Part Seven

This story, though fictional, is based on first person accounts. Great effort has been made to accurately reflect the reality of life of a prisoner in a North Korean detention camp.

Dear Hannah ,

I see now that Jesus has been speaking to my heart since I was a child. He was in my mother...how I miss her...her sweet face, her sweet voice, her peace. He was in Mi-kyoung...my dear friend. He was in the guard...my angel. He was in the prison cell after my interrogation...my healer. Yes, He has been with me...always.

I have shared with you my life as a prisoner in Camp 14. You may think that after so much suffering my life would be impossible to bear. In many ways it is, but even though I am locked in a cell at night and closely guarded as I labor in the fields during the day, I am free. No one can take away the joy that Jesus has brought to my heart.

Life still is difficult. Food is scant. My cell is dark and cold in the winter and stifling hot in the summer, but I now talk to Jesus. I ask Him for the strength to live one more day. I also have found small ways to show kindness to the other prisoners. And, as I look at the prison guards, I no longer feel fear or hatred. I have forgiven them because I know that their bondage is greater than mine. Jesus has set me free.

Sometimes I sing softly as I work in the fields. I can still hear Mi-kyoung’s voice as she echoes a beautiful song. Once in a while, I will see the kind guard. He stands sentry as I pick corn and wheat; his smile is dazzling. To be honest, I am not sure if he is truly there or if he exists only in my imagination. But seeing him in the distance makes me happy; the memories of his kindness bring joy.

I no longer think of escaping; I am resigned to the probability that I will live out all my days here in prison. I know that my Jesus has a reason for me to live...I am certain that I must tell others about Him. I have no fear, only peace.

In closing, I give thanks to my dear mother...in your silent ways you taught me so much, I love you for this. I look forward to seeing you...to hold your hand...together with Jesus at our side.

RELEASED!

Update on Marzieh & Maryam Praise God! On May 22, Maryam and Marzieh were acquitted of all charges, according to Elam Ministries. Maryam and Marzieh thank you for all your prayers. "We are most grateful to everyone who prayed for us," Marzieh said. "I have no doubt that God heard the prayers of his people." Maryam added, "I believe our arrest, imprisonment and subsequent release were in the timing and plan of God, and it was all for his glory. But the prayers of people encouraged and sustained us throughout this ordeal." Thank you for writing to Maryam and Marzieh. We encourage you to continue writing to other believers still in prison. Your letters make a difference. Pray and write today!

Trailer from undercoverchristians.com

I just received and e-mail with a trailer for a new series that's coming out. Please see it! Go here.

DON'T FORGET OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS!

Update: Alimujiang Yimiti

On April 20, the family of Uyghur house church leader Alimujiang Yimiti was allowed to visit with him for the first time since his arrest in January 2008, according to China Aid Association. The family reported that Alimujiang was noticeably thinner but in good spirits. Please send a letter of encouragement to let Yimiti know you are praying for him. Tell your friends about Christians suffering in China, and encourage them to pray and write to him as well.
Your letters make a difference and can result in shorter prison sentences for those accused. Write to Yimiti and let him know you are praying.

Wojung's Story

I receive these e-mails from Open Doors USA, and this one I got this morning. This may not be for young readers.

This story, though fictional, is based on first person accounts. Great effort has been made to accurately reflect the reality of life of a prisoner in a North Korean detention camp.

Dear Hannah ,

<>I, Wojung, am still alive. I am not sure how - maybe an unseen force is helping me. I just spent four days in the hands of malicious guards filled with unimaginable evil. I am not sure how many of my bones are broken; my body feels lifeless.

Someone in my cell must have told the guards about my nightly talks with "my angels." As they beat me, they asked if I was a "Christian." What does this mean? They said that Christians were the worst traitors. "I do not know the meaning of that word," I replied honestly. "Tell us the truth!" they shouted. I did not reply. The blow to my head came swiftly.

I remember nothing until the next day, waking up in a strange room, bruised, broken and dispirited. "You’ll tell us now if you are a Christian!" the guards roared, their sinister laughter fueling my fear. They took a canister of water and forced the spout into my mouth. So much water was forced into me that my stomach bloated; I struggled even to breathe. Then they laid a wooden plank across my stomach and pressed down on it...hard. Water came out through my mouth, my nose, and my bladder until I felt as though I was exploding. Still I said nothing. Unable to stand, I was dragged back to my cell and thrown in.

The next day they returned with a vengeance, each having a turn with me. Violated and barely hanging onto life, I lay in my cell and thought longingly of death. I remembered the woman who was executed, her blood now mingled with mine on my filthy, ragged skirt. Why does my mind always go back to that day in the yard? That day, as I stood with hands clasped behind my back, I recalled for the first time whispering words to the unseen person. How good it felt, to speak those words.

