Cracking Open Steel Doors

Many of you who have been around here for awhile know that I really have a heart for the persecuted church. From researching more about the persecuted church, I have learned that the number one country where it is the hardest to be a Christian, and the hardest to share the gospel, is North Korea.

Even apart from religion, North Koreans are a very controlled, manipulated, and stifled people. God broke my heart for this country last year when I attended a Voice of the Martyrs conference and was able to hear more inside information about what goes on inside the country's borders. If you would like to read some basic information about North Korea, its religion, leadership, and the persecution of Christians, I wrote a post about it here.

Having said all this, I write this to say that today it was announced that Kim Jong-il died on Saturday from a heart attack.

Kim Jong-il has been the leader of North Korea since his father passed away in 1994, and continued in the example of his father's strong hand over the people. You can read more about his death here.

I wanted to share this with you all, because this is a big deal. Kim Jong-il chose his third son, Kim Jong-un, to be his successor. His son has been raised with the same ideals as his father, and his father before him. But with the change of leadership, I ask that we, as the church, pray. Pray for this new leader's heart. That it will be softened for his people, and that it would be opened to new ideas, and ultimately the love of Christ.

So many dictators and communist leaders have been removed and/or died recently, and in a way I feel like the doors of hope and opportunity are being cracked open. We can't physically go and break down the heavy steel doors of corruption and oppression in these places, but we can join the battle spiritually.

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." Ephesians 6:12-13

So, my friends, let's pray.

Sharing is Caring

On Saturday I spent the day with Dulce, one of the girls I mentor.

I went to the bank, then went to her house and picked her up. We stopped by to say hi to a couple other kids. We went to Sonic and had sodas. We went to the $3 theater and watched the new Chronicles of Narnia. We went and got a pizza. We came to my house to hang out.

Then she told me my shirt was on inside out.

So, because sharing is caring, I thought I'd pass onto you some share worthy things.

*Come Together Trading Company is a Christian based company which sells fair trade items from around the world. They have beautiful, handmade, and unique items  that would make the perfect gifts. Here are a few of my favorite items.

Global Mamas Headband- made in Ghana



Guatemalan Scarves- made in Guatemala

Pakko Tote Bag- made in India

*Compassion International is raising money to help send one of their children to the special olympics. Compassion Can represented Emilda's story so well. Please take time to read it! You will be blessed.

*For those of you who followed my series on The Persecuted Church, and especally the story of North Korea, Inside North Korea is an eye-opening documentary released by National Geographic. None of the information in the documentary was necessarily new to me, but seeing pictures and videos of the people behind the stories really shook me. It is hard to watch at points, but this documentary brings light to darkness that Satan would love to remain hidden.

*Conspiracy of Hope is raising money to support IJM and My Refuge House. Click here to help bring healing and restoration for the victims of sex trafficking.

I hope you will take time to check these things out!

God Bless,

The Persecuted Church: North Korea

Through the Voice of the Martyrs conference I learned so many heart breaking things about North Korea.

I was so intrigued and perplexed by the speaker that I was afraid that if I stopped to take notes, that I would miss something.

Every word he said was important.

I learned that North Korea is the only country in the world that was founded with the intent to corrupt christianity.

I encourage you to research the country's history, because I, as I mentioned, did not take the focus off the speaker long enough to worry about recording the names and dates, and there are many details I have forgotten.

I do know that the religion of North Korea is called Juche, and the leader of North Korea is the god of the country. The nation has also been taught to believe that his father (the previous leader) was the creator of the world and their race. The father, the son, and the wife/mother, make up the trinity of this religion. The religon was created to parallel christianity in so many ways, that often times when one hears about Christ, they wonder why Christianity is trying to copy them.

Services are held to worship the leader, much like our church services. Hymns praising his name are sung. And there is absolutely no room to refuse.

I also learned that North Korea is the hardest country in the world to not only be a Christian, but to hear the gospel.

In 1977 the government announced to the world that the country had been completely rid of all Christians. The world either denied or ignored the fact that this meant the mass annihilation of human beings.

Apparently, somehow a few, or maybe just one or two Christians survived. And from these seeds planted among the thorns, the faith has not only managed to survive, but to multiply. Although mulitplying is a seemingly impossible task, it is being done.

Every home in North Korea is responsible not only for themselves, but for two homes on either side of them. If suspicious activity is happening two doors down, and you fail to report it to the government, your punishment is equally severe as those committing the "crime." Suspicious activity includes the gathering of people, any more than two, which makes communication difficult.

Currently the strategic ways the gospel is being taken to North Korea are through balloon drops, ministering to North Koreans who temporarily enter China on work visas, and through sneaky communication to family members by those who have escaped.

Often times you can tell those who have just escaped from North Korea because they are a foot shorter than a healthy sized Korean due to malnutrition, and because they are often times green.

Unless a family is in the elite group who has no offenses against the government in any of their family line, they do not recieve food rations. Therefore they live off of plants and tree bark, giving them a greenish complexion.

An estimated 1/3 of all Christians in North Korea live in concentration camps. These camps differ from those of the Nazi regime. Those in the camps live where they work. There are no beds/buildings for them to sleep in at night. There are no food rations. There is working, then sleeping in the same area, and waking to do it all again until death. Many concentration camps are mines. Once a person goes in, they often will not leave the mine again. That is where they sleep and work until they die.

Other than concentration camps, those who are caught with any suspicion of Christianity are subject to all kinds of testing. Frankensteinian medicine, which I mentioned before, as well testing chemical weapons. Christians are used as guinea pigs to see just how much chemical can make a person absolutely crazy or disformed without completely killing them.

The torture of Christians in North Korea is absolutely among the worst in the world. Because of the strict government control, the small number of Christians there (believed to possibly be as many as 100,000) are flashing targets. But although they experience great suffering because of their faith, the church continues on, and people continue to be saved.

The story of North Korea is not a very happy one, but it is not without a glimmer of hope. It is a story we need to hear. As Christians we need to be armed with knowledge to fight against the battle the persecuted church is facing. We must remember that these suffering people, they are our family. We share the blood of Christ.

Please join me in praying for North Korea.