300 Bibles Seized from American Christians By Chinese Officials

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By Jeremy Reynalds
Correspondent for ASSIST News Service

KUNMING, YUNNAN PROVINCE, CHINA (ANS) — A group of American Christians who had more than 300 Chinese Bibles confiscated by officials when they arrived in China is refusing to leave Kunming International Airport until they get the books back.

According to a news release from the China Aid Association (CAA), the four American Christians arrived at 3 p.m. Beijing Time from the U.S. via Thailand. Each carried about 75 to 80 study Bibles for Chinese pastors.

The names of the four are Pat Klein, 46, from Wyoming, Forrest Higginbotham, 78, from Indiana), Higginbotham’s grandson Stephen Constantinou, 15, from New Jersey and Steve Nichols, 60, from New York.

According to Klein, each of them was fined for 400 U.S. dollars for the overweight luggage with the Bibles. The Chinese customs officials told the four Americans that their all of their Bibles were confiscated as “illegal religious literature.”

“The Chinese leaders keep telling the world the Chinese people have religious freedom. To even prevent them from receiving Bibles certainly contradicts that claim,” the news release said Klein told CAA President Bob Fu in a telephone interview.

Klein’s Sheridan, Wyoming-based group Vision Beyond Borders distributes Bibles and Christian teaching materials around the world.

Chinese authority allows limited numbers of Bibles, and they are only available at officially sanctioned churches. The sale of Bibles is forbidden in public bookstores.

“I appeal to the Chinese government to release those confiscated Bibles to the four individuals who deeply care about the Chinese believers,” Fu said in the news release. “I urge the international Christian community to pray for the four courageous fellow brothers for their safety in China.”

Pastor Arrested and Escapes from Police Custody as President Bush Visits Staged Church Service

By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

BEIJING, CHINA (ANS) — As President Bush today (Sunday) visited and attended a service at the Three Self Patriotic Movement’s (TSPM)Kuanjie Church established by the government, a renowned Christian social activist in Beijing was arrested once again by the Chinese police, but has since eluded authorities.

According to Zhang Lujia, writing on behalf of China Aid Association (CAA), at about 6 a.m. this morning Beijing time, Brother Hua Huiqi, and his 51-year-old brother Hua Huilin were illegally arrested by the Chinese police on their way to Kuanjie Church.

Lujia says the two brothers were detained in the courtyard of Hong Kong New World Development Limited Company in the vicinity of Chongwen Gate of Beijing. At about noon, Hua Huiqi took an opportunity and fled. He is now at large.

More than 10 years ago, Hua Huiqi was baptized at Kuanjie Church. Later, he began to worship with believers in the House Churches. As the Olympic Games were scheduled to be held in Beijing, Hua Huiqi’s movements came under the surveillance of the Chinese police in the past few months. As a result, Brother Hua and his family had to go back to Kuanjie Church to attend the services.

Lujia says that because President Bush was scheduled to visit Kuanjie Church, Brother Hua Huiqi has been prohibited by the police to go there for services. However, Brother Hua thinks the police ban does not have any legal basis and is totally unreasonable. So he decided to refuse to obey.

This morning, Brother Hua Huiqi successfully evaded the police squad placed on surveilling his movements and met with his brother Hua Huilin. Together they then rode bikes through Beijing and were bound for Kuanjie Church. They were by arrested police at a location about 1.5 kilometers from the church.

High-ranking officials from the Public Security Bureau, Bureau of Security, Bureau of Religion and TSPM/China Christian Council met at Kuanjie Church established by the government and made ingenious arrangements for President Bush’s visit. They did not give the ordinary believers of the church a chance to meet President Bush or overseas media. Instead, ordinary believers were removed from church before and after President Bush’s visit.

Lujia says that informed sources have disclosed that a red slip of procedure for the worship ceremony was a mark for their identification. The red slips were distributed before noon Sunday. Most of people President Bush and the overseas media were due to meet in the church were security people, political workers and people trained by them to pose as believers.

Before the service, an ‘old believer’ who was baptized at Kuanjie Church nearly 20 years ago complained: “Whether you are a believer or not, no one is allowed to enter the church. When President Bush comes tomorrow, where can we do our Sunday service?”

Another believer who lives nearby Kuanjie Church joked: “President Bush is coming to preach the Gospel to those who don’t believe in the Lord (referring to those police officers and officials). We are already believers, so we certainly don’t have to come here tomorrow.”

After the church service, President Bush said: “Laura and I just had the great joy and privilege of worshiping here in Beijing, China. You know, it just goes to show that God is universal, and God is love, and no state, man or woman should fear the influence of loving religion.

“And I want to thank the pastor for his hospitality. And I want to thank this beautiful choir for singing Amazing Grace and Edelweiss. It was a touching moment. It’s been a joy to worship here. Again, I want to thank you, sir, and God bless you. God bless you.”

House Church in Baiyin, Gansu Province raided; Five people placed under Administrative Detention

By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

GANSU, CHINA ANS — Several police officials went to a meeting site of a house church at Honghui Coal Mine in Pingchuan District, Baiyin City, Gansu Province on the afternoon of June 24, 2008. They detained Mr. Wang Fayun, a co-worker in charge of this gathering site and two female members who were practicing on the piano.

China Aid Association CAA says that news came on the second day that Brother Wang was placed under 10 days of administrative detention and the two sisters were placed under three days of administrative detention.

On the afternoon of June 25, officials detained two more members, Mr Chen and his wife, at the same gathering site. Like the other detainees, Chen and his wife were sentenced to 10 days of administrative detention and fined 1,000 Yuan $145 USD. When contacted, Gansu authorities issued the following statement concerning the case:

“These people are suspected of engaging in cult activities and undermining public security. According to our information, this church is a house church based on a pure belief and has had public gatherings for three years in the local area.”

China Aid says: “Across China, authorities continue to defy the law in similar ways and label their victims with groundless charges. We implore brothers and sisters to pray for the innocent Christians of ours.”

China Aid Association appeals at the same time to the relevant authorities in Gansu to release these innocent Christians immediately and assume the responsibility of state compensation for the losses they have suffered.