Cao, who is serving a seven-year sentence on a charge of “organizing illegal border crossings,” has been in custody since March 2017. At that time, he and his coworker, Jing Ruxia, were seized by Chinese officials while attempting to cross the Myanmar-China border, something Cao did often as part of his mission work building schools for impoverished minority children. The officials, however, had not taken any previous actions, causing his supporters to believe he was targeted for his faith.

On August 19, authorities phoned Cao’s mother and informed her he had been moved to Kunming Prison Yunnan.

Cao, a resident of North Carolina, is married to American citizen Jamie Powell. Powell and the couple’s two sons are currently living in the United States.

Voice of the Martyrs Korea representative Hyun Sook Foley says the ministry has been organizing volunteers to write letters of encouragement to Pastor Cao since he was first imprisoned more than two years ago. She says that many cards and letters have so far been sent.

“Sending letters to prisoners around the world, including Pastor Cao, is an important part of VOMK’s ministry, and it is something every Christian can and should do, according to Hebrews 13:3,” said Representative Foley.

“Sometimes the prisoners are permitted to see the cards. Sometimes they only hear about them from the guards. Sometimes only the guards see them. But in VOM’s history of more than 50 years around the world, we have received so many reports of how God used cards and letters like this to encourage prisoners, soften the hearts of jailers, and even strike fear in the hearts of the governments who unjustly imprison our brothers and sisters.”

Representative Foley says that is why VOM Korea is again organizing volunteers to write to Pastor Cao.

“We encourage volunteers not just to write letters but to make them colorful and add pictures. Life inside a prison has no color or beauty. Prisoners tell us the colors and pictures bring them joy. This is something even children can do.”

More information about the letter writing campaign and Pastor Cao can be found at https://vomkorea.com/campaign/john-cao/.