It would be incomplete to address the safety of North Korean refugees on earth without addressing the state of their eternal security in heaven. Our help for North Korean refugees is always delivered with the Gospel message, which is a hope that will never disappoint (Rom 5:5). Refugees are not required to believe what we believe but many do in faith. In a recent 2020 survey, 93 percent of 89 North Korean refugees polled in China said they heard the gospel for the very first time through Crossing Borders. We thank God for this opportunity to provide both physical and spiritual food to refugees.

The Power of God

The majority of North Korean refugees in China are in need of financial aid, medical care and counseling.  But receiving material help doesn’t make their challenges disappear. Life in China is still difficult for North Korean refugees. And life in South Korea is often riddled with disillusionment. Placing hope in new circumstances or in our help may even disappoint when their quality of life doesn't dramatically improve.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.  - Roman 1:16

Most of the refugees we meet have been abused, neglected and are often hopeless. This is why the gospel is so sweet: it is indeed the power of God for salvation! For a people who have lived through so much evil and abuse, only the power of God can reveal that Jesus is the one true hope that they have longed for. We want to bring relief to the suffering but it is only the power of God that can bring salvation.

Manna

Earthly provisions where rust and moth destroy are short lived. Hunger for more only increases over time. While money and material help may provide temporary relief, only God can provide sustenance that eternally satisfies. 

 “[God] fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. - Deuteronomy 8:3

The original word for “manna” translates to “what is it.” Manna was a new concept that God used to not just simply feed the Israelites but to teach them daily dependence on Him. God uses our team to deliver physical food to North Korean refugees. Our continual prayer is for refugees, their children and their families to live with complete dependence on our heavenly Father.

Intimate love

The need for self worth and belonging is innate to all of us; we all long to be valued and cherished. Many North Korean refugees struggle to find self worth because it was always defined for them by the North Korean state. Upon fleeing to China, their self worth often degrades because they are considered illegal migrants and fugitives.  This lack of self-worth is further exacerbated for women who have been trafficked.

Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you,

- Isaiah 43:4

God calls us precious, honored and loved. The God of this universe, our creator and loving Father looks to us and defines us as His precious and beloved. Our prayer is that God would allow every refugee to experience His intimate love and for all past versions of their self value to be overwhelmed by their true identity as God’s beloved.

Empower through God's love

Through education, we hope to raise up many refugees and their children out of poverty. By breaking the cycle of poverty, our hope is that the next generation will be empowered to be agents of change in China.

It is our mission to meet the wide range of needs North Korean refugees have in China. God continues to supply every need for us and our field workers through supporters around the world. Thank you for your love, prayer and generosity this year and this Giving Tuesday. We hope to provide far more than what we planned for over the next two years. Most importantly, we pray that refugees and their children be confronted by God’s love through the work we’ve been called to do.