FRONTLINE FAITH
SHARING THE INSIDE STORY OF THE PERSECUTED CHURCH
NEW
H
INE FAIT
FRONTL A EDITION
KORE
NORTH
B 2016
JAN/FE
North Korea
AN INTRODUCTION
Page 3
Escaping North Korea
THREE STORIES
Page 4
Five Ways
OPEN DOORS HELPS
Page 6
Amazing Grace
YENA & YOHAN
Page 8
WE BELIEVE THE
PERSECUTED CHURCH
SHOULD BE PART OF THE
DNA OF EVERY CHRISTIAN.
WE ARE ONE BODY
Welcome to a new year and a new Frontline Faith!
Over the last 12 months in the role of CEO I have
been blown away by countless messages of
love and support for our ministry from people I’ve
met, or people who have contacted us. It made
me realise how committed and passionate our
supporters are – a small (but mighty!) group of
about 9,000 Christians across Australia.
As I spent time in December seeking God on
how we could better strengthen the persecuted
church in 2016 and beyond, I dreamt of seeing...
...17,000 supporters of the persecuted church
by the end of 2017.
Let me tell you why…
At the end of last year I spent some time in
Northern Iraq meeting with people who had been
displaced by the self-proclaimed Islamic State.
As I heard story after story of people who were
suffering emotionally, physically and spiritually,
I realised for the first time that I hadn’t found a
stereotypical “heroic” persecuted church; I had
found a “heartbroken” church. A church that still
loved and trusted in Jesus, but a church that was
tired, worn out and exhausted.
I met children who would wake in the middle of
the night screaming, “They’re coming, they’re
coming…” I met fathers trying to deal with the
shame of not being able to provide for their
families. I met mothers learning to live off food
parcels and other relief they were given through
our ministry.
It was during this trip I felt God speak to me about
our role as a ministry – calling us to be bold, take
risks and ask questions – because strengthening
the persecuted church should be part of the
DNA of every Christian.
In some ways, I felt God was calling us to return
to the boldness Brother Andrew had when he
started our ministry in 1955. A boldness that saw
people driven to prayer, drawn closer to a radical
God and expressing their faith fearlessly. They
became storytellers of the persecuted church and
ultimately called to willingly contribute financially
to equip effective on-the-ground ministry to
those living out their faith in some of the most
confronting places on the planet to be a Christian.
To reach our goal of 17,000 supporters, we simply
need each of you to tell one friend about our
ministry and how they can help. Would you be
willing to commit to asking one person you know
to consider supporting our work in 2016?
Thank you so much for your ongoing support. I
hope and pray that you will join us on this journey.
Mike Gore
CEO Open Doors Australia
NEW FRONTLINE FAITH!
You might notice a few changes in this Frontline Faith newsletter…
Open Doors is passionate about telling the story of the persecuted church.
And we believe the best way to do this is to provide you with a newsletter that
you can be excited to share with your church and your friends.
We want you to know what’s happening on the frontline of the church in
countries where Christians risk a lot to shine the light of the gospel. And we want
you, as part of the body of Christ, to be equipped to stand shoulder to shoulder
with our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world in prayer and support.
2 | Open Doors Australia | Frontline Faith, North Korea Edition — Jan/Feb 2016
Nor th Korea
AN INTRODUCTION
Behind this hill is a prison camp, Yodok,
one of the largest prison camps in North Korea.
NORTH KOREA IS
THE MOST DANGEROUS
PLACE IN THE WORLD TO
BE A CHRISTIAN.
How are Christians persecuted?
Reading the Bible, gathering for worship and
sharing the gospel are forbidden.
Punishments include execution, torture, and
life imprisonment. Violence is routine in prisons
and ‘labour’ camps. North Korean society is
indoctrinated to uphold and celebrate the state
system, so faith must be kept secret, even
within families.
The following questions and answers will
help you understand why.
Why is Korea divided?
At the end of World War II, the United States of
America controlled South Korea, and Russia
installed a communist regime in the north.
