Note from Valerie: This story was on todays Crosswalk - Religion Today Summaries. It is no wonder that Jesus loved the children so much.
Christian Children in China Refuse to Deny Jesus
Open Doors USA
China allows for "belief" in a religion, but the Chinese constitution does not guarantee the right to practice that religion. Adults often face severe consequences for religious actions, but generally are not required to deny faith. With children, however, officials attempt to weaken their faith by encouraging them to deny Jesus altogether, such as in this recent situation when Public Security Bureau officers burst into a Sunday School room and herded 30 children into a van. Despite the scary situation, one child started singing. Soon the van was filled with song. Upon arrival at the police station, the children marched bravely into the interrogation room still singing to the Lord. Threatened with having to write "I do not believe in Jesus" one hundred times before they would be released, the children instead wrote, "I believe in Jesus today. I will believe in Jesus tomorrow. I will believe in Jesus forever!" Exasperated officials called the children's parents, some of whom denied Christ. But when a widowed believer came to pick up her twin sons, she refused to deny Jesus. The officers threatened her: "If you do not deny Jesus, we will not release your sons!" The widow replied, "Well, I guess you will just have to keep them, because without Jesus, there would be no way for me to take care of them!" With no avenues left open to them, the officials said, "Take your sons and go!"
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