Photo: ChinaAid
For many years, Gao Zhisheng was a bold advocate for persecuted religious communities in China. While serving as a lawyer representing various faith groups, he himself was frequently harassed and arrested. In 2005, Gao's law practice was shut down by the government after he publicly condemned the human rights violations that were being committed against practitioners of a religious movement known as Falun Gong.
About a year after his legal practice was forcibly barred, the advocating lawyer was arrested for the first time – leading to a long cycle of repeated disappearances, detentions and house arrests. During his imprisonments, Gao endured beatings, electrical shocks and other forms of torture. In the midst of his suffering, however, he came to understand the truth of God's Word and eventually placed his faith in Christ.
Gao was last seen on August 13th, 2017. For the past eight years, there has been no information about the Christian man's whereabouts. His wife, Geng He, along with their two children, initially fled to Thailand and were later (in 2009) brought by ChinaAid to the United States, where they continue to reside today. Geng He has repeatedly appealed to the Chinese government for news about her husband, but her pleas remain unanswered. "I just want to know if he is alive," she cried. For previously published information concerning the disappearance of this Christian lawyer, go to our country profile.
- Continue to lift up this courageous human rights lawyer before God's throne of grace, praying that news of his condition and whereabouts would soon come to light.
- With hopes that Gao has been kept safe throughout the years, pray that he would receive ongoing protection, strength and peace as he endures captivity.
- Also pray that Geng He and her children will be wonderfully comforted and sustained as they continue to await the hopeful return of their loved one.
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