North Korean Newcomers

North Korean Newcomers

North Korean Newcomers

탈북 새신자 맞이

Many North Korean defectors in South Korea can easily feel like they are forgotten, like the world has thrown them away. However, through the NK newcomers project, God visits the lonely, provides parents to the orphans, and demonstrates his mercy to those who cry out to Him. Even though some of the NKs we meet have been in South Korea for a while, through the NK newcomers project God shows them that, although the world may have forsaken them, He has not forgotten them.

MRS. HA HAS NO FAITH

18-150-30136 (2023) Hanawon] [Hanawon 3 [Sanitized]
Mrs. Ha meets for lunch with UU and UT students.

One of our UU students moved into a new home, so our North Korean ministries team went on a visitation to her house for a housewarming party. Two UT students were also there, along with another North Korean defector woman, Mrs. Ha.

 

Mrs. Ha came to South Korea five years ago after being in China. She left her husband and two daughters in North Korea in hopes of pioneering a new life abroad so that her daughters could pursue an education. Mrs. Ha’s plans turned sour when her family members ended up not being able to leave North Korea. Now Mrs. Ha is now suffering from depression, in part because she is living alone in South Korea.

 

Mrs. Ha had been to UT orientation before, but she decided not to attend so that she could pursue other education and work.

 

Mrs. Ha said, “I live my life according to God’s will. I believe in doing that. But I don’t attend church.” Our UU student Mrs. S heard this and critiqued her sharply, “You do not have faith.”

 

Mrs. Ha tried to do Bible translation with our students before, but she did not see any benefit in it. A UT student, Mrs. J, shared with Mrs. Ha that the importance of translation is in the word of God itself and how it is written in one’s heart through the translation process. Mrs. J encouraged her to read God’s word, saying, “I do not understand how people say ‘Believe in God, believe in God’ without giving them the word of God. You need the word of God or else you cannot have faith.”

 

Mrs. Ha said that she has a friend whose life is completely centered on Jesus. But she told the friend, “Hey, don’t make me catch that craziness.” Mrs. Ha told us, “I think I will attend church one day. But, right now, my life needs to become stable first.”

 

To close the time together, we prayed and also shared from Mark 2 about how Jesus said that he came to call the sick, not the healthy. Hopefully Mrs. Ha will realize that stability in life comes from meeting Jesus, not before meeting Jesus.

 

Throughout this visitation, we saw the importance of UU and UT students evangelizing people in their sphere of influence. If we had told Mrs. Ha that she had no faith as directly as our students did, Mrs. Ha may have gotten hurt or not taken it to heart. By God’s grace, it is North Koreans who reach out best to North Koreans.

18-150-30136 (2023) Hanawon] [Hanawon 1 [Sanitized]
UU and UT students continue to reach out to Hanawon graduates via camping trips.

Prayer Requests for this project:

  • Pray for Mrs. Ha, a NK defector in South Korea : Mrs. Ha said that she will believe in Jesus after she achieves more stability in her life. Please pray for her to find stability in Christ alone and not in other things.
  • Pray regarding security issues regarding North Korean defectors: Some Christian ministries don’t take security seriously and don’t respect the requests of NKs themselves in terms of what information shouldn’t be shared. Please pray for the North Koreans who have been hurt by ministries such as these in recent days.

7 Comments

  1. Pastor Kent

    Says March 04, 2020 at pm 6:51

    Yes, I will join you in praying this for him as well.

  2. Hana Kim

    Says November 18, 2020 at pm 3:11

    God bless you on this mission!

  3. Miriam Berríos

    Says December 20, 2020 at am 9:21

    Praying for KVOM ministry! ?✝️?

  4. jim_scoales

    Says March 02, 2021 at pm 7:16

    Amen God will keep His own gift of faith through Grace alive in every elect child of His.

  5. Wanita

    Says March 29, 2022 at am 12:32

    I would like to receive email updates on the ministry to North Korea. Also, I’m wondering, does VOM teach English to North Korean defectors?

    • Pastor Tim

      Says April 05, 2022 at pm 1:24

      I signed you up for our email prayer partner update Wanita! The update is on all of our work, but we always share some important/verifiable NK news links and prayer requests. You should receive the first one later tonight (Korea time). We don’t teach English to NK defectors. Most of our teach is actually done NK defector to NK defector! God Bless ~ Pastor Tim.

  6. Joe Sanders

    Says May 11, 2022 at am 5:22

    I’m praying for GSK and other ‘special forces’

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