One of my teammates, Rebecca Burger, and I are working on the 11 countries we are going to; searching for the most current political and social issues that we can be praying about. My first country is China. Hers is the Philippines and to read about that visit www.rebeccaburger.theworldrace.org
China is, and probably will be for a long time, a communist country. The government essentially controls everything. As we all know, Facebook and Twitter in the U.S. are a way of life. Fact: In China, Facebook and Twitter are blocked, as well as tens of thousands of other sites by the “Great Firewall of China”, one of the most intricate firewalls in the world. In other news, the common reader in China has no access to foreign newspapers. The government has control of that as well.
When we don’t agree with a government policy, or support a particular state or national representative, we’re allowed the freedom of speech. Fact: In China, thousands of dissidents are sent to labor camps per year, while hundreds are tortured and hundreds more are executed. In the meantime, thousands of Chinese travel to Beijing each year to file complaints about their land being seized by the government. They’re left homeless.
In the U.S. the President holds an annual State of the Union speech in which he addresses healthcare costs, education, taxes, etc…Fact: in 2004 China’s government increased control of religious activities by addressing three issues: the suppression of conversion of Communist Party leaders, the growth of religion and religious activities, and lastly- the increase of religious activities on university campuses. It’s often said that the youth are the voice of today. In china, it appears that the youth are the voice of the people.
Fact: in 2010 there were 75 million Evangelicals compared to about 2.5 million in the 70s. That’s the largest growth in history.
Pray for China as the people have just a whisper of a voice in the youth. Pray for China as the government continues to murder hundreds for speaking their beliefs. Pray for China as the Communist Party continues to reign throughout its borders.
