Pastor Cao Sanqiang’s Prayer Letter

Dear prayer warriors：

I am writing to you now with a grateful heart and tearful eyes to tell you about my current situation。

Job suffered blows，one blow after another。God is also allowing me to undergo an experience like Job。I spent seven years in prison，and since my release，I still have been unable to return to the United States to reunite with my family，see my grandchildren，and enjoy the happiness of family life。This is not the end，and now an even greater furnace lies before me to test me：I have been diagnosed with prostate cancer and a tumor in my spine。This truly came like a bolt from the blue，and the doctor said that my life has entered a countdown。

A month ago，I felt severe pain in my leg and could not sleep。I first went to the best hospital in Hunan-Xiangya Hospital，where there were too many patients and doctors spent approximately 5 minutes seeing each patient。At first，the doctor thought that I had merely sprained and inflamed my foot and prescribed me some anti-inflammatory medication。It was not until more than half a month later that I underwent an MRI and was diagnosed with an advanced tumor，delaying a period of precious treatment time。

In this one month，I have lost ten jin。The last time my weight dropped sharply was in the detention center in 2017，when I lost 40 jin in half a year，falling from 160 jin to 120 jin。After I was released and returned home，my weight gradually returned to 150 jin。When I weighed myself yesterday，I was only 140 jin。

The first-stage treatment plan prescribed by the doctor was “castration”，for which I received one injection，followed by daily medication。Beginning tomorrow，I will undergo the second stage of treatment：chemotherapy。The principle is to kill cancer cells。But while killing cancer cells，it will also damage a large number of normal, healthy cells。Therefore，there will be a period during which the body feels extremely unaccustomed to it。Immunity will also decline。

One course of chemotherapy lasts 21 days，followed by another injection，for a total of six injections。Some people are unable to withstand chemotherapy because of their advanced age and give up by the third injection。The doctors also cannot be certain whether I will be able to endure the entire course of treatment。

After chemotherapy，there is another stage，namely radiotherapy。This uses radiation to kill the tumor in the spine。This tumor was originally scheduled to be surgically removed on April 29。But the risks of surgery were too great，and a messenger of God came to the hospital on the evening of the 28th and told me not to undergo the operation。The next day，I canceled the surgical plan。Thus，as an alternative to surgery，the treatment is radiotherapy。

I will receive chemotherapy tomorrow。I will stay in the hospital for between one and five days，depending on my body’s reaction。I have heard that chemotherapy causes considerable harm to the human body，and although its purpose is to kill cancer cells，it also kills healthy cells。Thus，it causes tremendous harm to the body。

I have also expressed to government departments my wish to return to the United States。Several times，grassroots government staff have told me that they are doing everything they can to report the matter upward，but that procedures must be followed and it must be passed up level by level，with the final decision made in Beijing。Please pray that I can return to the United States。During my illness，the Changsha government departments have also done everything they can to help me，for which I am deeply grateful。

My wife，my eldest son，and his fiancée came to Changsha to visit me on April 25，and they stayed in Changsha for 10 days，but they had to return to the United States for work，so I am still living with my elderly mother in a small and cozy apartment in Changsha。Some brothers and sisters from the Changsha church have arranged shifts to prepare delicious food for me every day。There is also a young brother who stays with me day and night，helping me handle all my daily needs。God’s care for me is extraordinary。

Psalm 129：2 says “The enemies have persecuted me many times from my youth，yet they have not prevailed against me。”，and verse 4 says：“The LORD is righteous．he has cut me free from the cords of the wicked。” I believe that God will surely cut the cord of cancer from the devil，and that God will surely heal me completely through the wounds of the Lord Jesus。

At this crucial moment in my life，please pray for me，pray for the complete healing of my illness，and pray that I can return to the United States as soon as possible。Believe that God will surely answer the prayers of the righteous

May God bless you and your family。

Yours sincerely, Pastor Cao Sanqiang

Tuesday, May 19, 2026