North Korea (MNN) ― North Korea has begun scaling back its atomic weapons program. The rogue state has also briefly opened its doors for food relief. These are moves in the right direction, but there's a long way to go for religious freedom.
Compassion Radio's Norm Nelson says there ministry wants to help. Their team just returned from a third trip into the country. This one, he explains, was an assessment trip to figure out the best way to help the persecuted church. "There are roughly about 100,000 Christians who are in prison. Another objective is to strengthen the effort that takes in refugees who flee across the border into China. We've also been involved in humanitarian work, so all of those areas of outreach into North Korea, we want to strengthen."
An earlier partnered effort allowed their team to deliver two ocean containers containing over three million dollars' worth of medical supplies, as well as Bibles and the beginning of a complete theological library.
Compassion Radio listeners have also responded at Christmas time with thousands of Christmas cards which were delivered by Norm and Cher to the government officials of North Korea as well as to the believers.
The food that has been supplied by Compassion Radio listeners has been distributed to the Christians for their families and enables them to be able to share in the name of Jesus
Nelson says as they use the assessment to strengthen their ministry, believers should "pray for the Christians because of the level of persecution. Pray that they will be given the courage and the strength to retain their faith. What the North Korean government loves to do is to get them to recant their faith, to deny Jesus. So they need our prayers that they will be strengthened and enabled to endure."
Click here if you can respond and want to join Compassion Radio's efforts to support the North Korean church.
