You must strengthen the leadership, and, with resolute, decisive and organized measures, to legally develop this special 'struggle' in order to eradicate the illegal activities of the underground Catholic church. Along with Chinese worshipers caught in the crackdown are Americans and representatives of outside ministries who've tried to help them. They are seen as the prime threat to the government's church eradication plan. On his latest trip to China Mr. Jacobson had to leave half of his Christian literature at the airport after Chinese customs officials let him know they didn't like what he was carrying. We negotiated with them and they let us go through.
Chinese leaders are right to worry.
While official estimates number Christian believers at 20 million, expert Chinese church watchers are increasingly in agreement that the real number could be closer to 90 million. It signifies a phenomenal rate of recent conversions. One is Pastor Wong, who runs 40 house churches in Wuhan and met with Mr. Jacobson in December just days after release from his fourth arrest for evangelism. His captors squeezed one hand in pliers until Mr. Wong passed out. Most of the fingers were broken, and Mr. Wong thinks now that if he is arrested again he won't ever get out.