China (MNN) — Can you imagine being in prison during Christmas just for hosting a prayer rally? How about being in prison for three Christmases?
This year will mark Yang Xuan's third Christmas in prison for organizing a prayer rally in September 2009. Yang was arrested on September 14, 2009 along with four other church leaders.
On November 25, 2009, Yang and the other four Linfen-Fushan church leaders from Shanxi Province were sentenced to criminal detention for 2-7 years. The five church leaders were accused of "gathering people to disturb the public order" because they organized a prayer rally the day after 400 military police raided the church's grounds. During that raid, more than 30 believers were seriously wounded, and 17 buildings were destroyed.
Yang has been imprisoned for over 750 days. According to his daughter, Yang's visits in prison are very limited.
This Christmas, Voice of the Martyrs is calling on you to be an encouragement to this suffering brother in Christ. There have been 814 letters written to Yang over the past couple of years. VOM wants to increase that number to 1,000 by Christmas.
To help VOM send 200 letters to Yang this Christmas, click here and write a letter. Help let Yang know you love him and are praying for him this Christmas.
In the meantime, pray for Yang and his fellow prisoners. Pray that they would be a blessing even in prison and would have opportunities there to share the Gospel, just as Paul did nearly 2,000 years ago.
To learn about more faithful believers imprisoned for their faith, and to send them letters, too, visit prisoneralert.com.
