In the midst of all the disruption due to the closed border between North Korea and China, one field missionary told the following story: “I went to North Korea in January. The first thing I felt once I was in North Korea that I was so ashamed of my own life. I stayed with a leader of a North Korean underground church. He listens to the Gospel by radio and ministers to others. He lives a life solely of ministering to others, his only means being the Word of Jesus. Most people in North Korea face very hard lives, barely able to survive on so little food. In this leader’s house, an average of two or three people a day came to eat and have a chance to listen to the Gospel. Some are people who have done evil things to earn money to survive in places where there is hardly any food. However, when these people fall in love with God, they really change. They become hungry to hear and read the Bible, to listen to the pastor’s testimonies, and to listen to God's Word through MP4s and DVDs. And they believe and say that "it really is." When I saw them, I wanted to give out the Gospel to these poor souls and my feeling of compassion for them swelled up in me like fire. Although people do not dare talk about it in public, there are many people in North Korea who know the Gospel. Some of them are even high-level government officials”. He continues, “I actually witnessed people coming to this underground pastor. From him they learned the hymns and learned songs. I had previously thought this is impossible in North Korea. Some people listened to MP4s as they spent the night in his house. I could see many happy smiles when I looked at the faces of those who received our heavenly Father. The pastor was so enthusiastic and grateful as he welcomed new believers into the body of Christ. It was a joy to see his blessedly animated face as he ministered to their spiritual hunger. Although no one calls him ‘pastor’, he was energetic, cheerful, and beamed encouragement to all. He is a pastor of this underground church. While I was there, I witnessed 20 to 25 sisters who come to pastor's house to hear the gospel regularly. As I was leaving North Korea I handed all my belongings to those who came to the pastor’s house as a gift from God.” This worker said, “I know now the value of the training we receive in China”. With God’s grace and your prayer and financial support, the workers from North Korea have been trained and are filled with the Holy Spirit. They are aware of great difficulties awaiting them when they return home, but still they return to North Korea with the Gospel to be shared with broken people for His glory. Let us pray that the underground church will be protected by God and that He will protect North Koreans with poor medical facilities and scarce medicines from exposure to the corona virus, especially protecting North Korean believers. Let us be assured this incident is in the hands of God who loves North Korea, and works to open a tightly closed door and allow the North Korean people to enjoy the grace of listening to the gospel. In His service, Peter and Isaac
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