As I stared throughout the river, my prayer got here as simply as a breath: “Lord, might your kingdom are available North Korea as it’s in heaven.”
I used to be standing on the southern fringe of a relatively overwhelming divide between two utterly completely different international locations. For some purpose I anticipated extra. Possibly one thing uncommon or definitive, however this was only a murky brown river. But I knew that on the other financial institution of the river, hidden from view, have been a whole bunch of meters of landmines, razor wire, and different army lookouts. As well as, hundreds of thousands of individuals residing on this planet's most repressive nation underneath a chaotic despotic regime, the place easy on a regular basis actions can result in a demise sentence – for instance, watching South Korean tv. Or pray to God as I do.
I'm certain all of us have these particular locations that sit with us and urge us to wish for God's kingdom to return there, identical to it’s in heaven. Possibly generally it's a quietly whispered prayer for the place we dwell, and different instances it comes as a daring assertion of hope for the longer term. At any time when I journey, I normally discover myself moved in some unspecified time in the future throughout my go to to wish this straightforward prayer calling and asking God to usher in his kingdom and all of the fantastic guarantees it holds – peace, righteousness, justice and freedom , which is the Kingdom of God.
This time, as I prayed and requested God to convey his kingdom to North Korea, I felt a sharper hole between the fact of the nation I used to be praying for and the approaching kingdom of Christ. Via my binoculars I might see small prefab homes, the obelisk “Tower of Life” devoted to the Kim dynasty that stands close to the border, similar to 1000’s of others erected throughout the nation as a continuing seen reminder of absolutely the energy of the Kims. . And as I silently prayed for the group of North Korean troopers who have been me, it began to rain and essentially the most terrifying sounds got here throughout the river. In response to South Korean loudspeakers blasting Ok-Pop music throughout the demilitarized zone, the North Koreans arrange a large PA system that emits a weird sound much like white noise, solely someway way more discordant and distracting.
I used to be in Korea for the launch of CSW's newest report on the human rights state of affairs in North Korea and particularly the plight of Christian teams. We launched right into a packed room in Seoul and have been greeted by authorities officers, church leaders, NGO companions and teachers. Most significantly, we frolicked with defectors who risked every thing to flee to South Korea. Escapes like my buddy Jun, a younger man who secretly traveled by North Korea and China in an try to achieve freedom.
Jun grew up in a comparatively middle-class household, however they nonetheless confronted fixed starvation. He informed me that his middle-class standing afforded him the luxurious of a single egg every week on high of his meager grain ration. He confirmed me footage taken after his arrival in South Korea, displaying an emaciated teenager who bore little resemblance to the younger man I had met.
For 10 months, Jun walked every day in worry of being found by the Chinese language authorities, who would forcefully return him to North Korea. If he returned, he would face torture, imprisonment or execution for leaving the nation. The three key questions which are requested of each returnee are: “have you ever watched South Korean media?”, “have you ever seen pornography?” and “have you ever had contact with Christians?”. Answering sure to any of those questions will doubtless lead to your enforced disappearance and/or execution by firing squad.
Jun additionally informed me that he had by no means met a Christian till he arrived in China; being a follower of Jesus in North Korea is extremely tough and dangerous. If uncovered, Christians are handled as in the event that they have been terrorists committing treason. The church buildings are small and remoted, assembly in household houses, at all times secretly.
CSW's newest report comes 10 years after the publication of the UN Fee of Inquiry's landmark report on North Korea and considers what has modified within the nation. Sadly, the brief reply is that there was no enchancment. Whereas the world has modified considerably over the previous ten years, the state of affairs in North Korea is as bleak because it was on the time of the publication of the COI. The aim of the message is to as soon as once more draw consideration to this evil regime and ask the world to not look away and neglect the plight of the North Koreans, however as an alternative converse out and pray for change on this nation.
And so, as I replicate on my time in Korea, I discover myself praying once more with confidence and hope, “Lord, might your kingdom come to North Korea!”.
Scot Bower is the CEO of Christian Solidarity Worldwide.