With barely enough breath to stay alive I again spoke those words...this time for myself. As soon as the words left my mouth, I felt a surge of strength race through my limp and lifeless body. Countless bones were broken, but without pain, I was able to pull my head up from the concrete floor, next my arm came under me and supported my torso...I was now sitting up. Suddenly, I heard a voice say to me, "Stand-up!"...Slowly...slowly, I raised myself up onto my feet.

In the distance, I could hear the guards approaching my cell, and again that voice spoke clearly, "Stand-up." Fear mixed with disbelief as I stood waiting for the door to open. There were three guards; one had a body bag slung over his shoulder. I watched in silence as they quickly turned and ran, leaving the cell door open. Held up by unseen hands, I put one foot in front of the other, then another...again, slowly, slowly; I walked out of the cell. No one stopped me as I made my way outside into the beautiful sunshine. As I felt the warm summer sun on my face, my thoughts turned to my "angels." Peace surrounded me, but this time mingled with strength. My badly damaged body was healed, I do not know how but I heard myself say, "Thank you, Jesus."

In next week’s story, WoJung finds Jesus.

North Korea

This is amazing. Please go to the following link to watch this short clip. You can also send a radio broadcast all the way to North Korea to encourage them! Please do this!


what if you were in their place?

Act NOW.

Help Christians In Nigeria!

Help the Christians in Nigeria. You can. Go to the following link and fill out the forum. If you do not do this for the excuses of "I do not have the time" and "I really don't want to" you are neglecting OUR brothers and sisters and leaving them in chains. Just think...this could be you. Write today. Take action. Do NOT be a coward.
Go HERE.

Update on Alimujiang Yimiti

On March 16, The People's High Court of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region rejected an appeal from Uyghur house-church leader Alimujiang Yimiti, according to ChinaAid Association. In October 2009, Alimujiang was sentenced to 15 years in prison for "providing state secrets to overseas organizations." Please send a letter of encouragement to Alimujiang, letting him know you are praying for him. Also pray for his persecutors. Tell your friends about Christians suffering in China, and encourage them to pray for and write to Alimujiang. Your letters can result in shorter prison sentences for those accused. Write to Alimujiang and encourage our Chinese brother.


UPDATE:

Since our last communication with you, the PrisonerAlert for Alimujiang Yimiti has been viewed over 29800 times, and over 6400 letters of encouragement have been sent. What a blessing this must have been to Alimujiang Yimiti -- and what a message it will have sent to the officials, that this person is cared for internationally.

Now imagine what could happen if we could double, triple or increase by ten or one hundred-fold the number of people, around the World, that are praying and writing on behalf of those imprisoned and persecuted for their faith.

You can help. Please forward this email to those you know have a heart for God's people and encourage them to sign-up too. It's the work of friends telling friends that will bring the greatest response to those who need it most. As the email does its work, you can revisit the chart below to see the effect that you have had.

Thank you in advance for partnering with us on behalf of those who suffer for the Lord.

Update: Maryam Jalili

Update

Arrested: December 2009

Released: March 17, 2010

Location: Iran

On March 17, Maryam Jalili, Mitra Zahmati and Farzan Matin were released from prison after being held 80 days, according to Farsi Christian News Network. Their families had been concerned that the three were being interrogated and were physically weak or sick. VOM rejoices over the release of Maryam Mitra and Frazan. WE thank you for writing letters of encouragment to Maryam while she was in prison and encourage you to continue writing letters to believers who remain in prison.

They Dance

Little Vera and her father danced before he was imprisoned for his Faith.

Update: Gao Zhisheng

Update on Gao Zhisheng On March 28, human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng, who has been missing for more than a year, contacted his wife and children, according to ChinaAid Association. Gao said he was released from Chinese custody six months ago and taken to Wutai Shan mountain, a Buddhist landmark in Shanxi province. We encourage you to continue writing letters to believers who remain in prison. Forward this e-mail to those you know have a heart for God's people and encourage them to write and pray too. Get involved! Pray and write today. Forward this e-mail to others who have a love for God's people.

Update

Update on Father Nguyen Van Ly

Father Nguyen Van Ly was recently released from prison and taken to a Church-run home to receive medical treatment, according to the Union of Catholic Asian News (UCA). UCA reported that at the request of Father Van Ly's relatives, "prison officials allowed him to temporarily stop serving his sentence to get medical treatment at the home for retired priests for one year." Father Van Ly has already served three years of his eight-year sentence. Thank you for writing letters of encouragement to Father Van Ly.
We encourage you to continue writing letters to believers in prison.
Forward this e-mail to your friends who have a heart for the persecuted, and encourage them to write and pray.

