North Korea (MNN)–North Korea has entered its fourth year as the worst violator of religious rights for Christians.
Christianity is observed as a dangerous foreign influence which stimulated the collapse of communist regimes in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. That means the government sees the faith as one of the greatest threats to the regime’s power.
As a result, the North Korean authorities are making harsh efforts to root out Christianity. This regime is suspected of detaining more political and religious prisoners than any other country in the world.
That would seem to make evangelism and discipleship nearly impossible. Not so, says World Bible Translation Center’s Gary Bishop. He goes on to say they’ve found a South Korean partner willing to brave getting Scripture over the border.
They’re working with a group who are wiling to risk their lives. Bishop explains, “They do it in darkness, to start with, hoping to escape the notice of border guards. The challenge is that they can only carry small amounts of New Testaments at a time.”
Getting the New Testaments over the border is one thing. The harder challenge is getting them distributed. Bishop says, “These things actually get buried in a mountainous area and people are told where to go dig them up.”
It’s ministry come full circle from the translation in South Korea, to donors, administrators and printers. The men who are part of the distribution are the last link.
Most of these young men know they risk their lives to be involved in this kind of activity. That makes it even more important to pray.
Urges Bishop, “Pray for those young men who have committed themselves. First of all, lift them up for protection, and for God to fulfill their lives for their commitment and obedience to Him.”
