China: Authorities raid churches serving NK sex-trafficked women

Posted on September 10, 2024 by Pastor Foley

Search and seizures by Chinese authorities are on the increase for churches serving North Korean sex-trafficked women. That’s the word from Voice of the Martyrs Korea, which operates underground discipleship training programs in the region for North Koreans, including sex-trafficked women married to Chinese men. The ministry is emphasizing that discipleship groups of sex-trafficked North Korean women led by the women themselves are the safest and most effective—and increasingly the only—means for North Korean sex-trafficked women to grow in their Christian faith.

“The Chinese government’s continued crackdown on local churches across the country is well known, but its specific efforts against churches serving minority populations, like churches ministering to North Koreans in China’s northeast region, has largely escaped international notice,” says Voice of the Martyrs Representative Dr Hyun Sook Foley.

She says that during one recent raid, a Chinese house church had all their Korean language Bibles and papers with Korean writing on them confiscated. “All the North Korean women who had been attending that church were required by a state security official to show their faces every morning through their phone,” says Representative Foley. She adds that the North Korean women were also restricted from traveling to other regions.

According to Representative Foley, Chinese authorities are now closely watching North Koreans who may have the intent to defect to South Korea and has renewed repatriation of North Koreans back to North Korea.

“Chinese authorities are seeking to isolate North Korean women from foreign influence by encouraging them not to interact with South Koreans or even ethnically Korean Chinese people,” says Representative Foley. “The government is now rolling out new programs to grant benefits to North Korean women who quietly support their family in the home, including rewarding them with valid Chinese residency ID cards.”

Representative Foley says that in the midst of authorities’ crackdown on churches, individual North Korean women remain the primary stable ministry to other North Korean women in China.

“The most effective ministers to North Korean sex-trafficked women have always been other North Korean sex-trafficked women, not foreign missionaries or Chinese churches,” says Representative Foley. “It’s much harder for authorities to catch and stop individual North Korean women who are ministering to other North Korean women in their area, and Chinese officials are much less concerned about North Korean women interacting with other North Korean women.” She says that’s why her ministry focuses on training and resourcing North Korean women to share their faith with their North Korean sex-trafficked neighbors.

“One of the North Korean women we trained told us, ‘We are still doing worship. I shared the [Voice of the Martyrs Korea sermons] that you sent and people said, “Where did you learn this good word?” Everyone heard and said they received grace’,” says Representative Foley.

Letter [pixelated for security reasons] from a sex-trafficked NK woman in China to VOM Korea about the current crackdown and her participation in a discipleship group led by other sex-trafficked NK women.

She shared the following additional testimonies from North Korean sex-trafficked women who had been evangelized by other North Korean sex-trafficked women trained by her ministry.

“In Chosun, I never knew the name of God or even knew that God existed. Facing the March of Suffering and the growing challenges each day, my only thought was how to feed and save my family. As soon as I opened my eyes, I would take up my merchant’s bag and lived only by striving. How can I describe it? At that time, I tried to defect from North Korea and came to this land of China after experiencing a painful separation from my beloved hometown and my beloved brethren. Nothing was forgiving to me upon my coming. First of all, I couldn’t do anything because I couldn’t understand the language, and I couldn’t even eat a spoonful of rice that I wanted to eat because my lifestyle was different, and it was really a hellish life. In this way, I blamed myself every day. I had no choice but to go through life, and I spent 15 long years without thinking. However, as I lived for a long time, I met fellow Chosun compatriots, and in the process of meeting them, I was invited by one of my compatriots to join this [discipleship group of other North Korean sex-trafficked women]. I didn’t even know what it was, but I was so happy to meet my compatriots and rediscover the Korean language… Finally, I understood, I came to know what God is like. Later, I realized that my escape [from North Korea] was God’s calling… I am grateful to God for giving me the bright light of heaven when I was wandering in the world, and for finding the language I almost forgot and for finding songs, and dances. I pray that, in the future, I will praise more, make dances for those praise songs, and to only believe in and follow God alone. Amen.” – Sister A

“When I came to China, I felt a lot of sadness, pain, and sorrow. I was always lonely, but my friend introduced me to this [discipleship group of North Korean sex-trafficked women] and I learned to sing hymns and received God’s grace. I learned many hymn songs, and I was able to express my troubled heart and pain to God in prayer, and I had peace in my heart. I will continue to give thanks to God and live my life believing in God alone. Amen.” – Sister B

“Thank you, Heavenly Father. Before I knew God, I was wandering on the path of straying. Through this [discipleship group of North Korean sex-trafficked women], I learned God’s praises and received God’s grace to know Jesus better, who washed away my sins. I will continue to give thanks to God infinitely through God’s praise, and I will do my best to dedicate my body and soul to the Lord.” – Sister C

“I couldn’t speak properly because of language differences living in a foreign land and I always lived as a sinner. Sometimes, I even thought about taking my life because I didn’t want to live. One day, I was introduced to this [discipleship group for North Korean sex-trafficked women] by a friend. From then on, I came to know God through praise songs to God, and I received a lot of God’s grace. I loved it. Praising God gave me great strength and I relied on it very much. Thank you for strengthening my heart and changing me to stand in faith, in the midst of constant tribulation and temptation. From now on, I will not forget God’s grace and love, and I will overcome the hardships and difficulties of the world with praise.” – Sister D

North Korea viewed from China border.

