congregants’ homes were watched in advance. 

 

Shu posted on her WeChat: 

 

My father’s funeral drew a lot of attention from the Chengdu police. Thank God. It doesn’t look good from the human perspective, but God is good and uses my father’s funeral to preach the good news which descends from Heaven that nobody could stop. Praise the Lord!  

 

 

~Yu Bing, ChinaAid Association Contributing Reporter 

News
Read more ChinaAid stories
Click Here
Write
Send encouraging letters to prisoners
Click Here
Previous slide
Next slide

Send your support

Fight for religious freedom in China

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