While North Korea’s oppression of Christians
is unparalleled and growing, South Korea has
some of the world’s largest churches and is one
of the biggest supporters of global mission.
Why is Christianity illegal?
All religion is considered a threat to the nation’s
socialist vision. For 70 years the secret police
has waged a brutal campaign to eradicate
religious belief. Christianity is considered
‘western’ and particularly dangerous. Anyone
who challenges the god-like dictatorship of Kim
Jong-Un is considered an enemy of the state
and severely punished.
How many Christians are imprisoned?
Thousands of Christians are incarcerated in labour
camps. Despite the harsh oppression, the church
is not only surviving, but slowly growing. The
estimated 300,000 North Korean Christians are
evidently willing to sacrifice their lives for their faith.
How does Open Doors work with
North Korean Christians?
It is very difficult, dangerous and undercover
work. We run safe houses in China where we
help Christian refugees from North Korea.
We also deliver aid and broadcast Christian
radio programs.
In extremely diverse ways, God is working
miracles through His body in North Korea. Let us
uphold our courageous Christian family called to
suffer for Christ and thus glorify His name.
Frontline Faith, North Korea Edition — Jan/Feb 2016 | Open Doors Australia | 3
Escaping North Korea
MEET THREE UNLIKELY PEOPLE GOD IS USING
ON THE NORTH KOREAN BORDER.
Along the border between North Korea and China are Christians who take great risks to grow
God’s kingdom. An Open Doors contact recently travelled to visit Chinese believers carrying out
the dangerous work of ministering to North Korean refugees. Here are his stories...
I know God has not abandoned this land. Too
many people I’ve met bear testimony of His
saving work in North Korea. But still… most North
Koreans live and die under the rule of the Kims
and have never heard of a God who creates
cares, and cherishes.
One thing I have learned is that God makes a
way for His servants. He miraculously opens
doors and hearts to fulfil His great commission.
The Refugee’s Ranger
In a private room of a restaurant, I meet a cautious
man in his sixties. After prayer, he confides how
he grew up in the area roaming the mountains like
a ranger. Now he uses his skills to find refugees
hiding in the woods. He told me, “Six months ago,
I met a North Korean man. I was able to share the
gospel with him and he came to faith.
“A month ago, I had heart problems and was
near death. God miraculously healed me. The
doctors couldn’t explain it. Now, I provide food for
three refugees. One of them is the man I helped
six months ago. He now leads an underground
church of sixteen believers.”
The Transformed Alcoholic
I meet with Sister P* in an old church that had
sheltered North Korean refugees until one of
them was arrested. “It was our duty to help them,”
she declared.
“Fortunately, God granted these refugees faith.
During services, they sat near the exit so, if the
police came, they could slip out. But one of the
ladies was arrested during a Bible study.
She disappeared, leaving her children with an
abusive husband.
“With the support of your organisation we were
able to take care of this poor family. Every
morning, members of our congregation prayed
with tears for our lost sister. The husband started
to attend church. He transformed. He’s no longer
an abusive alcoholic but a faithful servant and
good father. He is very important for our local
ministry now.”
Recently his wife called from North Korea. After
spending several years in a prison camp, she was
released. “She hopes to escape to China soon,”
Sister P continued. “Fifty per cent of inmates don’t
survive their prison sentence. I’m sure our sister
survived thanks to prayer.”
4 | Open Doors Australia | Frontline Faith, North Korea Edition — Jan/Feb 2016
Image one: The river that separates North Korea and China. Many attempt to cross this river to escape.
Image two: A North Korean man looking out of a crowded train. Image three: A lady and a young girl in a rural area in North Korea.
The Shelter of His Love
Before me sits an extraordinary lady we call Mrs Shelter,
because she risks her life to run one of Open Doors'
safe houses for North Korean refugees.
“Five years ago I was so sick I almost died,” she shared.
“A pastor prayed for me. I was miraculously healed.
God saved me and I know why. He wanted to use me
for North Korean ministry. Ever since, I’ve realised I’m
living on extra time. I don’t want to waste the days
I’ve been given.”
Living in a city where “people from the other side”
regularly appear, her ministry is fruitful.
