VBB seeks open doors in North Korea

According to the Open Doors World Watch List,
North Korea is the worst persecutor of Christians
 in the world. (Image courtesy World Watch List)

North Korea (MNN) ― Concern is growing for a U.S. Christian being held in one of North Korea's infamous gulags.

Kenneth Bae, a 45-year-old U.S. missionary, was recently moved to a hospital because his health is rapidly declining. Detained in November 2012 and sentenced to 15 years of "hard labor" in April, Bae is accused of "hostile acts" against the country of North Korea.

According to the Associated Press, Bae is the sixth American to be detained by North Korea since 2009, and at least four of the people imprisoned in recent years are devout Christians.

Vision Beyond Borders President Patrick Klein just returned from the oppressive nation.

"It was unbelievable spiritual warfare. I mean, just constant," says Klein. "I've never faced such spiritual oppression before in my entire life."

Klein and a few others were visiting foreign workers in North Korea, looking for ways VBB could start supporting believers in the country.

"I think the people of North Korea are hungry," says Klein. "But there's incredible oppression, and I believe that's why we have to pray that God will break through that and that the people will see the Truth of Jesus Christ."

Idolatry is a significant challenge in North Korea because the national government insists people worship their leaders as gods. Klein recalls an oft-played video; he feels it was intended to showcase North Korea's supremacy.

"It really was a mockery of a church service," says Klein. "It had women leading [something] like a praise service, and people were worshiping their leaders. The whole place was filled with people dressed nicely.

"And then, they flashed on the big screen pictures of their leaders, and people started applauding and worshiping these leaders."

As if that weren't enough, the video's ending scenario truly "put a cherry on top."

"There was a nuclear warhead headed for the United States, and then they showed this big explosion," Klein recalls. "And at the end of this explosion, the people stood up and started applauding very, very loudly.

"That is such a mockery of our worship services, where we exalt Jesus and are looking forward to the return of Jesus Christ."

According to the Open Doors World Watch List, North Korea is the worst persecutor of Christians in the world.

"[This government] is so wicked that they actually turn children against their parents," says Klein.

He shares a story he heard while in-country: "'Some of your parents have a little book,' teachers told their students one day. 'Your assignment is to go home tonight and find that book, and bring it back to school tomorrow.'"

In class the next day, 16 children came to class with their parents' Bibles and were paraded around the classroom to much applause and cheering. One little girl was so excited by the celebration, Klein says, she couldn't wait to run home and tell her parents about it.

However, "when she got home, her parents were gone, and [they] never came back. They were taken to a concentration camp, and the little girl was taken to a state-run orphanage," Klein says.

"What a wicked, wicked system," he continues. "But we know that God is so much greater and that He Himself can break through this. I believe that prayer is the key."

As VBB searches for a way to support the Body of Christ in North Korea, please pray.

"The only way we can really get involved in there is through prayer and God opening the doors. We're committed to go back," says Klein. "We know it's only the Lord that's going to open the doors; we can't do it on our own."

Pray that doors will open for VBB in North Korea. Ask the Lord to open blind eyes to governmental oppression and idolatry.

Visit our Interviews page and hear more of Klein's stories from North Korea.

Prayer needed for Christian worker caught in turmoil

(Cover image courtesy @vynguyenhoang via Twitter)

Egypt (MNN) ― Is there more than meets the eye in Egypt?

Ephesians 6:12 says, "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."

Reports of chaos and violence seem to stream regularly from this Arab Spring nation. Aimed first at the government, frustrations now seem to have found a new target: Egyptian Christians.

Rody Rodeheaver with IN Network USA says there's more under the surface.

"Right now, there is a battle going on," Rodeheaver states. "It may not be a physical battle, but it's a spiritual battle, and it's a political battle for who's going to control the country of Egypt."

One of IN Network's workers is smack-dab in the middle of things, with Muslim Brotherhood literally around every corner.

"He is deeply concerned about the chaos and where all of this is going to lead," says Rodeheaver.

"He's seeing this whole thing through the eyes of an evangelical Christian who's doing ministry…and he is Egyptian. It is his country, and it is his future."

The worker, whose name we're withholding for security reasons, sees both sides of the political coin. He understands why it was important for the military to step in, Rodeheaver explains.

"However, he also realizes that when that happens, the cycle of reconstructing the country is really starting over," adds Rodeheaver.

IN Network's worker and his family, along with fellow believers throughout Egypt, are caught between a rock and a hard place. Unrest is causing the need for ministry to grow.

Rodeheaver gives IN Network's ministry to street kids as an example. As chaos grows, he says, more people are unable to care for their children. Either abandoned or forced out, many kids find themselves on the streets; this is where IN Network workers focus on bringing a message of hope and new life through Christ.

But venturing into the streets right now could put a Christian's life at-risk.

"You can't travel very far in your neighborhood without being stopped at a Muslim Brotherhood checkpoint," Rodeheaver says. "There's great danger in that.

"If they discover that you're really a Christian, and if the right people are at that checkpoint, it could [become] very dangerous."

The ripple effect is restricting many aspects of ministry. A conference for young leaders was supposed to start this week.

"We're having to postpone it because people can't get around the city," Rodeheaver says. "People can't come in from other cities because the train service is being disrupted.

"All of those kinds of things make it hard to do ministry."

In the face of great needs come pronounced opportunities to respond.

"This [need] demonstrates that we, as the Church of Christ, are really connected through the Spirit and the movement of God," states Rodeheaver.

"We have the call to pray, the call to stand with our brothers and sisters in Christ. It could be just encouragement. It could be sending some funds to really help the ministry."

"God has His people there, and we need to pray a hedge of protection around them. This is critical," Rodeheaver adds.

"Over and over again, we see how limited we are in terms of being able to control the situation. We can't control it, and it really takes us--forces us--back to our knees."