Individuals or churches interested in supporting Voice of the Martyrs Korea’s North Korea ministry can make a donation at www.vomkorea.com/en/donate or wire transfer to:

국민은행 (KB Bank) 463501-01-243303 

예금주 (Account Holder): (사)순교자의소리 

Please include the phrase “NK Ministry” with the donation. 

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Pakistan: Wife of elderly Christian shoemaker murdered by mob dies of grief

Posted on August 20, 2024 by Pastor Foley

Alla Rakhi, the widow of an elderly Pakistani Christian shoemaker who was murdered in May by a mob on accusations of blasphemy, died of a heart attack less than a month after her husband’s death. Voice of the Martyrs Korea Representative Dr Hyun Sook Foley calls the death tragic and says it highlights the “chain reaction” of persecution and the need to care for families of martyrs and the communities they leave behind.

The news follows a previous report by Voice of the Martyrs Korea and other Christian aid groups that on May 25, up to 2,000 gathered in the city of Sargodha in Punjab Province in response to an accusation broadcast over mosque loudspeakers that Nazeer Masih Gil, a 72-year old Christian shoe factory owner, had burned a copy of the Quran.

“According to reports from our partner Release International, Nazir’s son tried to reason with the mob, apologizing if his father had mistakenly done anything wrong,” says Representative Foley. “But the mob would not listen.”

She says members of the mob filmed themselves kicking and beating the elderly Christian until he was unconscious and then looting his shoe factory and ransacking his house. They allegedly posted these videos on social media.

“Our partner, Release International, reported to us that the same mob stoned police when they tried to intervene and hurled bricks at the ambulance when it took Nazeer Masih Gil to hospital,” says Representative Foley. He died from his injuries nine days later.

Representative Foley says that 72-year old Alla Rakhi, Nazeer’s widow, was so traumatized that she was unable to speak.

“The couple’s son, Sultan, said that from that point on, ‘The tears in her eyes never dried,’” says Representative Foley.

Reports say that on Friday June 21 the family called for emergency medical aid in response to Alla Rakhi experiencing chest pains. The emergency team gave her medicine but told her that no doctors would be available because of the Islamic weekly holy day, so she remained at home. Family members say she died of a heart attack an hour later.

“In less than a month, as a result of a false accusation of blasphemy likely motivated by jealousy over a Christian’s business success, this family lost both parents and its shoemaking factory, which was burned to the ground by rioters,” says Representative Foley. “This leaves behind two grieving sons, five grieving daughters, and families now without work due to the damage to the business.”

Representative Foley says the granting of bail to the murder suspects and the limited investigation by the police into the crime also add to the family’s burden.

Martyred Christian shoemaker Nazeer Masih and his wife, Alla Rakhi. (Family photo)

“There was even a rally after Nazeer’s death in which organizers showed their support for the killings, demanded that suspects be freed, and warned that others should expect to die like the Nazeer for their alleged blasphemy,” says Representative Foley.

The claim of blasphemy against Nazeer is the ninth blasphemy claim made in the city of Sargodha since 2023 according to sources.

“There is a ‘chain reaction’ where one act of persecution in a community often leads to more acts of persecution in that same community,” says Representative Foley. “All Christians are called to faithfully witness to the Lord Jesus Christ even at the cost of our lives. The Bible tells us that suffering for Christ is an honor. But this subsequent death of Alla Rakhi due to grief is a tragedy. It shows how persecution impacts not only the one who is persecuted, but their family members and even the whole religious community. It highlights the need for Christians globally not only to honor the martyrs but to care for the families and churches they leave behind, and to stand with them and help them make sense biblically of what they are experiencing.”

Representative Foley says that Voice of the Martyrs Korea sent 10,000,000 KRW in aid last month through Release International to support persecuted Christians and their families who choose to stay, or who have no choice but to stay, in settings of persecution in Pakistan.