“They wander the streets, looking for places to sleep.
I approach them, offer them a free place to stay, and
serve them until they go back or move on.
“They want to know why I do this without asking
anything in return. I share with them about God and the
Bible. Many return as believers.”
The moment Mrs Shelter became involved in the work
among North Koreans she also became a target for
the Chinese authorities and North Korean government.
She has had spies under her roof - humans trained to
deceive, destroy and murder.
“I’VE REALISED I’M LIVING
ON EXTRA TIME. I DON’T
WANT TO WASTE THE
DAYS I’VE BEEN GIVEN.”
“God grants me supernatural discernment. I can tell if
the person is genuine or sent to spy. But I never shy
away from serving. I treat the spies with as much love
as I help real refugees. Some confessed at the end of
their stay they were there to write a bad report about
me back in North Korea, but they promised they would
make it a positive one. ‘We don’t have your faith,’ they
say, ‘but we’ve seen your life and character and want to
resemble it’.”
Open Doors trains and supports many people like Mrs
Shelter, both in and outside of North Korea.
With your help Open Doors can continue to empower
courageous Chinese Christians to minister Christ’s love
to their desperate neighbours.
*Names changed for security reasons.
Frontline Faith, North Korea Edition — Jan/Feb 2016 | Open Doors Australia | 5
5
WAYS WE
ARE HELPING
NORTH KOREANS
Although our work in North Korea is limited due to security, God still makes
ways for Open Doors to be involved in a broad range of ministries.
BIBLE &
CHRISTIAN BOOKS
FOOD, MEDICINE
& CLOTHES
TRAINING & SHELTER
FOR REFUGEES
Owning a Bible is
forbidden in North Korea.
Hye’s grandmother owned
an old Chinese Bible and her
father had a Korean Bible.
“I remember many North
Koreans passing through
our village in 1996, begging
for food. They looked like
zombies, with ragged clothes,
exhausted, more dead than
alive. Sometimes entire families
walked through our village”
Did you know that the
‘refugee church’ is the biggest
and fastest growing church
of North Koreans? An Open
Doors field worker shares,
“They read from the Bible and
sang songs, but there was
almost no sound coming from
their mouths. Other Christians
didn’t own a Bible. They shared
books which my grandmother
had written by hand. She would
hide it immediately if she heard
someone coming to the house.”
Pastor Yun leads a church that
still opens its doors for North
Korean refugees. It’s a big risk
to take. Not many members of
his small congregation know
that their church, in partnership
with Open Doors, secretly
supports North Koreans.
6 | Open Doors Australia | Frontline Faith, North Korea Edition — Jan/Feb 2016
“When I started my ministry
among illegal, North Korean
refugee women in China, I
knew it was going to be hard.
And it is sometimes. I pray and
fast before every meeting with
them. But the fruit is incredible.
When I am introduced to new
women, they embrace the
gospel so quickly. It is like…
they are just ready. They have
been prepared by God.”
CAN YOU HELP
US SHARE?
INTENSIVE TRAINING
FOR FUTURE LEADERS
RADIO
BROADCAST
When we strengthen the
leaders, we strengthen the
church. A North Korean church
leader shares,
Believers in North Korea are
hungry for the Word of God.
Over the years, we have
brought an estimated 35,000
radios into the country and
produced several Christianthemed programs. Church
leaders tell us the programs
are very well received. Praise
God that, despite the darkness
and isolation in North Korea,
His Word can come to those
who seek Him through radio.
“To us who are living here like
in the wilderness, your prayers
and support are a blessing
like manna and quails from the
Father God, and like a fountain
of life which is springing up in
the desert… Your endless care,
support, and encouragement
motivate us to carry out our
work with a high sense of
responsibility and we obey
our holy calling in this land with
an Amen.”
Every one can make
a difference
We are so grateful for
the 9,000 Australians
who support Open
Doors' ministry all
around the world.
We believe that the
persecuted church
should be part of the
DNA of every Christian
in Australia. That means
every individual, family,
Bible study and church.
Who do you know that
might be interested in
joining us?
