Pastor Zhang and family targeted by authorities in China
by Staff
November 1, 2008
(christiansunite.com) - Chinese authorities continue to target underground church leader Pastor Zhang "Bike" Mingxuan and his family. At noon on October 16, approximately 15 Public Security Bureau officials barged into the legally rented apartment of Pastor Zhang and his wife, Xie Fenglan, and began throwing their belongings out into the street. Xie Fenglan urgently phoned her oldest son, Zhang Jian, for help. He arrived to find authorities knocking his mother to the ground. When he tried to shield her from their blows, he was beaten with iron bars. His mother phoned for an ambulance, but was informed that a government-issued order forbade dispatching one for relatives of Pastor Zhang. She then phoned her other son, Zhang Chuang, for help. When he arrived, he too was beaten by the officials. A family friend eventually brought Jian to the hospital where he regained consciousness. He suffered a broken nose and may never regain sight in his right eye.
Jian left the hospital with Chuang because PSB officials were watching him. However, the brothers continued to be threatened by officials and were warned not to leave Chuang's apartment until a Chinese House Church Alliance celebration, scheduled for October 20 and organized by their father, was over.
Pastor Zhang, who was traveling at the time of the attack, has not been heard from and it is suspected that he has been detained by authorities. Police recently used garbage to block the entryway to the church building where Pastor Zhang preaches. Xie Fenglan was evicted from her home and at last report has been residing with another house church leader because authorities ordered hotels to refuse her shelter.
Pray for the Zhang family as they face many trials for their faith in Christ. Pray for an end to the crackdowns on Chinese Christians (2 Thessalonians 1:3-4).
For more information on the plight of Chinese Christians, visit www.persecution.net/china.htm.
