You can take away my freedom, but you can’t take my prayers.
My prayers have wings and leap over the towering iron mesh wall.
Many brothers and sisters have heard them.
They fly freely every day and reach Heaven above the blue sky.
This is from a poem written by John Cao during his imprisonment in China. Arrested in 2017 as a consequence of the work he was doing helping run schools for needy children in Myanmar. Although officials had previously helped him cross the border, he was charged with making ‘illegal border crossings’.
He was released after 8 years, during which time he says ‘I was not allowed to do anything for my faith. I could not pray. At first I was kneeling down to pray every day but then they stopped me. So I started to pray by lying down on my bed as if sleeping, with my face down.’
Eventually he started writing poems to praise god and give him thanks for helping him understand better how to live for Jesus in prison. He gave thanks on his release to all those who prayed during his time in prison.
