{"id":43898,"date":"2022-09-20T14:00:51","date_gmt":"2022-09-20T05:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/?p=43898"},"modified":"2022-09-21T16:24:21","modified_gmt":"2022-09-21T07:24:21","slug":"vomk-report-221","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/2022\/09\/20\/vomk-report-221\/","title":{"rendered":"MAYFLOWER CHURCH DEPARTS JEJU FOR THAILAND AFTER FINAL PERSECUTION TRAINING"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”43883″ img_size=”full”][vc_custom_heading text=”The members of Shenzen Holy Reformed Church assembled one final time for training on Christian persecution from Voice of the Martyrs Korea at a secret location on Jeju Island on August 28. Unlike the previous trainings, however, this time only a handful of congregation members were present in person. The majority of the 61 members joined via videoconference.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:1.2em|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” el_class=”headline”][vc_column_text]\u201c<\/span>They had left <\/span>Jeju<\/span> for Thailand earlier <\/span>that <\/span>week,\u201d says Voice of the Martyrs Korea Representative Dr<\/span>.<\/span> Hyun Sook Foley. The remainder, she says, departed in the days following her organization\u2019s visit.<\/span> Now the church <\/span>members have filed applications for refugee status at the United Nations refugee office in Bangkok<\/span> and are living <\/span>quietly <\/span>in <\/span>separate hotels while the<\/span>y<\/span> await the agency\u2019s de<\/span>termination<\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]T<\/span>he <\/span>Shenzen<\/span> congregation, dubbed the \u201cMayflower Church\u201d by global religious freedom advocates,<\/span> fled China in 2019 for <\/span>Jeju<\/span> Island, where they ha<\/span>d been s<\/span>upporting themselves<\/span> by doing menial labor <\/span>while applying for <\/span>asylum <\/span>in Korea<\/span>. <\/span>After having <\/span>their application denied at <\/span>multiple levels of the Korean court system, the <\/span>group decided to take flight again<\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were <\/span>concerned about what they saw as growing harassment <\/span>by Chinese authorities <\/span>of family members <\/span>who had remained <\/span>in China<\/span>,\u201d says Representative Foley. She says the <\/span>church members<\/span> also <\/span>suspected that Chinese authorities might<\/span> soon<\/span> try to kidnap or blackmail church members in <\/span>Jeju<\/span>, since they had been unable to secure legal protections of asylum in Korea. <\/span>\u201cThe<\/span> church\u2019s goal <\/span>is to obtain <\/span>official <\/span>refugee<\/span> status<\/span>, which they believe in the short term will prevent China from <\/span>forcibly repatriating them, and in the long term could lead to permanent resettlement in a country like the United States.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”43886″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”One family from the church when they first arrived at the Jeju airport almost three years ago. Pastor Pan Yongguang is pictured on the far right.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”43894″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”Voice of the Martyrs Canada CEO Floyd Brobbel shares a meal with Pastor Pan Yongguang.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Representative Foley says that her organization first learned about the church when the pastor, Pan <\/span>Yongguang<\/span>, called through a<\/span>n interpreter to request a private meeting<\/span> at the airport<\/span>. \u201cHe <\/span>and his church members had traveled as tourists and arrived on <\/span>Jeju<\/span> Island with almost nothing<\/span>,\u201d says Representative Foley<\/span>. <\/span>\u201c<\/span>In order to avoid being detained during their departure, they had not communicated their plan to anyone<\/span> in advance<\/span>, including us<\/span>.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Representative Foley says <\/span>Pastor Pan explained how <\/span>he had founded the <\/span>Shenzen<\/span> Holy Reformed Church in 2012 under the oversight of Philadelphia Bible Reformed Church in the United States. \u201c<\/span>Pastor Pan shared with us that b<\/span>ecause of his connection to <\/span>a<\/span> foreign religious group, <\/span>he <\/span>began to be interrogated by authorities at least twice a week beginning in 2014<\/span>,\u201d says Representative Foley<\/span>. \u201cWhen <\/span>he <\/span>refused to affiliate the church with the Chinese Communist Party-approved Three-Self Patriotic Movement (TPSM), authorities pressured the landlord of the building where the church-run elementary school was located to evict them. Church members didn\u2019t want to send their children to state-run schools to be indoctrinated into atheism and communism, so they voted to flee China as a whole church in 2019.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Representative Foley <\/span>says her organization explained to Pastor Pan that Voice of the Martyrs Korea <\/span>does not help Christians <\/span>to escape persecution but instead equips Christians to make a faithful witness in the midst of persecution. <\/span>She says that Pastor Pan expressed understanding of the organization\u2019s <\/span>policy<\/span>, as well as interest in having the organization provide comprehensive <\/span>persecution-related <\/span>training <\/span>to his whole church, adults as well as children.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201cFortunately, Pastor Pan and the Mayflower Church <\/span>were<\/span> able to receive a lot of help from Korean churches and refugee ministries<\/span> while they lived in <\/span>Jeju<\/span>, awaiting the determination on their application for asylum in Korea,\u201d says Representative Foley. <\/span>She says <\/span>Christian attorneys worked with the group to file a number of applications and appeals as they faced denial<\/span> of their request at each level of the Korean court system.