Getting God’s Word to North Koreans
They risk their lives in the most dangerous country in the world to follow Jesus.
North Korean Christians suffer unspeakable persecution under the cruel regime where the Bible is banned and Christianity is illegal.
Some people dare to escape through China. But if they are found, China forcibly returns them. If they are Christian, they face harsher punishment for fleeing.
North Koreans take great risks and endure horrific torment to follow Christ.
If they can do this, what are we willing to do to help them?
Our partners are getting the Bible and ways to hear God’s Word to North Koreans – including to trafficked women.
For those on the dangerous journey to escape, we are providing life-saving shelters where they are safe to learn the Bible.
One Christian who escaped said, “North Koreans do not just need bread, they need truth.” They need the truth of Jesus Christ.
Yet getting the Bible to North Koreans is even harder now since the regime has built more barriers on their borders.
One critical way is still possible. They can hear the Truth through radio. Radio broadcasts bypass borders. North Koreans, including women who are trafficked in China, can secretly listen to the Bible and Christian programs on radio.
Read more on this in our report below on Getting God’s Word to North Koreans.
For North Koreans who escape, the journey is not finished when they cross the border into China.
They need safe houses to hide until they can get to a free country.
That is why we are providing shelters for those making the dangerous escape from North Korea. They are stocked with food, supplies, and Bibles.
Recently, one of our shelters had to shut down and the escapees quickly relocated. Our partner urgently traveled to the area – and was taken into custody by Chinese authorities.
Thank God, he was released and was able to secure a new shelter in a remote place. Will you pray for God to watch over them? We frequently don’t know what is happening in real time, but God knows and answers.
Our partner described the desperate situation for escapees in our shelters. Read below his Notes From The Underground Railroad to see what they are experiencing.
The cost to rent, heat, and provide supplies for one shelter is about $4,500 for six months, or $750 a month. When escapees are detected or landlords get fearful, they must move quickly and pay higher costs.
Without safe houses, escapees could be caught and forced back to North Korea. The cost can be their lives.
They are immensely grateful for your support! Our partner said:
“They thank me, but the thanks go to you. Thank you so much.”
The brutality that Christians in North Korea endure would be unbelievable if we did not have evidence from those who escaped.
That is why we compiled a Fact Sheet on Christians in North Korea. It exposes how North Korea treats Christians, and examples of Christians persevering despite the risks. Incredibly, it appears that Christianity is spreading.
Share these reports with others to ignite prayers for our brothers and sisters. Invite others to join with us in committing to stand with persecuted Christians. Give to help provide for their needs. Your gift can provide critical support for the persecuted!
They need caring friends like you. Thank you for sharing and caring!
God bless you,
Wendy Wright President
P.S. Christians in North Korea – the worst country in the world for persecution —take great risks to follow Jesus. Will you help them and other persecuted Christians as they follow Christ?
Getting God’s Word to North Koreans
It is illegal to bring Bibles into North Korea. Since Covid it is harder to smuggle them in.
But two methods can powerfully convey the Bible: Radio broadcasts and Christians.
Radio broadcasts can open a new world for North Koreans who are captives in the hermit kingdom. Listeners can hear Bible teachings without leaving a trace of evidence that can be found later.
Kim Seong Min knows the power of radio. He was a military propagandist in North Korea when he found an illegal radio. Listening to broadcasts inspired him to flee. He met Jesus and now runs Free North Korea Radio, which is supported by Christian Freedom International.
The station broadcasts the Bible, sermons, Christian music, and dramas on the life of Jesus. And they tell listeners that Americans pray for them.
One pastor says the most common religious activity among secret North Korean Christians is listening to Christian radio programs.
Pray for North Korean Christians to hear God’s word through radio.
Radio broadcasts can reach into China to women who escaped North Korea only to be trafficked into forced marriages.
If they try to run away, their captors will report them to police, who will force the victims back to North Korea.
One woman said that she had no choice but to comply with any demands from the man who bought her as a wife. “The most common insult I heard was, ‘You are one of my possessions. I can discard you when you are no longer useful.”
They are unseen. But, as Hagar found out when she was abused then cast aside, God is the God who sees.
