10/21/2020 China (International Christian Concern) – ICC reported on October 10 that Yunnan pastor Wang Hai and his parents have been missing for over two months, based on a WeChat post allegedly shared by his wife.
However, Radio Free Asia (RFA) was able to get in touch with Pastor Wang Hai on October 19 and learned about what really happened to him and his family.
According to RFA’s interview with Pastor Wang, since this July, his family and him have been threatened and harassed repeatedly by the local authorities in Yongshan County, Zhaotong City.
The church founded by his father, Trinity Church, is located in Liujing village, Lianfeng township and under harsh living conditions, with no access to electricity, roads, or water. In July, his parents went to negotiate with the village committee with the hope to improve their living conditions, but in turn they became victims of persecution.
“When they were reflecting our difficulties at the village committee, they were sprayed with toxic liquid, which made my mom sick for more than three months. After that, they surrounded my parents and arrested them,” said Pastor Wang.
“Not only that, they also secretly, especially at night, arrested our pastor and elders, dispersing my family members. My parents and my brothers are all missing right now,” he added.
When the authorities tried to arrest him in Zhaotong, he happened to be outside so was not captured. He saw that the situation was serious and decided to appeal to local leader in the province. Pastor Wang has yet to be arrested, but he is living in fear every day.
Due to the lack of leaders thanks to the oppression, his church only has one preacher left at the moment. The attendance dropped from around 100 worshippers to only a few attending every Sunday.
Wang believes that his family and church are being persecuted and oppressed for they are ethnic Miao Christians. “Because we are the Miao minority, and we also all attend the same church, that is why we as pastors and elders are facing this oppression, differential treatment, and injustice,” Wang said.
For interviews, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: press@persecution.org.
