When Mr. Kim thinks of quitting, he remembers their faces. Especially the women and children. People who he helped to escape from North Korea. It’s dangerous to rescue them. Last year he was caught twice by Chinese authorities. But he can’t stop.
Mr. Kim was once an escapee. On his journey to freedom, he found God. Now he runs safe houses for North Koreans where they not only shelter but also learn about God and experience true freedom in Christ.
In North Korea, Christianity is criminalized. Whispering a prayer can mean torture. Reading a Bible can mean execution by firing squad. Yet escaping is dangerous because the “underground railroad” runs through China.
China has ramped up surveillance to identify North Koreans who escape – then forcibly returns them to North Korea where they face forced labor camps and torture. The danger is not only for those fleeing, but also for their rescuers. Mr. Kim and our partners risk harsh punishment for the “crime” of helping desperate people fleeing North Korea. And yet they persist despite the risks.
Mr. Kim sent a report of recent escapees who stayed in shelters that are funded with your support for Christian Freedom International.
Each shelter holds about 20 people at a time. Because of your generosity through Christian Freedom International, they receive Bibles, warm clothing, food, and refuge even in brutal winters.
With details changed for security, Mr. Kim wrote:
Warm greetings to you.
Though we are facing our most arduous and perilous challenges – as Chinese public security and North Korean agents launch joint operations to thwart our rescue efforts – we find our greatest rewards in the lives we save.
In 2025, roughly 150 individuals passed through Christian Freedom International’s shelters without major incident. By giving daily necessities such as food, Bibles, clothing, medicine, and radios, we instill hope and courage in the hearts of North Korean escapees. The cold drops to minus-22 Fahrenheit, but thanks to your generous donations, escapees in the shelter endure the winter without knowing the bite of the cold.
In each shelter, an average of 20 people live together in community. These shelters serve as a sanctuary – a “nest of hope” that protects the lives of those who have nowhere to turn after escaping North Korea, for women fleeing sex trafficking, and escaping the violence of forced marriages with Chinese husbands.
That our shelters could perform such meaningful work is entirely due to the continuous support of Christian Freedom International.
Caught
However, China’s security forces are resorting to increasingly ruthless means to identify defectors and helpers who assist them, aiming to block any chance of rescue. Using phones, fingerprints, and even facial recognition technology, they are enforcing a blockade on defectors more severe than in any previous year.
We were not spared. Chinese security forces bribed an associate we transact with, leading to my own detention and investigation by public security and state agents on two occasions last year.
By God’s grace, I escaped.
Final Step to Freedom
For those who arrive in the safe zone of Thailand, they complete three months of Christian education in a shelter before going to South Korea. However, as rescues can only proceed when funds are prepared, there are inevitable limitations to the number of people we can help.
Day by day, the crackdown on North Korean defectors by Chinese public security intensifies. No matter how difficult or dangerous the path may be, we ask that you continue to pray with us and hold our hands for the sake of their freedom.
Thank you and Christian Freedom International’s partners for the hope you bring to the hopeless.
Sincerely,
Mr. Kim
Would you pray for divine protection and just the right resources to strengthen Christians who face persecution? Would you pray for endless courage for Christians like Mr. Kim?
Thank you for faithfully standing with them.
