From: "Paul McCain (by way of Rev. Eric J. Stefanski, )" To: Subject: CLIMB: LCMS Lutheran detained in China Date: Friday, November 02, 2001 12:28 PM [The following is being forwarded from the mail list run by the Assistant to the President of the LCMS, the Rev. Paul McCain. EJG] - - - July 9, 2001 Greetings Cyberbrethren: Here is important information about a fellow LCMS Lutheran presently being detained against her will in China. Information is provided below as to how we can respond and to whom we can write. - - - Dear Rev. McCain: Here is some more information about Dr. Gao Zhan, the American University researcher and LCMS Lutheran who is detained by the Chinese Communist government on charges of espionage. She has now been detained for four months. A trial has evidently begun, but her lawyer was not informed until after it had already begun, having been lied to by the Chinese government. There is very little hope that she will be found innocent, but there are many possibilites should she be found guilty. The best hope is that she will be deported and allowed to return to the United States, her family, and her congregation, St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Falls Church, Virginia. Another possibility is that she will face execution. China is in the midst of a general crackdown on crime which has resulted in over 3000 death sentences and nearly 2000 executions since Dr. Gao was first detained in February. These executions have been for crimes ranging from murder to drug possession to selling bad food. It is very difficult to know what might happen with Dr. Gao. Dr. Gao needs our fervent and continued prayer as well as letters and calls to our elected officials and to the embassy of the PRC or to PRC officials in China. Here are some links to more information about Dr. Gao and the other US residents and citizens being held by the Red Chinese: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A27213-2001Jul6.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24315-2001Jul5.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A28483-2001Jul6.html The address of the PRC embassy in Washington is: The Embassy of the People's Republic of China His Excellency Yang Jiechi, Ambassador 2300 Connecticut Ave NW Washington DC 20008 Tel:(202)328-2500 Fax:(202)588-0032 Email:chinaembassy_us@fmprc.gov.cn www: www.china-embassy.org The address of the Ministry of "Justice" of the PRC is: The Ministry of Justice of the People's Republic of China Sifabu Laodong Jiaoyang Gongzuo Guanliju 14 Dongchang'anlu Dongchengqu Beijingshi 100741 People's Republic of China Letters of support can be sent to Dr. Gao's husband, Dr. Donghua Xue, and her son, Andrew, via their congregation: St. Paul's Lutheran Church 7426 Idylwood Rd Falls Church, VA 22043-2915 Thank you very much. James Sharp East Moline, Illinois + + + Confessional Lutherans in Missionary Boldness + + + The CLIMB e-letter brings you unedited, uncut reports directly from the mission field, whether in South America, Africa, Europe, inner-city, rural, or collegiate America, or military installations and battle sites around the world. It is our contention that those who truly hold to the ~Book of Concord~ as the pure exposition of Holy Scripture and the true confession of the Christian faith are also the most zealous supporters of the preaching of the Gospel in every corner of the world and, as such, ought to be kept thoroughly informed of how those endeavors are faring and shown how they may be rightly carried out without the destruction of orthodox doctrine and practice that some within the pale of Lutheranism now advocate. You may contact the authors of individual posts to this list simply by using the 'Reply' feature of your email reader (unless otherwise indicated in the above message). Because of the demands of their endeavors, there is the possibility that not all responses will be able to be answered. You may freely discuss the contents of these columns on other CAT41.org mail lists AND, (unless otherwise indicated) as long as proper acknowledgement is provided, you may reprint them for dissemination via free media. List subscription instructions (found below) should also be included. Subscribe? Send any message to: CLIMB-on@CAT41.org Unsubscribe? Send any message to: CLIMB-off@CAT41.org For more information on this or other lists offered by Confess And Teach For Unity, you can contact the CAT 41 list administrator at: Rev. Fr. Eric J. Stefanski + + + Confess And Teach For Unity + + +