An Open Thank-You Letter from Attorney Gao Zhisheng to both human and God

China Aid Association
After CAA released the news about the Chinese government’s persecution regarding the well-known human rights attorney, Gao Zhisheng, he  received numerous phone calls and emails from all over the world. On November 6 alone, Mr. Gao received phone calls from 20 Chinese house church leaders tearfully encouraging him and his family. He was told that more than 100 million Chinese Christians will be praying for him continiously. Mr. Gao issued an open letter in Chinese thanking God and men for the love and care shown to him and his family at this difficult time.
“We thank all people of faith for the deep love and care shown to Mr. Gao and his family,” said Bob Fu, “We ask you to continue to pray for them and all who are still experiencing this kind of persecution.”
(Midland, Texas (China Aid Association)—November 9, 2005). China Aid Association publishes an open letter of thanks entitled ” I, Gao Zhicheng, thank people and God for their love, care and support during the crisis.”  This association appeals to people of conscience from all walks of life to continue to show concern for the family of Attorney Gao and the fate of other attorneys of Chengzhi Law Office who are threatened and attacked.
Bob Fu
Former lecturer of Beijing Administrative College
Pastor of Chinese household church
Ph.D. candidate of Westminster Seminary
November 9, 2005, Midland, Texas, USA
“I, Gao Zhicheng, thank people and God for their love, care and support during the crisis.”
Gao Zhicheng
The open brutal persecution by some people from Beijing Municipal Bureau of Justice against me and my law office has gone into the fourth day.  Soon after I came back from a defense appearance for Professor Yichun Zheng, the famous freelance and liberal writer illegally detained on charges of making a speech, I got a call from the Bureau of Justice that they wanted to have a talk with me.  I had intended to write an open letter today on the brutalities committed by some people from the Bureau of Justice that reflect the working style of Mr. Hu Jintao and Mr. Wen Jiabao.  However, my time as an attorney left by the power abusers is now numbered in minutes and seconds.  In this remaining time, I’ll try my best to do as many things as possible that I can do only in the capacity as an attorney.  Therefore, I temporarily gave up the idea of writing this open letter.  At a time when I’m about to go to Chenjiashan in Tongchuan, Shaanxi and give my support to the family of the dead and at a time when my assistant is hurriedly going to Guangzhou for the illegally detained Mr. Guo Feixiong, I sit down here to write about the gratitude of me and my family.
In the three days since Beijing Municipal Bureau of Justice began to persecute me brutally, the scale and the range of the support I and my family have received from the civilized societies all over the world make us both grateful and apprehensive. In my motherland of China, the support we got through numerous phone calls, short messages and letters from all places except Qinghai and Tibet, fill my whole family with gratefulness and warmth.  On the 6th of the month, no less than 20 leaders of house churches from all over China have called me to express their care and support for me and my family.  In the phone calls from the house church leaders and numerous ordinary believers, one thing they share in common is they were all sobbing and protesting the persecution by the reactionary forces in the Bureau of Justice.  They told me that on this day, nearly one hundred million Christians were praying for me.  A Ms. Wu from Guangxi told me in a surprisingly peaceful tone: “Attorney Gao, when they crack down on you, they count on our having no rights and no strength, which is their last hope.  We are a group of senior teachers who have appealed to higher authorities for help for years.  We will support you with all our efforts.” Mr. Shangguan from Yichang, Hubei Province said: “I’m a state-level cadre.  Friends around me and I have been reading your articles and show concern to all what you are doing.  Don’t’ panic.  Only the continuous ignorance and madness can hasten their death.  We support you with all our efforts, including any type of support.”  A woman instructor from a police academy in Beijing was choked with sobs when she said: “Attorney Gao, the people in my office are all reading your articles.  When they learned you are being persecuted, all of us are worried.  Your safety is what makes us feel peaceful at heart.  What are they doing?  Though we are policemen, all of us dare to stand up to support you if there is a need.  If you have any financial problems, we are all willing to help you there.”This policewoman also asked me to take down her home number.  While I was writing this article, I got calls from people in Shandong, Sichuan and Liaoning to express their encouragement and support.
In the past two days, the phone calls I have got from fellow attorneys from every corner of the country came one after another.  When I was on a business trip to Shenyang this time, wherever I went, numerous fellow attorneys requested to see me.   The highway from Shenyang to Yingkou goes through Liaoyang.  The attorneys in this city waited on the highway just to see me in spite of the risk that I was being stalked by a police vehicle.  Some attorneys from Heilongjiang spent 24 hours in a tiring travel just to have 10 minutes with me.  When my colleagues in Tianjin heard the news, they said they must see me as soon as possible.  A group of people came to see me in several vehicles.  The support I get from the overseas civilized societies is beyond my imagination.  Every day, my wife and I get several dozens of calls from around the world.   About 200 Chinese groups in the United States signed a document appealing to the democratic governments and heads of state all over the world to show concern to what is happening in China.  Many residents of Hong Kong called me and said they would go to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights themselves and expose the brutality of the Chinese authorities.  The concern shown by the international media is unprecedented.  Almost all the major media entities in the world have published articles in support of me.  I,  Gao Zhicheng, have only done what an attorney and a citizen should do in China.  Yet, I have won so much love from all over the world, which I and my family will never forget.
Yesterday is the 10th day we the partners in Chengzhi Law Office have submitted our application of change to the Chongwen District Bureau of Justice.  It was also the 10th time we the staff members have dealt with them.  Chief Xiao from Attorney Administration Section at Chongwen District Bureau of Justice openly committed an act of thuggery by saying: “We just don’t approve it.  That’s it.  Even if you have submitted the materials, it means nothing.  This is the order from Beijing Municipal Bureau of Justice.  We don’t process anything from Chengzhi Law Office and we’d like to see what you can do.”  Today is the 11th day, but they still refuse to approve for no good reasons.  This morning, some of our staff members found that a group of cadres from the Bureau of Justice always stayed at the door of our office.  They yelled at the door: “We want to talk to Gao Zhicheng.” They waited there and wouldn’t leave.
I really have a lot to say here.  However, for the sake of time, let me conclude this article of mine with what a gentleman from Yunnan said in his phone call: “Attorney Gao, I’m from Yunnan.  I have been reading your articles and many people around me are praising you.  You must stand firm and be strong.  Your safety is the reason why many of us want to live.  All of us are praying for your safety.  If you are willing, I want to let my 2-year-old daughter say “Wish you peace.”  How’s that?  When I heard “Wish you peace” from the 2-year-old whose name is “Guoguo” and who tried hard to say these words, tears came down my cheek.
Beijing, November 8, 2005
Show concern to Gao Zhicheng.  Let’s work hard together!
Table of Contents
Gao Zhicheng: my civilian mother
Go back home to see mother with Attorney Gao Zhicheng
A China ruled by law needs the conscience and sense of responsibility of the law professionals in China— an open letter to the Chinese delegates to the World Law Conference
The survival of a law office tests the rule of law and the conscience of China—Defending Attorney Gao Zhicheng
Reported by Bob Fu
Former lecturer of Beijing Administrative College
Former pastor of the Chinese household church
Currently Ph.D. candidate at Westminster Theological Seminary
Midland, Texas, USA