“Often when Christians around the world hear stories like this one about Nazeer Masih Gil and Alla Rakhi, their first thought is to help them escape the country to go somewhere ‘safe’. But in cases like these in Pakistan where Christians are falsely accused of blasphemy, helping those Christians flee often makes attackers more bold to assault the Christians who remain. It can also make the Christians look guilty and weak, and the witness to the gospel is silenced in the very places where such a witness is sorely needed. Supporting persecuted Christians to stand firm where they are helps make their communities safer for other believers in the future, and it helps make a positive witness for the gospel. But it means we have to be vigilant to stand with them and to share the stories of their faithful, suffering witness around the world.”

Donations to Voice of the Martyrs Korea’s Families of Martyrs and Prisoners (FOM/FOP) fund can be made at http://www.vomkorea.com/donate or via electronic transfer to:

국민은행 463501-01-243303

예금주: (사)순교자의소리

Please include the name “FOM/FOP” on the donation.

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Burkina Faso: Christians chased from homes by jihadists find strength in new Bibles

Posted on August 6, 2024 by Pastor Foley

“What happened to us weakened our faith, but we are lifted through our local brothers and sisters and this gift.” That is the word from Zalissa, a Christian refugee from the north central region of Burkina Faso who along with her family was forced to “run for our lives” during a jihadist attack on her village.

The gift received by Zalissa and her family—and 2,713 other displaced Evangelical Christian families in Burkina Faso–was a pair of Bibles in her native dialect. The Bibles in the Moore, Gourmachema, Diula, and Fulfude dialects were given by Voice of the Martyrs Korea in partnership with its sister mission Voice of the Martyrs Poland. Those groups have been working in cooperation with local churches in Burkina Faso to try to care for the country’s small beleaguered evangelical Christian refugee population amidst what some aid groups are calling one of the most neglected refugee crises in the world.

“Only one-fifth of the Burkinabe population is Christian, but they are the ones most affected by the attacks of the Muslim extremists,” says Voice of the Martyrs Korea Representative Dr Hyun Sook Foley. She says thousands of Christians have had to flee their homes since 2023, and many have lost their lives in the attacks. According to the National Emergency Response and Rehabilitation Council (CONASUR), a Burkina Faso state agenda, the total number of displaced people in Burkina Faso has now topped 2 million, with more than 300,000 Burkinabe being displaced in a single week.

With the United Nations estimating 20% of the population of Burkina Faso needing humanitarian aid, international groups have mobilized to provide food, water, and shelter.

But according to Voice of the Martyrs Representative Dr. Hyun Sook Foley, her organization has partnered with Voice of the Martyrs Poland and local churches to focus on one overlooked need for Evangelical Christians: Replacing their Bibles.

“During the intense persecution, many of these Christian families lost their most treasured possession – their family Bible,” says Representative Foley. She says that without the Bible it is difficult for Christians like Zalissa to make sense of the persecution and difficulties they are experiencing. “As Zalissa told Voice of the Martyrs, fleeing from her home weakened her family’s faith, but receiving the Bible—and the hospitality of the local church—‘lifted’ them up.”

Zalissa (second from left) and her family receive Bibles after being forced to flee from their home due to attacks by Muslim extremists.

Representative Foley noted that some of the Christian refugees were receiving Bibles for the first time, including Fatimata, the mother of a family who found refuge in Tamsin, in north central Burkina Faso.

“For many years, we prayed and asked God to provide Bibles for us, but we could not afford them,” Fatimata told Voice of the Martyrs. “So, we are so happy to thank donors from Europe, Asia, and America. Thank you so much to each of you.”

Representative Foley noted that the Christians received Bibles not only for their own families, but also to give to their unsaved neighbors. She says the request came from the Christian refugees themselves and was the reason Voice of the Martyrs Korea decided to participate in the project.

“These Burkina Faso believers rightly value the Word of God,” says Representative Foley. “Even as jihadists continue to hunt them down, they are focused not on their own safety but on glorifying God by spreading his word.”

Fatimata (third from left) and her family receive Bibles after finding refuge in Tamsin.

Representative Foley says that Voice of the Martyrs Korea sees Bible distribution in major zones of conflict as one of the ministry’s core competencies and most important responsibilities. “Voice of the Martyrs Korea is not a mission organization but instead a partner with local Christians living under persecution or pressure,” says Representative Foley. “Any time a major conflict threatens an area, that’s when people in that area instinctively turn to God and become open to the Bible. Sometimes missionary organizations evacuate their personnel in such times, or they urge their missionaries to be cautious. But local Christians have nowhere to go, nowhere to hide. Even as refugees, they still have to find work and provide food to their families and gather as church. God then seems to give these ordinary local Christians a special boldness to preach the gospel and share the Bible with their neighbors.”

Representative Foley says that Voice of the Martyrs Korea is also currently conducting Bible distribution campaigns with Christians in Laos and Ukraine. Individuals interested in supporting Voice of the Martyrs Korea’s Bible distribution efforts can give at https://vomkorea.com/en/donation/.

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