Well-known house church activist Hua Huiqi and his 76-year-old mother were attacked and wounded by police on the morning of Friday, Jan. 26, in front of a future hotel site for the Beijing Olympics. Hua’s wife, Wei Jumei, said seven police officers attacked the two as they were walking at about 8 a.m. They were kicked to the ground and then hauled to the police station for questioning. When Hua asked for explanation of their detention and for the release of his sick mother, he was beaten repeatedly. The police also poured cold water over him with Beijing temperatures hovering in the mid 20s. While Hua was still shivering from the freezing cold water, he was taken to a detention center where police verbally told Hua’s wife he was sentenced to one month of criminal detention, but the charges as well as official notice of the detention have not been issued. Hua and his wife are active house church Christians who also aid persecuted Christians and oppressed poor who travel to Beijing from outlying areas. (China Aid Association)

4th CHINESE CHRISTIAN ART EXHIBIT OPENS IN NANJING GALLERY

More than 100 paintings, calligraphy works, prints, paper-cuts and photos were collected for the fourth Chinese Christian Art Exhibition which opened at the Nanjing Art Gallery in China Sunday, Jan. 21. The art works, originating from across China, illustrate Bible stories and scenes from the daily life of Chinese Christians. Techniques range from traditional Chinese ink painting to modern mixed media. A news release about the exhibition says it is an “affirmation that Christianity in China is constantly searching for new ways of expression which derive from the Chinese contemporary context.” Bishop K. H. Ting, who attended the opening ceremony together with national church leaders, provincial religious authorities and other dignitaries, expressed the main idea of the exhibit in his opening address by saying, “The art displayed in this exhibition is not only the newly created Christian fruit by Chinese artists, but also the perfect integration of Christian culture and the traditional art form of [the] Chinese nation.” (Amity News Service)

CHRISTIANS BEATEN, ARRESTED AT HINDU RELIGIOUS FESTIVAL IN INDIA

Native missionaries with Gospel for Asia (GFA) were beaten and arrested by police at the site of a massive Hindu festival called Ardh Kumbh. Taking place during 45 days ending Feb. 16, millions of Hindu pilgrims at the festival bathe in the confluence of the two sacred rivers, the Ganges and the Yamuna. Up to 60 million are expected to take the religious plunge before the festival ends. A huge tent city and 25,000 portable toilets have been erected to accommodate the crowds. GFA missionaries who walk or ride bicycles about six miles to reach the event provide attendees with an alternative to the ritual and tell them about Jesus. As of Sunday, Jan 21, more than 200,000 pilgrims had accepted the gospel tracts when anti-Christian thugs beat three of the missionaries, stole their materials and told them to leave. One of the missionaries required hospitalization for his injuries. The next day police arrested six of the Christians and questioned them for a day before releasing them. One of the arrested pastors called it “an honor” to be persecuted. GFA President K.P. Yohannan asks Christians to pray that the persecution will not escalate. (Assist News Service)

* Radio programs in 17 languages air to India from HCJB Global Voice-Australia’s shortwave station in Kununurra. The programs are produced at the ministry’s studios in New Delhi, India.

ARMED POLICE ARREST 8 AT DEDICATION OF CHURCH IN ZIMBABWE

Six church leaders and two additional persons in Zimbabwe were arrested by armed police on Friday, Jan. 26, in the town of Kadoma while attending a church dedication service for a new regional chapter of the Zimbabwe Christian Alliance (ZCA) with more than 500 in attendance. Relief agency Tearfund International Director Peter Grant said, “More and more often we are seeing the activities of churches and relief agencies disrupted by government intimidation in Zimbabwe. This action is unacceptable when so much combined effort of the ZCA is committed to helping the poor.” The arrest and detainment of the pastors drew Christians from across Kadoma to come to Ramuka Prison where they are being detained as a show of solidarity. Two pastors who visited the prison on the weekend described the men’s morale as high despite overcrowded conditions and a lack of water. One of the pastors, Pius Wakatama, also joked that he “needed to go to a new cell because all the people he had preached to had already become Christians.” This is the first large arrest of Christian leaders in Zimbabwe since 2001 when police cracked down on a peaceful prayer march. (Tearfund)

* HCJB Global Voice signed a partnership agreement with the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe in 2001.

PASTOR TO LIVE ON ROOF TO HELP THOSE WHO DON’T HAVE ONE

Pastor Mike Hattabaugh of Farmington, N.M., will soon be climbing onto a roof and settling in for five days in order to raise awareness and funds for millions of orphans who don’t have a roof over their heads. >From Feb. 5 to 11 the “Get Mike Down” roof campaign hopes to raise $60,000 for the National Day of Care. The annual event takes place the Sunday before Valentine’s Day in the U.S. with the purpose of mobilizing a response to global humanitarian crises such as the 15 million orphans and AIDS victims in Africa. Other area pastors have been challenged to join Hattabaugh on the roof throughout the week. Last year he raised more than $40,000 during his stay on the roof. (Religion Today)

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