Smuggling hope through the Bible to believers from North Korea

This week marks 70 years since Brother Andrew began smuggling Bibles behind the Iron Curtain to Christians suffering under Communist rule. Today, whilst the work of Open Doors has since diversified, the need and hunger for God’s Word amongst our persecuted family remains – and that includes believers from North Korea.

Where do you typically place your Bible? Perhaps it’s next to your bed or in your living room. You might carry it around with you, certainly if you use it on your phone. There could be several versions or copies scattered throughout your house.

For our North Korean family, such freedom and luxury of options is non-existent. Whilst a small number have access to hidden Bibles – buried in the ground, concealed in walls, or kept in cloth and stored out of sight – some have never even set their eyes on one. Having a Bible is not just illegal, it’s extremely dangerous.

But lack of accessibility does not mean lack of appetite, because the hunger North Korean believers have for the Word of God is deep – so much so, that some have memorised verses from the briefest encounter they had with a Bible, or bravely share handwritten pages in secret. 

“We as Christians, who confess Jesus Christ as our Lord, see studying the Bible and putting His words into practice as our highest calling,” says a believer. “Even when we lack resources, we try to judge and act from the Lord’s perspective. This is our way of surviving – spiritually and practically.”

Despite the dangers and restrictions, Open Doors fieldworkers are reaching believers with the Word of God – echoing the journeys of Brother Andrew, who first began smuggling Bibles behind the Iron Curtain 70 years ago this week.

Learning the good life

Jin-Sun* and her team of fieldworkers serve women who’ve crossed the border from North Korea to China in search of freedom, only to face oppression for their gender and nationality. Alongside the provision of financial support and pastoral care, the fieldworkers also provide Bible studies.

“If we can’t help them get out of their situation, what can we do to help them in their circumstances?” says Jin-Sun. “What they need the most is hope. Hope gives strength, comfort and something to live for. Who wants to play a role in a story without hope?”

Crucial to this is the Bible. “When we meet in secluded places, we worship the Lord, we share our struggles and our victories, we pray together, and we dive into God’s Word,” explains Jin-Sun.

In the Bible, North Korean women find answers to questions they have carried all their lives: Why are they here? To serve the North Korean leaders, or the Creator of heaven and earth? Are they objects that can be used and abused, or are they valuable in the eyes of an almighty God?

“The North Korean women learn from people like Ruth, Esther and Lydia,” says Jin-Sun. “They learn what a good life is by studying the Ten Commandments. They discover the hope that only the cross can bring.”

The result is often that it feels less like the women are reading the Bible and more like the Bible is reading them – and, through Jesus, changing their lives.

Fear and formation

“I always feared believing in God [because of North Korea’s education on Christianity],” says Seo-Yeon*. “During the training by Jim-Sun, I rarely listened. I was only interested in financial support. But this changed when I visited a Chinese church service. In China, during Christmas, many Christians exchange apples [Chinese symbols of hope and peace]. This simple gesture changed me. It really touched my heart. I want to follow and trust in God and Him alone.”

Another participant, Eun-ji*, admits that because the meetings are illegal, she is often afraid. “Even as someone who knows the Father and follows Him, sometimes my faith gets shaken when I am doing the training,” she says. “I want to believe and follow God and Him alone. God is my help, my refuge and the One who leads my life.”

The North Korean women who participate in Open Doors’ women’s groups lead hard lives. But the Bible helps them become more like Jesus – although, of course, spiritual maturity is a gradual process.

“I hope to be a child of God who endures through hardships and lays aside greed,” says Iseul*. “I hope to live a life with true repentance from believing in salvation in faith. I often have a heart of hating others. If I don’t like how someone is talking to me, I have negative feelings about them. I repent of these things before God. From Matthew 5:21-22, I realise hating someone is like committing a murder. I try to not spit out bad words, but to speak and live as a child of God.”

The Book that reads them

As Eun-Ji shared, the meetings take place against the backdrop of immense danger. Recently, the authorities exposed a network and people disappeared, shaking many of the North Korean women.  

“We need your prayers for our protection,” says Jin-Sun. “Pray also that our faith stays strong. Some ladies and their families are struggling with health issues. Pray for our wellbeing as well.”

Jin-Sun is grateful for your instrumental prayers and support. “Without our faithful donors, these women would not have found hope in the Book that reads them. To all those who give, please realise that there are believing mothers and believing children, thanks to you.”

*Names changed for security reasons