Frontline Faith, North Korea Edition — Jan/Feb 2016 | Open Doors Australia | 7
Amazing Grace
DESPITE THE DANGER,
THEY LONG TO RETURN HOME
TO SHARE THE GOSPEL.
Her Story - “My mother was always murmuring.
I didn’t know why and I didn’t ask,” Jung Yena
explains cautiously. “Only years later did I realise
she was always praying. In North Korea, I never
knew I was part of a Christian family.”
The power of their
families' secret prayers
brought two North Korean
musicians to Christ.
Yena found joy in the “heavenly” music her mother
gave her to play on the piano. They were songs
from a hymnal she was startled to learn were
forbidden. One day when police surrounded
their apartment for a house check, her mother ran
sobbing to the stove and burned her hymnal book
before it could be discovered.
It was one of many incidents that eventually led
Yena to realise she lived in a ‘fake paradise’
based on lies. In 2004 she escaped to China
with her mother.
Yena learned that her relatives in China were
Christian and that they had endured severe
persecution. Her uncle had been killed for his
faith. Attending church, she was moved by the
same beautiful music she had once played from
the hymnal.
After six months in China, Yena and her mother
sought refuge in South Korea. They devised a
risky plan to escape, but were caught by the
Chinese authorities.
“I spent almost three years in a basement without
sunlight,” Yena explained. “I still suffer because of
the malnutrition. To kill the time, I closed my eyes
and moved my fingers over the floor as if they
were touching the keys of my piano. I spent so
many hours ‘playing’ that my fingers still often hurt.”
In 2007, they were finally allowed entry into South
Korea. Four years later Yena married Jung Yohan,
a North Korean violinist with his own remarkable
testimony. A gifted musician, Yohan had been
chosen to perform for Kim Jong-Il, whom he
worshiped as a god.
8 | Open Doors Australia | Frontline Faith, North Korea Edition — Jan/Feb 2016
His story - On an exchange project in Eastern
Europe, he secretly attended church, discovering
the faith of his grandfather, an elder in the
underground church. “Only later in my life did I
realise he was a Christian. As a child he brought
me to my music lessons and secretly prayed for me.
“I realised that I had been indoctrinated all my life.
My grandfather had been a good man and it was
the North Korean government that was evil.”
Afraid his new faith would be exposed, Yohan
sold the only valuable thing he owned, his violin.
He then undertook the dangerous journey that
eventually brought him to South Korea.
Now, he and his wife help North Korean refugees
settle in the south, and glorify Jesus through their
music. “Our dream is that one day we can return
to North Korea and share the gospel through our
music,” Yohan said.
Have they ever thought about composing a song
about their life?
Yena and Yohan look at each other.
“We don’t have to,” Yohan replies. “It has already
been written.” The same song they play as they visit
churches to share their testimony and music. The
beloved Christian anthem known all over the world
- Amazing Grace.
Frontline Faith, North Korea Edition — Jan/Feb 2016 | Open Doors Australia | 9
HOW CAN
I HELP?
We believe that supporting persecuted
Christians should be part of the DNA of
every Christian.
Monthly Giving
Sacrificial giving on a monthly basis is the
best form of support for the persecuted
church. A monthly gift ensures ongoing
ministry to those who share our faith but
not our freedom. By doing this you are
partnering with us on the frontlines.
Give
Your generous gifts allow Open Doors to
continue supporting persecuted Christians
from North Korea and around the world.
Every gift makes a difference!
How to give
To set up your monthly Frontline Partner
gift or to make your donation see the
enclosed response form or visit
www.opendoors.org.au | (02) 9451 2999
LIFE-CHANGING
TRAVEL IN 2016
Don't miss out - register your interest today
Travelling to visit the persecuted church is always
challenging. Your life will never be the same, and
you will be a source of encouragement to the
Christians you meet. Spaces for 2016 are limited
so call or email today to find out more.
The Insanity of God by Nik Ripken
“What can I possibly say about this book?
