 |
     |
||
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
    |
|
|
|
 |
|||||
|
"This I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail." - Lam. 3:21-22 What was once unthinkable is now a reality. Prison is a stark reality for those in China who share the Gospel of Christ. We have listened to believers share horrific stories of intense interrogation, beatings, and torture; how they go without nourishment or comforts, and endure harsh temperatures and long hours of hard labor. Now, imagine the anguish you would feel if your young children were imprisoned because of your family's stand for Jesus Christ. What was once unthinkable is now a reality. A Dangerous Precedent Imprisoning children for their parents' faith may seem unimaginable, but it is a recent reality for Christians in China. While Christ followers have knowingly risked prison for themselves, they had little reason to fear their children's arrest...until now. It is the beginning of a new and dangerous threat to Christian families, as our friend Chang and her husband experienced. A Dark Day in China Chang endured an unspeakable agony when her 12-year-old twins were arrested and thrown into prison. On that terrifying day, Chang and her husband, along with a group of Christian pastors and leaders were meeting together to encourage each other and worship the Lord. Over 100 police raided their small gathering, arrested everyone, and transported them to prison. Unbeknownst to Chang, the police had proceeded from the meeting to Chang's home and arrested two of her three children. The 12-year-old twins were imprisoned, not for a personal act of sharing the Gospel, but simply because of their parents' faith in Jesus Christ. The Strength of a Mother's Love We can hardly imagine the mind-numbing shock that Chang must have suffered when she learned that her children were imprisoned as well. "No, not my children!" she agonized. "And who is caring for my little one? Where is my other child? Lord, help us!" To add to the cruelty, Chang and her children were not allowed to share the same cell. They had to face prison alone. While they were suffering under the cold brutality of the prison guards, the only motherly support Chang could provide were her intense petitions to the Lord for their release. Chang told us that her heart and mind were so focused in prayer that she hardly felt her daily beatings. She and her husband were forced to perform hard labor, 21 hours a day. Although she performed her duties well, her quota was increased almost every day. All the while, as her heart ached for her children, she placed her hope in the Lord and cried out to Him in prayer. A Flicker of Light Through WorldServe Ministries, God began to answer Chang's prayers and encourage her heart. After one month, she was allowed a visitor. This dear Christian sister told Chang that her remaining child was being financially cared for through funds sent from believers outside China. WorldServe was providing the means to sustain her child and praying for Chang, her husband, and all her children. Even though her suffering was not over, she rejoiced at this wonderful news. A Miracle of Hope She continued to persevere in prayer and the Lord sent her another miracle: a week after Chang's visit from her Christian sister, her twins were released to the care of family and friends. |
|
 |
|||
However, when the children arrived home to collect some belongings, more bad news awaited them. The police had taken everything they owned. All their simple furnishings, mattresses, pillows, and even their food were gone. Through the generosity of God's people, WorldServe provided basic necessities for Chang's family for over a year—the entire time that Chang and her husband were held in prison. The support from people like you delivered God's miracle of hope to Chang and her family. Currently Chang and her husband are continuing to serve the Lord full-time. Undaunted, they are laying everything on the line for Jesus Christ and trusting Him with their lives and the lives of their children. A Message from Our President As a traveling leader at WorldServe, I often have the privilege of meeting amazingly sacrificial people serving the Lord at a great personal cost. A few months ago, as I sat across from Chang, her story brought tears to my eyes and urgency to my heart as I realized the overwhelming impact our gifts had on her family. I was profoundly humbled that God would use people like you and me to sustain His people around the world. I rejoice that God allows us to join with Him and make a difference! I know this is what God has asked us to do: care for them and pray for them. Chang represents one of thousands of Christian families in China facing severe persecution. We may not be asked to offer up such a tremendous sacrifice, but we are not without duty to our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. We can show love to God by loving His children who are in need. Your gift of just $50 will enable a Chinese pastor and his family to survive for an entire month. We assist a minimum of 200 families every month, and over 1000 each year. We need your help; we can't help them without you. Please join with us and continue to fuel the greatest turning to Christ this nation has ever seen—nearly 1.4 billion souls! Donate $50 USD/$50 CDN to support one pastor's family for one month. |
|||||
| Return to Suffering Pastors overview |
|||||
 |
|||||
| Site Map | Privacy | |