A Christian pastor has been released from prison by the Chinese Communist Party following pressure from President Trump.
Pastor Mingri “Ezra” Jin landed in the United States on July 4. His daughter, Grace Jin Drexel, said in a statement obtained by Sky News that her father’s release was a “miracle.”
“We truly witnessed a miracle and we are feeling so overwhelmed with joy. We thank God for this tremendous miracle,” she said. “We also thank President Trump and his administration for their tremendous leadership. We know that this could not have happened without the direct intervention from Chairman Xi Jinping.”
“We hope this is a signal of a positive turn for people of faith in China and relations between our two nations,” she continued. “As this tremendous development all happened so quickly, we ask for your prayers and patience with us as we navigate this critical time.”
In October, the Trump administration demanded that the pastor be released. “The United States condemns the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s recent detention of dozens of leaders of the unregistered house Zion Church in China, including prominent pastor Mingri ‘Ezra’ Jin,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said at the time. “This crackdown further demonstrates how the CCP exercises hostility towards Christians who reject Party interference in their faith and choose to worship at unregistered house churches.” The statement demanded that the CCP “immediately release the detained church leaders and to allow all people of faith, including members of house churches, to engage in religious activities without fear of retribution.”
A statement released by Zion Church on October 12 said China launched a “sweeping operation” across Beijing, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Shandong, Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hainan, arresting pastors, ministers, and members of Zion Church. “More than 30 church leaders and believers have been detained or disappeared; worship venues have been raided and sealed, properties confiscated, and family members harassed,” the statement read.
In March, Senators Ted Budd (R-NC) and Tim Kaine (D-VA), alongside Representatives Riley Moore (R-WV) and Thomas Suozzi (D-NY), led 29 lawmakers in a letter pushing for the release of Jin, the lead pastor of Zion Church.
