Over 60 members of the Mayflower Church, an exiled Christian house church from Shenzhen, have received a great deal of support from churches in Texas. However, 10 more families from the church still require resettlement sponsors.
These Christians fear being returned to China and facing persecution for their faith. In response to this need, Deana Brown, the founder and CEO of Freedom Seekers International (FSI) teamed up with Bob Fu and ChinaAid to help resettle these Christians in the United States.
Texas Churches Unites to Help the Mayflower Church
Christian Post reports that Texas congregations have committed to funding the resettlement of 64 Christians from the Mayflower Church in China, a persecuted house church that fled to South Korea in 2019 but was turned away for sanctuary. East Texas churches, especially Southern Baptist congregations, have decided to support the persecuted members of Shenzhen Holy Reformed house church, also known as Mayflower Church, when 60 Chinese Christians, including 32 children, arrived in Jeju Island, South Korea, in 2019.
The church faced harassment and threats from authorities in China, prompting them to seek asylum in South Korea and later Thailand. They are now awaiting responses to their refugee applications submitted to the UN's refugee agency. The exiled Mayflower Church members received support from Texas churches, which assisted their resettlement in the United States. Mayflower comes from the English ship that carried Protestant separatists seeking religious freedom to the colonies in the 17th century.
Persecuted Mayflower Church Seeks Refuge
The Mayflower Church, formerly known as Shenzhen Holy Reformed, faced tremendous pressure from authorities in China after the pastor was interrogated about his overseas connections. According to ChinaAid, in 2019, church members voted to flee China after being threatened and questioned repeatedly by police.
They first sought refuge in South Korea but were denied and then moved to Thailand on tourist visas, which the Thai government did not extend. The church reported being harassed and threatened with kidnapping by Chinese agents while in Thailand.
They suspected that Chinese overseas national security personnel was filming them with mobile phones in restaurants. Eventually, the exiled Mayflower Church members received support from churches in Texas and are being resettled in the United States with the help of Freedom Seekers International and ChinaAid.
Also Read: China Stepped Up Persecution Of Christians In 2020, ChinaAid Report Reveals
Freedom Seekers International Aims To Encourage More of the Members of the Mayflower Church
Freedom Seekers International's CEO, Deana Brown, stated that Christians in the United States visited Thailand to encourage Mayflower Church members who Chinese agents have aborted. According to Baptist Standard, Brown highlighted that visiting Americans had provided the church members freedom of movement outside the "safety zone" where they were residing.
They can go shopping, go to necessary arrangements, and enjoy recreation without getting harassed. A weeklong ambassador trip to Thailand costs around $2,500, and 23 Americans have traveled to Thailand in the past eight months to encourage Mayflower Church members. The next trip to Thailand is planned for April, and participants will hand-deliver letters of encouragement to the Mayflower Church from Christians in the United States.
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