John Cao's Mother Granted Visitation

John Cao with his family.
John Cao with his mother (second from the right),
wife and two sons before his arrest.
Photo: ChinaAid

While John Cao, a Chinese pastor from North Carolina, was working along the border between China and Myanmar, he established 16 schools – providing education to more than 2,000 children. However, in 2017, the Chinese government accused him of "organizing illegal border crossings" between the two countries. In 2018, he was sentenced to seven years in prison, along with a fine (see this report).

One of the most difficult challenges facing Christian prisoners in China is being forced to endure prolonged periods of separation from their family members. In Pastor John's case, his elderly mother, Sun Jinhuan, had not been allowed to see him since the pandemic began in 2019. It was therefore with great joy that she was finally permitted to visit him in prison on February 7th. She reported that police officers treated her with special honour by ushering her near the front of the line and providing assistance as she climbed the stairs to the visitation area.

After meeting with her imprisoned son – a visit that she felt was far too short – the elderly saint was able to declare: "Today God helped me accomplish a huge thing. My heart is full of joy." During their time together, she gave Pastor John news of the family and passed along messages of support from many concerned believers around the world. Upon hearing these encouraging messages, Pastor John replied: "Please tell fellow brothers and sisters from all over the world that I am healthy. Please, don't worry about me."

Praise God that this elderly mother and her imprisoned son were finally able to joyfully meet! Pray that their family will experience continued strength, patience and enduring hope as they await Pastor John's release. God-willing, may this faithful Christian leader be able to reunite with his mother outside of the prison institution once he is released. In the meantime, may he seize every opportunity to boldly testify of Christ to prison officials and fellow prisoners during his incarceration. The same applies to the many other Christian prisoners who are presently detained throughout China. May God provide each one of them ongoing guidance, encouragement and perseverance so they will remain steadfast in their faith and ministry.

  • Current Ministry Projects

    The Voice of the Martyrs Canada continues to help distribute Bibles to Christians in the country, making it possible for them to have their own printed version of God's Word. Additionally, VOMC works with various mission partners to facilitate a Biblical understanding of persecution and discipleship, while presenting ways to effectively respond and minister within the context of hostility.

    Project Funds: Underground Church, Bible, Relief & Development

  • Country Information

    Population
    1,413,142,846 (2023 est.)

    Ethnicity (%)
    Han Chinese (91.1), ethnic minorities (8.9 - includes Zhang, Hui, Manchu, Uighur, Miao, Yi, Tujia, Tibetan, Mongol, Dong, Buyei, Yao, Bai, Korean, Hani, Li, Kazakh, Dai, and other nationalities) (2021 est.)

    Religion (%)
    Folk religion (21.9), Buddhist (18.2), Christian (5.1), Muslim (1.8), Hindu (< 0.1), Jewish (< 0.1), other (0.7 - includes Daoist [Taoist]), unaffiliated (52.1) (2021 est.)

    Leader
    President Xi Jinping (2013)

    Government type
    Communist party-led state

    Legal system
    Based on civil law system; influenced by Soviet and continental European civil law systems

    Sources: CIA World Factbook

  • Pray for China

    Pray that the Gospel will be proclaimed throughout China without government interference so many more names can be added to the Lamb's "Book of Life." May there also be a spirit of unity demonstrated among the country's growing churches, further strengthening existing believers and spurring them on in their ministry service and evangelistic outreach within the country's numerous communities.

China News

  • House Church Bible Study Gathering Raided
    Three police officers are browsing through a phone as a church member looks on.
    One of the church members being interrogated by police.
    Photo: ChinaAid

    Several Christians were gathered on the morning of August 22nd for a Bible study at the Beijing Holy Love Fellowship church when multiple police officers suddenly entered the facility. After demanding to see the believers' identification cards, the authorities recorded the personal details of all those who were present. At the time of publishing this report, no official statement or charges have been issued by the Beijing police.

  • Pastor Arrested for "Illegal Business Operations"
    Huang Yizi is speaking on the phone while in prison.
    Pastor Huang Yizi
    Photo: ChinaAid

    Pastor Huang Yizi, a prominent church leader in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, was informed on July 30th that he had been formally charged with "illegal business practices" relating to the distribution of sermon recordings. The Christian leader and several other church members were initially taken into custody on June 26th. At the time, the reason for their arrests was unclear. (A previously published report about the arrests is available here.) However, following the recent announcement of formal charges, further information has now come to light.

  • Detained Pastor's Family Faces Harassment
    Chang Shun is holding his little boy. Both are smiling.
    Pastor Chang Shun with one of his children.
    Photo: ChinaAid

    Since 2021, Pastor Chang Shun of the Maizhong Reformed Church in Fuyang City has encountered ongoing harassment from Chinese authorities. Unfortunately, all his appeals, in response to the multiple administrative detentions and fines he received over the years, have been unsuccessful. In 2023, Pastor Chang's church was officially banned by the government. Most recently, the harassed church leader was detained on June 29th during a raid by law enforcement officers. In this latest occurrence, he was taken into custody alongside Elder Ma Tao on suspicion of "organizing illegal gatherings." Several visiting friends and family members of Pastor Chang were also detained. Authorities forcibly relocated the visiting individuals, loading their belongings onto trucks and sending them back to their hometowns with strict orders not to return to Fuyang.