False accusations of “fraud” led the popular Christian leader to be hit with a record-high sentence.
by Dong Quiyue
“Bitter Winter” reported on June 23 that on June 20, ten members of the Linfen Golden Lampstand Church, located in Linfen City, Shanxi Province, were handed severe sentences, while the fate of church leader, female preacher Yang Rongli, remained unknown. Church members have now learned that, also on June 20, the judge came to the detention center and informed Yang Rongli that she had been sentenced to fifteen years in prison.
Sentences were handed down for “fraud,” now a popular charge against dissident Christians who refuse to join the government-controlled Three Self Church.
Yang is detained in the Yaodu District Detention Center of Linfen City, Shanxi Province. From there, she wrote the following letter to her son, which has been communicated to human rights organizations:
“My son, you are safe. I am profoundly relieved and happy that Lawyer Wen brought you news about your family.
On June 20, the judge came to the detention center and sentenced me to 15 years. This was a great honor given to me by God. The first thing I said to the judge was: ‘The sentence is too low.’ On that day, I was thinking very calmly and controlling my emotions. I felt a kind of peace and joy from heaven. The detention center leaders were surprised to see my reaction to the 15-year sentence.
Judge Xie Binghua only sat in court for an hour that day and sentenced me to fifteen years. I told my supervisor Han, who had been with me, that I could accept this result. This result was a temporary one, and it made me feel relieved and at ease, because I had fought the good fight, I had run the race, and I had kept the faith. It was time for me to rest.
There are so many testimonies, and God’s love is so great! Too many to count and too many to describe. Just then, Lawyer Wen came and suddenly appeared in front of me. My prayer the night before: Should I call a lawyer again? Today I got the answer.
I do not place hope in the appeal, but I expect God to do greater things. This is the reason for my appeal. I believe that God is still my Father. The power of Jesus’ resurrection will be powerfully demonstrated in this era.
I will continue to work with the Lord Jesus Christ and see what He does, but I know this has caused suffering to my son, daughter-in-law, grandson, and husband, whom I have not taken good care of. I have not done well in my life—I am not a wife like a wife, a mother like a mother, and I am even less worthy of being a grandmother to my grandson today. But the Lord arranges to let me ‘be a human being’ for Him first. I believe the Lord will make up for these days when the locusts ate me.
The people in the detention center said that my lawyer had abandoned me, but Lawyer Wen walked into the detention center again today. This is a beautiful testimony. It is not as they claimed that the lawyer ignored me. Please ask Lawyer Huang also to come again to let those people understand that I am not the only one who loves God. My greatest joy is that Lawyer Wen came. I learned the first trial results of your father and ten other co-workers. I can no longer do anything for them. May the Lord give them strength! I cannot repair the church’s financial losses. May God bless and help those in our church.
I send my sincere regards to your mother-in-law. She has worked hard. Whenever I see my grandson Aaron growing up, I think of her efforts. I can only thank her verbally and pray to God for her health and longevity. You must be filial to her. She is the most qualified mother for you and your family.
If I have to be moved to jail, it will be swift. I don’t plan for you to see me before I go to prison, so that we can save money. Contact your aunt and give her the daily necessities and books here. I will take the 250,000 words of material I wrote to the jail. Please pray for these 250,000 words of material.
Let us thank and glorify Him together.
Mother.”
Source:BITTER WINTER/