(Bengbu, Anhui Province – 11/20/2024) On November 18, 2024, during the first day of the public trial of four Christians from Bengbu Living Stone Reformed Church – Wan Changchun, Xue Shaoqiang, Cao Binting, and Wan Chunqin – who were charged with “fraud”, the wives and children of the four church co-workers were unable to enter the courtroom. The seats in the public gallery were filled with strangers from outside the church that were allowed to enter the courtroom.
Despite the winter temperatures in Bengbu dropping to only 7-8 degrees Celsius this morning, Pastor Wan Changchun’s wife You Xiulin, Xue Shaoqiang’s wife Liu Xunzhen, Cao Binting’s wife Ma Peipei, and Wan Chunqin’s son Chen Wanguo and daughter arrived early at the Bengbu People’s Court, hoping to testify as witnesses but were rejected by the court. Many church members who arrived early to apply for court attendance were also denied. Wan Changchun’s elderly parents, who traveled from out of town hoping to attend their son’s trial, were blocked outside the court. The three wives submitted witness applications both in the morning and afternoon but were rejected, and their phone calls went unanswered.
According to the three wives, two-thirds of the seats in the public gallery were occupied in advance, with the court arranging for many strangers from outside the church to be seated early. Some approved family members found themselves seated between strangers. Some attendees didn’t even know what case they were there for.
The three wives attempted to communicate with the court staff. You Xiulin said:
“The trial has started, and we want to know how the court is conducting a fair trial. As wives, we don’t know what our husbands are going through. We tried to find the court leadership, but no one responded. We’re being given the runaround, running up and down floors, and we’re still not allowed to go inside. No one here is solving our problems. So, we ask brothers and sisters to pray for us. Our hearts are very heavy right now.”
After one year and seven months of separation, the family members and church members expressed their longing to see their loved ones in detention. They hoped to enter the courtroom and asked for prayers from fellow believers. Several family members held banners outside the court saying, “We miss you” and “We wait for you to come home,” but were stopped by police.
You Xiulin said,
“Our family members have been wrongfully imprisoned for their faith for one year and seven months now. Christian offerings are made in accordance with God’s teaching, and it is not fraud. They shouldn’t be persecuted for their faith. Whatever happens, we firmly believe our husbands are innocent, they are blameless, and our faith is not a crime!”
“We are the wives and children of the indicted church members of the Bengbu Living Stone Reformed Church, we miss them a lot.” (And then the family members were interrupted by the court staff.)
“Now that they have gone to the court, we want the court to conduct a fair trial. We as the wives do not have any idea of what kind of treatment that our husbands are being put through inside the court. We went to the management team and staffs of the court, and no one has responded to us. We went everywhere at the court, and we are still rejected entry to the trial. There is no one here to solve our problems, so we ask our brothers and sisters to please pray for us, we are very sad at the moment.”
“It’s the first day of the Bengbu Living Stone Reformed Church trial; it is now the afternoon, and we three family members are still not allowed to go into the courtroom. We want to be witnesses, but the court wouldn’t let us. Two-thirds of the seats in the court session are filled with strangers, and some attendees do not even know what case they are attending. Our husbands have been in detention for a year and seven months because of their faith. Offerings are in accordance with God’s instructions; it is not fraud. Holding faith should not be treated with death and persecution. We firmly believe that our husbands are innocent. Having faith is not a crime!”
(Reported by Special Correspondent Ningmeng for ChinaAid)