Wang Yi and his wife, Jiang Rong (Photo: ChinaAid source) |
(Chengdu, Sichuan
Province—November 1, 2021) Early Rain Covenant Church disclosed that Jiang Rong,
Pastor Wang Yi’s wife, visited Pastor Wang Yi recently. This is their first meeting in
over three years since Wang Yi’s arrest on December 9, 2018. Jiang reports that
Pastor Wang Yi is healthy, although he lost a lot of weight. Also, guards have allowed him to read in prison.
A few months
ago, news circulated online that Wang Yi was struggling in prison, and reports
from various sources said that officials banned Pastor Wang Yi from meeting with other prisoners except two hardened criminals. The prison forced him to eat moldy
rice for his meals, which expired in the past 10 years. Big provincial hospitals provided expired
and low-quality medicine for prescriptions, and unlicensed prisoners
administered medical treatment to their fellow inmates. These reports made
people, particularly Wang Yi’s family, worry about his health in prison.
Police blocked all news about Pastor Wang Yi since he was arrested in
2018. People know little about his situation. Only one photo and three poems
were released in the past three years. Plus, one paragraph he wrote on January
9, 2020:
“I would be as meek as a lamb if someone attacked me. I would be as brave as a lion if someone attacked the church. I am mute, I don’t open my mouth, for it is Jehovah who has done it. I commented authorities before out of love instead of hatred, nobody would believe that we don’t hold grudge while we mention authorities, however, my obedience during imprisonment can convince people that I love authorities.”
Pastor Wang
Yi’s family, including Jiang Rong, his child-Wang Shuya, and parents, have been
prohibited from contacting Early Rain. Officials continue
to surveil Jiang Rong 24- hours a day.
Pastor Wang
Yi’s family and Early Rain expressed their gratitude and encouragement from Jiang Rong’s recent
visit:
“Although we
know little about it, we believe that the Lord protects his servant in the
dark. May the Lord grant Pastor Wang Yi the opportunity to read Scripture and
write articles and let him intercede for churches but also ponder and write for
churches.”
Early Rain’s
persecution continued since Wang Yi’s arrest, escalating in recent months. Chengdu
police initially targeted Minister Wu Wuqing this year but recently turned their attention to Dai Zhichao and his small group “Tashui.”
In the past two weeks, police and plain-clothed officers harassed and detained Dai’s family several times. They continually lock the family out of their house by filling their keyhole with glue.
Yesterday, Dai's doorknob obstructed and painted (Photo: ChinaAid source) |
Yesterday afternoon, the Dai couple took their child out for fun and returned to find the lock obstructed once again. Authorities continue to use illegal approaches to force them to move out.
Shu Qiong's tires slashed during her detainment (Photo: ChinaAid source) |
Police beat and threatened Shu Qiong, a member of Tashui, three different times. They recently broke into her new house illegally after she moved. She hosted a few children to study with her son, but authorities intended to frame her for illegally running a private school. They assaulted Shu Qiong’s family and arrested her for nearly 24 hours. After her release, someone slashed the tires of her car.
Yesterday, Shu caught two plain-clothed officers sneaking up to her front door, trying to peek inside.
Dai Zhichao wrote the poem "Examine Souls" on October 31, the 504th anniversary of the Reformation. In his poem, he responds to the rising persecution in Chengdu:
Examine
Souls
Within 24
hours
Power was
shut off three times
I ran
downstairs to turn it on
Learned not
to be angry anymore
Know that
someone cares for us.
Opened the
lock twice
Used fire
the 1st time
Steel wire
the other time
Which is
like clearing ears
Christians’
locks
Seem to be
tempered thoroughly
Christians’
peephole
Has to be
painted and sprayed multiple times
It is good
news
Indicating
that some people fear
God has
witnessed everything, though
These dark
souls
Need mercy
So I am
patient
Work on it
solemnly
Which is
like examining souls
ChinaAid Media Team
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