Praise from China
Beijing house church leader Hua Huiqi was released from prison on July 26th after being jailed for six months. Hua Huiqi and his 76-year-old mother, Shuang Shuying, were arrested in January after being attacked by seven police officers. The two were walking
near a 2008 Olympic hotel site in Beijing when they were kicked to the ground and then taken to the Olympic police station for questioning. Shuang was sentenced to two years in prison, but is being held at a medical center because of deteriorating health.
Praise the Lord for Pastor Hua’s release. Continue to pray for his mother, Shuang, and for other brothers and sisters in Christ who will face escalating persecution ahead of the Olympics in 2008.
Mourning in India
Hemanta Das, a former Hindu who was converted to Christ, was beaten severely on June 28th by a Hindu fanatic group known as Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. He died from his injuries four days later. Hemanta, who was a member of the Guwahati Baptist Church, was declared as the first Assamese Christian martyr by the Council of Baptist Churches in Northeast India. Prior to the assault, Hemanta was warned by radical Hindu groups not to seek the conversion of others to Christianity.
Please pray for the Das Family and for the members of the Guwahati Baptist Church. Pray also for the murderers to come to repentance and faith and justice.
