Boot Camps

Posted on 22 September 2009.

During August, two stories made the headlines from China's boot camps for internet addicts.

Fifteen-year-old Deng Senshan was apparently beaten to death just hours after arriving at the Qihang Salvation Training Camp in southern Guangxi province. Concerned that his son spent all his time on the internet, Deng's father had decided to send his son to the camp after seeing an advertisement on television. Four members of the camp's staff were arrested following his son's death.

In the city of Chengdu, Sichuan province, 14-year-old Pu Liang was in a serious condition after being beaten at another military-style boot camp. Sent by his mother because she feared he spent too much time playing online games, Pu underwent several beatings and now has chest and kidney problems.

One of our co-workers recently visited a similar camp. He reported: "In desperation the families have chosen to send their child to this camp to try and teach them a better lifestyle. The children are disciplined through military style methods. Their living conditions are very basic. They study extremely long hours with weekly exams in each subject. I spent some time talking with one girl who was 17-years-old. She had been there five months and in that time had not seen her parents (who live in a city around an hour away) at all. She was on the brink of tears as she related that much of her story to me. I couldn't ask more as the pain was too evident. I can see what the families and leadership are trying to accomplish and there has apparently been some success in turning the children's lifestyles around. But at what cost to the spirit of each child."

"China's government has become increasingly concerned about how these boot camps are run - and their lack of oversight," the BBC reports. "But worried parents across China continue to send their children to the camps." One father said: "There's no other choice - this is our last hope."

Pray that the Chinese authorities' concern about these boot camps might translate into action to regulate them and to prevent severe beatings like those mentioned in the text from occurring.

Pray for parents who are concerned about their children's behaviour. May they be given wise advice and consider carefully before sending their children to such camps.

Pray for those who run such boot camps. Pray that they might act out of love and concern for the children and not resort to violence.

Pray for positive help and healing for children who have become addicted to the internet or are involved in other unhealthy behaviour. Pray that each one might find identity and meaning through a saving knowledge of their loving Heavenly Father.