In North Korea - A Man And A Woman

"Refugees International" went into Northeast China a few years back with the definite intent of seeing and interviewing refugees arrival out of North Korea. Their stories lack the earmarks of what we would call "great" storytelling. Deliberately. It was their purpose just to take the facts down and pass them on to the West. Following, in my own words, is the true story I gleaned from one of these interviews. Following the "lackluster" style of reporting used by Refugees International, I simply call these 2 persons "a man and a woman", knowing that the facts themselves will stir hearts.

The story I tell, by the way, is shared for the sole purpose of motivating praying population to do what they do best.

News North Korea

The "man" was in the North Korean army, and was discharged in 1997. When he went home he found there were no jobs. He moved to Musan, in northeast North Korea, heard of the flow of refugees into China, and joined it. In 3 months he was caught and sent back. Ten days in a Chongjin prison. Escape. Back to China. 'Tis a well-known tale, though not as often thought about to be a part of the "protected" military's existence.

1998. Chinese crackdown on North Korean refugees troops him to move to isolation in the mountains.

"The woman," also North Korean, comes to China in 2001 with an uncle who promises to find her a husband. The man and the woman are introduced one day. Married the next. She joins him in his mountain hideaways.

August, 2002. Husband is in a nearby settlement obtaining food when he is arrested by Chinese police and once more sent back to North Korea, without his wife. The wife is afraid and asks permission to live in the house of the boss of the shelter where they have been staying. Permission granted, but person reports her, she is arrested and likewise deported. It is October.

In prison she gives birth. Her hometown population hear of her ordeal and bribe officers to issue her.

One definite note. There are so many prisoners this second time nearby for the man, that he reports things have lightened up. There simply are not sufficient enforcers to make life miserable for everyone. The "light" version is a cell 5 quadrate meters. Containing 40 people. They kneel and cannot move. They must sleep in that position.

His wife even gave birth in that position.

We cannot imagine what the more difficult version was like.

The man wants to go to South Korea, he tells the interviewer. But he knows it will be very hard. He says that population who try to go to South Korea are sent somewhere else and they are killed. He says that the first examine they ask you when you are deported to North Korea is, "Have you been to church?" Those that say "Yes" will be killed right away or sent to a prison camp for life.

What is his plan now? He says, "Surviving day by day."

These things are difficult for us to hear. All we can do is keep listening to what the Spirit is saying to the Church. For God has a plan too. It seems He is unconcerned, un-moved. But in all things He will be glorified somehow. We know for sure that we must pray. Others will want to find ways to share materially or even go. But let us do something!

In North Korea - A Man And A Woman

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