We did hard labor 16 hours a day. When I read about how the slaves of ancient Rome were treated, I realized I was treated the same way. He says his worst treatment was in Henan Province, where he was beaten with iron bars and belts. I could not lay down or sit. They hit our shins and ankles with iron rods and also made us carry bricks all day.
Chinese prisons are infamous for their meager rations.
Wu was given only two bowls of soup a day. Brother Xing, who was jailed in 1991, often found worms at the bottom of his bowl. He developed a skin disease as a result of living in filth. During the time he was incarcerated, his colleagues started more than a dozen Bible training schools and sent hundreds of church planters into China's major cities where the gospel has not enjoyed as much success as in rural areas. Though Zhao has suffered much, he smiles broadly when he is asked about the future of the Chinese church.