It completely and utterly wrecked me. Half of the
time I found myself sitting in heartbreaking silence
on the verge of tears, and the other half I found
myself wanting to shout and dance over some
of the stories. No one will read this book and
be the same person after the last page.
If you want a front row seat to the raw, potent,
heart transforming power of Jesus, this book
is a must read.”
- Jeff Bethke, Author: Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus
Enquire at (02) 9451 2999 or [email protected]
10 | Open Doors Australia | Frontline Faith, North Korea Edition — Jan/Feb 2016
Buy online www.opendoors.org.nz
$20 + Postage & Handling
WRITE TO A BELIEVER
ENCOURAGE PASTOR DAYARATNE
AND MALA TO NOT LOSE HEART
IN THEIR FIGHT FOR AGAPE
CHILDREN’S VILLAGE, SRI LANKA.
Called to care for abandoned, orphaned and
abused children, Pastor Dayaratne and his wife
Mala opened Agape Children’s Village in 2001.
Starting with only one child, they grew to care
for more than 130 children. Regardless of age or
background, Pastor Dayaratne and Mala raised
them as their own for 12 years.
Agape flourished. Volunteers flocked to the
home and they became ‘home mothers’ for the
children. By 2010, Agape was recognised as the
best orphanage in southern Sri Lanka.
Due to government pressure and a media
smear campaign, Agape Children’s Village was
forced to close down in April 2013. The children
were taken away - back to their families or even
left on the streets, many of them desperately
wanting to return to Agape.
The media smear campaign was started by
nearby Buddhist monks who were jealous of
the children’s village and concerned about
the number of children aspiring to become
pastors and missionaries. They circulated false
accusations about Dayaratne and Agape.
“The media didn’t give me a chance to explain.
They didn’t give a chance for the children to say
anything,” he lamented. “I couldn’t use public
transport because I felt like the people around
me would beat me or kill me.”
Devastated, Dayaratne has fought hard to
appeal the decision and hopes to one day
reopen Agape.
As they wait to appeal their case, they continue
to serve through Agape Without Walls, educating
children in rural villages and visiting the children
who used to stay with them, now on the streets.
Please write to Pastor Dayaratne and Mala
to encourage their ministry to Sri Lanka’s
vulnerable children in the name of Jesus.
Writing Guidelines
- Do not mention Open Doors
-G
reeting cards, artwork by children and postcards
are best (send postcards in an envelope, do not write
the Open Doors' address on the postcard)
-P
rint clearly in English, be brief, encouraging and
include 1–2 Bible verses
- Provide your name and country, not your full address
- Do not send money with the letters
Please send cards and letters by 29 February 2016 to:
Open Doors Australia, PO Box 6237
Frenchs Forest NSW 2086
COUNTRY PROFILE
SRI LANKA
#44 WORLD WATCH LIST
Population: 21.6 million ( 1.9 million Christians )
Main religion: Buddhism
Type of Persecution: Religious nationalism
The local community places a lot of pressure on Christians.
Buddhist monks often look at Christians with suspicion, and
in some instances persecution becomes violent.
Pray
• That Christian converts from Buddhism will keep their
faith as they face intense pressure from their families.
• For Pastor Dayaratne and Mala and the children from the
Agape Children's Village (see top of page above).
Frontline Faith, North Korea Edition — Jan/Feb 2016 | Open Doors Australia | 11
2 016
WATC H
L I S T
RESOURCES RELEASED -1 FEBRUARY
M A P | H A N D B O O K O F P R AY E R | C O U N T R Y PA C K S
T H E R E I S O N LY O N E
B O DY O F C H R I S T.
WHAT IS IT LIKE TO FOLLOW JESUS IN THE
50 MOST DANGEROUS COUNTRIES?
In 2016, use the Handbook of Prayer to have your church or Bible
Study Group pray through the world’s 50 most persecuted countries.
For regular stories, updates and resources about persecution in
the world’s most dangerous places, visit
WWW.OPENDOORS.ORG.AU
Follow Open Doors Australia on social media
Open Doors Australia
PO Box 6237 Frenchs Forest NSW, 2086
(02) 9451 2999 | [email protected]