Our partner China Aid reports that the four were convicted on [April 24th] of 'illegal business operations' at Hualin Kindergarten in southern Guangxi region. The nursery was run by Liangren Church in Guangzhou, whose congregation has suffered intense persecution.
The church reported last year that almost all of its core staff had been detained, after church members were involved in an outreach to a neighbouring region (Prayer Alert, July 4). Several kindergartens and businesses linked to the church were raided or shut down.
The Christians convicted on Friday were kindergarten director Cheng Jie, church elder Huang Quirui and church member Li Jiato, a mother of two young children. They were also fined 5,000 yuan (£530). The printer, Fang Bin, was fined 4,000 yuan.
PLEASE PRAY NOW that the four detainees would be able to lodge an appeal and be released, and that they and their families will know God's peace, presence and comfort...