ICC Note: North Korea is undoubtedly the most difficult place for a Christian to live in the world today. An estimated 400,000 Christians live in North Korea, practicing their faith in almost total secrecy. A “crime” as simple as owning a Bible can be punished by life imprisonment or public execution. Nevertheless reports emerge that underground Christians are continuing to share their faith and minister throughout the “Hermit Kingdom”, despite risk of death. 
1/21/2014 North Korea (CIC) – For the 12th year in a row, North Korea tops the Open Doors USA World Watch List as the worst place in a world to be a Christian. Hope remains in this abyss for one simple reason: the Gospel is gaining ground despite persecution.
The people of North Korea are forced to worship their nation’s ruling family, the Kims. When discovered by the authorities, Christ-followers are put in gulags and subject to unspeakable horrors. Decades of extreme persecution and brutality have made evangelism next-to-impossible, but a Remnant Church is standing firm.
Christian Aid Mission, your link to indigenous missions, supports the work of an underground church-planting ministry. This ministry trains Christian leaders and encourages North Korean believers to remain committed to their faith, despite ever-present persecution.
Since 2008, the ministry has reached, trained, and sent out more than 180 North Koreans as Gospel workers. In 2014, the ministry hopes to train and send out 24 additional church planters. Pray with them that this goal can be accomplished.
Along with training church planters and leaders, the Christian Aid-supported ministry also lends a hand to North Korean immigrants. It’s illegal to leave North Korea without permission from the government, but some are willing to risk it all to find a better life in China.
“It is beyond explanation why a government would intentionally allow a major percentage of her people to starve, when the country could feed its own if they wanted,” says a Christian Aid spokesperson. “Most live on the verge of starvation all of their lives, eating whatever they can scavenge from nature around them.
“Faced with constant deprivation and the boot of an inhumane government, desperate people will do anything to seek food and freedom.”
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