Video of Nigeria

Nigeria: After the Attack

Nigeria: VOMedical Helps Victims

The Voice of the Martyrs’ medical program is on the frontlines in Northern Nigeria, providing medical care, support and counseling to Christians following recent attacks by Muslims.

VOMedical staff report that many villages have been attacked, the latest occurring on March 17. “Muslims surrounded the small village of Byei, some 30 miles south of Jos. They attacked the homes with AK-47s (judging by the diameter of the bullet holes in the houses’ doors and according to survivors), followed by machetes and fire,” VOMedical staff said. “Thirteen people died in the attack and were buried in a mass grave just outside the village. Seven were wounded and taken to Vom Christian Hospital; five remained admitted when we visited the hospital this afternoon. Most of the wounds were gunshot wounds and burns.”

The wounds sustained by believers in this attack are severe. “The severity of the wounds is much higher than those seen in the January riots; there are very, very few with minor wounds, while more than half of the January attack wounds were minor,” VOMedical staff added. “This area has had six or seven villages attacked over the past 10 to 14 days. None of these were the typical Nigerian religious riot; all were deliberate, middle-of-the-night, well coordinated assaults.”

VOMedical staff have visited believers in hospitals and consulted with doctors to ensure they are receiving the medical treatment they require. “We were able to see numerous patients at Plateau State Specialist Hospital, one of two of the main receiving hospitals from this attack,” VOMedical staff said. “There were fewer gunshot wounds and far more machete and cutlass wounds. Muslims had sharpened their weapons before the attack, because the wounds on these folks were significantly deeper and more destructive than any of those I saw in January. The epitome was an above-the-elbow amputation on the left arm of a 4-year-old child.”

These attacks are the latest in a series of sectarian attacks and riots in recent months. In January and again in early March, Christians and Muslims rioted in several villages outside the city of Jos. Churches and homes were burned, and many Christians and Muslims were killed.

Following the attacks in Dogo Nahawa, a pastor stressed the importance of forgiveness. “He stressed that this was indeed persecution foretold by Jesus as a sign of the end times and that our duty was to carry our cross and forgive the attackers,” VOMedical said of the pastor’s comments. “This will be significant, as many of the attackers were actually long-standing members of Dogo Nahawa village and were pointing out who was Christian and which houses were Christian. The worship service was held in the village square, complete with charred, burned-out buildings in the background.”

The Voice of the Martyrs encourages you to continue praying for Nigerian believers, who live with the daily possibility of being attacked. Pray that those who lost loved ones will be comforted and that the injured will fully recover. Pray that VOMedical staff will encourage believers in Nigeria and be able to provide them with needed resources during this difficult time. Ask God to help Christians forgive their persecutors.

Crossing

This movie is a very good film about the horrors of North Korea. VOM supports it in part. There is cursing, and since the film is in Korean, it's in the subtitles. Please let your parents review this film before watching. The only thing I had against it was the language, but other than that...excellent film.
You can go HERE to find out more about it.

Crossing - Trailer from LiNK Global on Vimeo.

World Vision Attacked in Pakistan

Date: March 10, 2010

Location: Pakistan

6 Killed in Attack on World Vision in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD — Suspected militants armed with grenades attacked the offices of a Christian aid group helping earthquake survivors in northwestern Pakistan on Wednesday, killing six employees and wounding several others, police and the organization said.

All the victims of the assault on World Vision, a major international humanitarian group, were Pakistanis.

Extremists have killed other people working for foreign aid groups in Pakistan and issued statements saying such organizations were working against Islam, greatly hampering efforts to raise living standards in the desperately poor region. Many groups have scaled down operations in the northwest or pulled out altogether.

The attack took place in Ogi, a small town in Mansehra district, which was badly hit by the 2005 Kashmir earthquake.

"It was a brutal and senseless attack," said Dean Owen, World Vision spokesman in Seattle, Washington. "It was completely unexpected, unannounced and unprovoked."

Another spokesman said the group had suspended operations across Pakistan as a result of the attack.

Two women were among the six dead, said local police chief Sajid Khan. Four people were wounded.

He said about 10 gunmen took part in the raid.

"They went inside, opened fire indiscriminately and then threw grenades before fleeing," said Khan.

Al Qaeda, the Taliban and allied groups are strong in northwestern Pakistan, but Mansehra lies outside the tribal belt next to Afghanistan where the militants have their main bases and is relatively peacefully.

Islamist militants see foreign aid groups and local outfits that receive international funds as a challenge to their authority in regions under their influence. The organizations often employ women and support female rights initiatives, further angering the extremists.

Many foreign aid groups set up offices in Mansehra after the 2005 earthquake, which killed about 80,000 people.

In 2008, militants there killed four Pakistanis working for Plan International, a British-based charity that mainly helps children.

World Vision is one of the world's largest and well-funded Christian aid groups. It was founded 60 years ago in the United States.