Source: www.p[ersecution.org
Date: Dercember 15, 2021
China (International Christian Concern) – A landlord was fined for renting to a Christian couple who attend the heavily persecuted Early Rain Covenant Church (ERCC) in Chengdu.
On the third anniversary of the December 9 crackdown against ERCC, a landlord in Dayi County received a notice of administrative punishment from Jinyuan Police Station for renting to Shen Bing and his wife Li Xiaofeng.
According to China Aid, the notice reads “The authorities discovered that while the property was rented to the tenants, the landlord did not register their information according to the regulation, and the landlord did not report to the Public Security.” Pursuant to Article 57, clause 1 of the Public Security Administration Punishments Law, the landlord is to be fined 200 RMB (USD $31).
Shen Bing and Li Xiaofeng are both members of the “Treading Water” small group of ERCC, which has been targeted in the past year. Their leader Dai Zhichao has been summoned and detained repeatedly, the authorities beat him, monitor his house, glue his keyhole often, and cut off his power. Other members have experienced similar oppression.
Shen and Li also have been forced to move out of their rented property twice already. Last month, an elderly couple opened their home to host this couple, after the authorities asked them to move away. Yet, the elderly couple’s assistance led to the face-to-face monitoring, where the police moved in with the four ERCC members for more than a week until Shen and Li left.
Shen Bing feels unfortunate that not only he and his wife are being kicked out, but his landlord is now brought into trouble. As ERCC members, their lives continue to be testaments of how Beijing seeks to curb house churches in every way possible.
HOW TO PRAY: Pray for the fine against this landlord to be dropped. Pray for protection for members of ERCC and other Chinese house churches. Pray for the ability to worship freely in China.