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”43896″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”Dr. Foley teaches the Mayflower church about ways they can Biblically handle the trauma they received as a result of persecution.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”43888″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”The church started a Christian school in China and continued their Bible-based education program for the children while in Jeju.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Representative Foley says that during the church\u2019s three years on <\/span>Jeju<\/span> Island, Voice of the Martyrs Korea visited them <\/span>several times a year to <\/span>provide multiple-day training<\/span> sessions on what the Bible teaches about persecution<\/span> in the life of the Christian<\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]She says that it was only in <\/span>preparing to visit the church <\/span>again last month <\/span>that her organization learned that church members were already in the process of <\/span>departing <\/span>Jeju<\/span> for Thailand in small groups, just as they had arrived three years earlier.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we called to let Pastor Pan know we\u2019d be coming <\/span>down to provide the training, he told us that he wasn\u2019t sure how many church members would still be there, but he wanted us to come and encourage them one final time before their departure,\u201d says Representative Foley. <\/span>\u201cIt wasn\u2019t until our team arrived that Pastor Pan was able to <\/span>share fully with us about the church\u2019s departure.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Representative Foley <\/span>says they brought Voice of the Martyrs Canada CEO Floyd Brobbel<\/span> with them to address the church. <\/span>\u201cMr. Brobbel <\/span>reminded the<\/span> Mayflower congregation <\/span>from 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 that God\u2019s strength is perfected in weakness, and <\/span>that in Christ we are never <\/span>exile<\/span>d spiritually even when we are exiled from our own country.<\/span> It was a poignant <\/span>time<\/span>, with the congregation listening from two different countries, neither<\/span> one of which was their permanent home.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”43890″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”One family from the Mayflower Church poses for a photo in Jeju in May of this year.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”43892″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”The Mayflower congregation members gather for a group photo in Jeju earlier this year.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Representative Foley says her organization is honored to have been the first organization to greet the church on its arrival to Korea and the last one to <\/span>say goodbye to the church in its departure. \u201cGod doesn\u2019t seem to have sent the church here <\/span>to Korea <\/span>for <\/span>permanent <\/span>asylum,\u201d she says. \u201cGod seems to have sent the church here so that we <\/span>at Voice of the Martyrs Korea <\/span>could <\/span>study together with them what the Bible teaches about persecution and faithful witness. <\/span>So m<\/span>any Korean churches and ministries and attorneys helped them out while they were here. Voice of the Martyrs Korea\u2019s part in the process was to prepare them for whatever comes<\/span> next<\/span>.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Representative Foley says that she expects her organization to remain in contact with Pastor Pan and the Mayflower Church members. \u201cOther groups are continuing to care for their resettlement costs and legal needs,\u201d says Representative Foley. \u201cBut God seems to give us at Voice of the Martyrs Korea the role of reminding them what the Bible teaches about persecution in the life of the believer. We pray that wherever God sends them, they will be his faithful witnesses.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Individuals interested in learning more about Voice of the Martyrs Korea\u2019s work in partnership with underground Chinese Christians wherever they are found can visit <\/span>www.vomkorea.com\/en\/china<\/span><\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”43883″ img_size=”full”][vc_custom_heading text=”The members of Shenzen Holy Reformed Church assembled one final time for training on Christian persecution from Voice of the Martyrs Korea at a secret location on …","protected":false},"author":659,"featured_media":43884,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[857,235,869,140],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-43898","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-russian-special","category-special-column","category-china-special","category-vomk-report"],"translation":{"provider":"WPGlobus","version":"3.0.2","language":"en","enabled_languages":["ko","en","zh","ru"],"languages":{"ko":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"en":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"zh":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"ru":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43898","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/659"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43898"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43898\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/43884"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43898"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43898"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43898"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}