Through radio, they can get to know God. One of our partners is able to get radios to North Korean women held captive in China. These shortwave radios can tune into Bible broadcasts in their language.
We got radios to 300 North Korean women in rural China who largely were trafficked and forcibly married, about 200 who are Christians and 100 who live near believers,
Pray for trafficked North Korean women to truly know Psalm 119:50: “This is my comfort in my affliction, That Your word has revived me.”
Notes from the Underground Railroad
People escaping from North Korea need safe houses to hide in. Many stay for months.
These long stays allow escapees in shelters supported by Christian Freedom International to learn the Bible. They can meet Jesus and bring the Truth to wherever they go next, either to a free country or compelled back to North Korea.
They carry God’s word in them to encourage other persecuted Christians.
Pray for the ability of North Koreans to memorize the Bible while in shelters.
Our partner who courageously rescues North Koreans wrote:
“The situation is not good for the shelters. Chinese police are tightening efforts to arrest people who escape from North Korea.”
“They are in the shelters for a long time because there is nowhere else to go. The owners say, please empty this house. If people get caught, the owners will lose their homes.”
“Many escapees are being arrested in China.”
A CFI shelter that is no longer used. Safe houses
must relocate often for security.
“Because of Christian Freedom International’s support, we have been able to keep them safe for now. We have to relocate the shelters. The plan was for me to go to China, but China is after me.”
“You have given hope to us and the escapees. We will do our best to help them reach freedom one day. Some have lived in China for so long. Christian Freedom International has helped their survival in China.”
Bibles in a shelter for North Korean escapees.
Later he sent an update:
“Greetings! Thank God that we know you. We deeply appreciate we were able to manage through the Covid period that was very difficult for us.”
“Christian Freedom International is the great support that kept us active. I think we are one of the few that are operating two shelters in China for defectors. I went recently and met North Korean defectors who are living in a very desperate environment.”
• Currently, there is an average of 40 defectors in shelters run by CFI. There are five children under age 12. The adults are ladies, ages from 20 to 60.
• There is a woman who has been sold to Chinese households 4 times (she ran away a couple of times). Fortunately, she got connected to a lady who led her to a CFI shelter.
• The defectors are very sensitive due to many fears. Many are mentally fragile and insecure — especially when they see Chinese police.
• We delivered Bibles to the CFI shelters. The solar powered Bible radios are especially popular. It would be nice to have more, but currently it’s too dangerous to deliver them.
• Even though many had not been exposed to Christianity, they read the Bible as there is not much else to do.
• Due to the extreme difficulty to rescue, some have been in the shelters for a very long time. One of the property owners became extremely fearful because of China’s new counterespionage law. He now risks being heavily penalized and losing his home if caught. The property owner demanded to empty the CFI shelter in 3 days. There were 18 defectors hiding in that shelter.
Rep. Chris Smith (on left), Chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, called on China not to repatriate around 2,600 North Korean refugees who face severe abuse if returned. CFI’s Wendy Wright introduced him at a press conference outside China’s embassy in D.C.
“Finding a new shelter and doing a site inspection within this short time was a very perilous task. But otherwise, their lives would be in great danger. Thank God, miraculously a shelter in a remote area was identified.”
“CFI graciously provided the down payment, rent and the living cost for the next few months. Much thanks to CFI and partners for saving lives!”
“I think we can call it God’s miracle that at least 50 people this year were able to sustain their lives in these shelters that you are supporting. That’s truly a miracle.”
“Right now, there are many North Koreans in China even though there are many oppressions in China. Through your support and members of the international society, I believe we can stop or undermine the repatriation of defectors back to North Korea. We can give hope to them.”
“A hope that we can give is that we work together and with our efforts together, God mobilizes.”
“I’m sorry that I am getting the thanks and appreciations from North Korean defectors in our shelters as they can only communicate to me. But one day, once they are liberated, they will be able to say much thanks to you as well. Let’s do until the end. Thank you.”
Fact Sheet on Christians in North Korea.
Pictured at the top: A North Korean lady in China listens to a radio that can tune in to Christian broadcasting, a gift of Christian Freedom International.