Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.
1 Pet 4:12-16
Some years ago I ran across a copy of the 30 June 1998 edition of the Hong He County Newspaper. Hong He (which means ‘Red River’) is a county in Yunnan Province, notorious for its hardline stance against Christians.
This article details the manner in which Christians have been persecuted there. It also illustrates the complexity of the situation in China. Although some areas in China are relatively free of government interference, in other areas, such as Hong He County, until a few years ago no churches were tolerated and the persecution of Christians was intense. I have translated the article and offer a few excerpts.
Our County’s Lawful Efforts to Punish Illegal Religious Activity in
Luo En Township Meet with Initial Success
In order to maintain public order … our county has adopted strong measures. … In recent years in various parts of our county, especially in the remote mountain regions inhabited by minority groups, a group of illegal religious organizations which violate the spirit of socialism and disrupt the construction of civilization have appeared. … The religious groups active in Luo En township have not received permission from the appropriate government department nor have they received the approval of recognized religious bodies. [Note: Christians tried to register their churches, but were denied.] A few lawless persons cloaked in religious garb and waving the banner of Christianity have, without authorization, established religious organizations and engaged in illegal religious activity. These people first seek to influence a family, then the members of the clan, and finally the extended family and their friends. They then reach out to influence the entire village and the outlying area. These methods have had a snowball effect and enabled them to form a network comprised of large groups, which meet together and which are also divided up into smaller groups. This network’s influence extends to six administrative villages in Luo En (Niang Zong, Duo Jiao, Cao Guo, Pu Mi, Ci Nong, and La Bo), including 22 natural villages. A total of 18 meeting points have been utilized by the 235 families and 425 people engaged in these illegal religious activities. …
At 2:00 am, early on the morning of the 13th, the work group [98 comrades] separated into three groups and boldly and powerfully launched their attack, rushing towards their prearranged objectives: the villages of Suo Ma, Yang Pu, and Tai An. Two believers in Suo Ma village, Li Hu Gan and Li Hu Liu, grabbed a knife and attempted to block the work group from carrying out their official business. These men were lawfully arrested. [Note: local believers indicate that the two men did not resist the officials once they realized they were government representatives.] At Yang Pu village in the home of the religious ringleader Chen Wen Qing, the work group discovered and seized over 20 illegal evangelistic books, including A Complete Bible (Old and New Testaments), The Three-Self According to Scripture, Hymns of Praise, and A Commentary on First Corinthians. The first phase of the enforcement work, meticulously directed by the county Communist Party Committee and government, dealt the ringleaders propagating religion a severe blow … [and] prepared the way for the next step. [End of article.]
Lord, I confess that I am weak and often lack courage. The very thought of persecution makes me shudder. And yet I know that persecution is a reality that many Christians around the world face daily. It is not something strange or unusual. It was the common experience of the early church and it is often experienced by believers in China and many other places in the world. Strengthen me so that if persecution comes, I might it embrace it gladly, knowing that I am so treated because I bear your name. And help me identify with and pray for my Christian brothers and sisters who are persecuted. I pray especially for the believers in Hong He County. I pray that you would bless and encourage them. Continue to strengthen them and give them boldness. Fill them with the hope that only you can give. I pray also that you might move the hearts of the government leaders there. Help them see your love and righteousness in the lives of the Christians that they mistreat. May these leaders repent, change their ways and turn to you.
