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go'sng to call this cou�le John and Alice. John and A]ice �vere missionaries in China for severa� <br />years. Being a believer in the C��ristian faith is tightly contralled in this cauntryy, tho€agh numbers <br />] 8, 19 and 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) siate that you may practice <br />any religior�, you should be able to share ideas ���€th people from any country, and that you rnay <br />or�anize peaceful meetings ifyou wish to. China disregards these rights, ar�d when John and <br />Alice, close friends of my family, �vere ca�aght, tf�ey were given 24 ��ours to get out of the country <br />€�mediateiy. Tk�ey ���ere never given a fair trial, just a k�arsh threat that made its point. John and <br />Alice came back to the States. <br />The story in China is less thaE the government doesn't wish their citizens to be Christians, <br />as much as they don't �vant forei�ners coming into Chir�a to spread the Christian faith. Therefore. <br />John and Alice had to keep in secret, though as mentioned earlier, number ] 9 of the UDHR says <br />you may share ideas ��rith people of different countries, and 20 says peacefuf ineetings are <br />completely accepiable. This «as a revelation to me, anci though the restrictions on Christianitv <br />were loosened a bit ir� the 1970's, I still think the laws in Chi«a are simply untair. <br />There are �reat rnonstrasiiies in t�is �vorld. There is the shaking hand that tightens around <br />the cold barrel of a�u€�, the tears ���hich slip dawn a child's bruised face, and the sound of �unfire <br />like rain, striking men's hearts into a silence so solid, brick �val�s cower in terror. <br />But there is greai beauty in this �+�orld. There is the son� of the people's hearts ��ho are s€anding <br />up ta injustice, there is the ]au�h. s�veet and flowing Eike a glass ofarange juice in the mornin�; <br />that issues frorn tiny lips, and the great joy of love, which protects, encorripasses and goes on <br />Forever. ]«�ili not bo��� down to the hate. I ��ril] not give in to vile thoughts and actions. No, I ryi[1 <br />use what I have learned a�ainstj�dgment and cruelty... E�vi[1 be beautiful. <br />