Story number 1 for 8 Jan 2002

(China)–China tops the news today. Voice of the Martyrs has learned that the Supreme Court of Hubei Province has granted the appeal request of a condemned pastor. VOM’s Gary Lane. “Our sources tell us it is really an acknowledgement, on the part of the Chinese government, that there were some fabrications in the charges against Pastor Gong. We think it made the difference that Christians got on their knees, number one, and prayed for Pastor Gong. In addition to that, they also sent e-mails, faxes and made phone calls to the Chinese government to protest what was happening.” Lane says Pastor Gong Shengliang remains in custody until his appeal date. “In the days ahead, they will be proceeding with preparing his appeal-that case, and that trial will be heard probably within the next two or three months by the Chinese government. Once that is heard, either they agree or they do not. So, Pastor Gong is not out of the woods yet.”