Chinese Authorities Lock Pastor, Family Inside Home And Block People From Visiting Them

A preacher from the heavily persecuted Early Rain Covenant Church (ERCC) in China who was been arrested several times since March is back in his own home, but continues to experience persecution at the hands of Chinese authorities. ERCC preacher Wu Wuqing, who was detained on March 26 and again on April 1, was able to return home but has been under some form of house arrest.

According to International Christian Concern, Chinese authorities have chained up the fire door outside Pastor Wu's home which leads to the elevator and staircase, preventing him and his family from going outside and prohibiting any visitors from coming to see him and the family. Pastor Wu's home was chained and watched by minders who at first allowed visitors to bring food, but on June 8, they began prohibiting visitors from entering Pastor Wu's home.

A couple of groups of visitors composed of mothers and children were informed about a new directive that forbids visitors from entering Pastor Wu's residence. Visitors would only be allowed to hand him and his family food through a door. Pastor Wu had called the police, who arrived at his home but refused to take action. Pastor Wu's wife then told them about the Ten Commandments and the source of the law, after which they left.

"The door was locked by our Heavenly Father. When it is time, it will be opened," the pastor's wife said to their church members. "We will pray for them every day: may the Lord gain their souls."

ERCC's Pastor Wu is no stranger to persecution at the hands of Chinese authorities as in April, he was arrested without a warrant. Police warned him that if he continued to serve at the church, he would face greater consequences.

But church leaders are not the only ones being persecuted by Chinese authorities. In April, they raided ERCC in Sichuan and captured seven church members and up to 12 children, Radio Free Asia reported. The raid was conducted during a study session run by the ERCC. The Christian members of the church were taken by Chinese authorities to the police station for questioning.

"Police from the Yongningjie police station in Wenjiang district took a group of children of church members to the police station, where they held them in the absence of their parents," church member Joseph Pan reported. "These actions on the part of the police were in serious contravention of the Chinese constitution"

According to the law, Chinese authorities can only detain children as long as they are accompanied by their parents. The children from ERCC were unaccompanied by their parents during their capture and detention, sparking outrage from church members. Pan said that Chinese authorities have "plummeted to a new moral low" with their recent actions.

"This is a clear violation of China's own constitution, and of the principle of religious freedom stipulated by international law, and enshrined in rights covenants and treaties," ChinaAid president Bob Fu decried the Chinese authorities' actions on the ERCC children and called for their immediate release.