May 2017 Persecution Magazine

WWW.PERSECUTION.ORG
MAY 2017
PERSECU ION
Rejected
Resilient
Restored
Remembering the youngest victims of
persecution and how they endure (pg 18)
PERSECU ION.org
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN

Table of Contents
In This Issue:
FEATURE
16 | 2017 Bridge Conference
Speaker Announcement
Join ICC this June 2-3 for the annual
conference on the persecuted Church.
FEATURE
18 | “What Will You Remember
Most?”
Why serving the needs of persecuted
Christian children across the world is
so important.
INTERVIEW
22 | Choi: The Accidental
Defector
A North Korean defector tells ICC
how he accidentally defected from
North Korea, and what he is doing to
free the oppressed still at home.
INTERVIEW
24 | Lee’s Story
Escaping North Korea and finding
Christ, Lee shares her powerful testimony
with ICC.
FEATURE
26 | How the US Can Help
Rebuild Communities in Iraq
ICC’s advocacy efforts push for relief
and reconstruction for Christians in
Iraq and Syria.
Regular Features
4
16
18
4 Letter from the President
A few words from ICC’s president, Jeff
King, on the last words of the martyrs.
6 World News
A snapshot of the persecution that
impacts our brothers and sisters daily, in
every corner of the world.
10 Your Dollars at Work
Learn how your gifts are providing
comfort, relief, Bibles, education and
vocational training to the persecuted.
14 Impact Report
See this quarter’s statistics of how
ICC’s funds are helping the persecuted
across the globe.
22
25 26
2 PERSECU ION.org
MAY 2017
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN

972
CHILDREN
HELPED
Through Kids Care Fund
PERSECU ION.org
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN
3

President’s Letter
Greater
Love Has. . .
The following is adapted from a chapter of a soon-to–be-released book from ICC’s president, Jeff King, entitled, “Last Words of the
Martyrs.”
The initial reports of persecution I receive are news-oriented, often
only the cold hard facts; who, what, when, and how. Drill down
with me on any attack to the individuals affected, their loved ones,
their community, and their churches and you will see and feel the
massive personal tragedy that each long prison sentence or murder
represents.
Over the years, I’ve been able to speak directly to Christians
affected by persecution and I get very personal updates from our
field staff. These are extremely helpful for me to keep in front of
me the true cost and emotional impact of persecution as it occurs.
In March 2015, in Youhanabad, Pakistan, two suicide bombers
simultaneously attacked two different churches with devastating
effect. Nineteen were killed and another 80 were seriously wounded.
One of my staff was just around the corner when the bombs went off
and rushed to the scene with his camera and recorded the devastating
impact of the attack. Frankly, it was a scene out of a horror movie.
The bomb’s shrapnel did its intended job and shredded anything in its
path, whether concrete or flesh.
One of his pictures haunts me. A mother was holding the body of
her dying son while her spared son sat next to her. Abishey, 10, lay
on the ground, his lower extremities gone. His abdomen was opened
up and he was bleeding out, barely conscious, and fading quickly.
His mother was holding him with her face pointed to heaven, tears
streaming down her face and she was crying out in a grief that you or
I will probably never experience. The healthy son, his face also twisted
by shock and grief, covered in tears, was looking left. The pain and
incomprehension expressed were undeniable and heart-wrenching.
Abishey died because he had left the church to buy candles to
light during the prayer time. He was just outside the church when the
bomb went off.
One of the priests from the church told us that horror was enough
to drive some of his people mad.
In contrast to the horror I saw in that picture was the story of heroics,
courage, and sacrifice, demonstrated by two brothers from the
church, Akash and Sikander. The Christian community and churches
had been rocked by several suicide bombings and these two brothers
from the church volunteered to act as security at the church gate
to prevent any suicide bomber from entering. Another of the church
security volunteers told us what these brothers had done.
“When the bomber tried to enter the church gate, Akash and
Sikandar threw the metal door (of the gate) closed and it hit the
bomber. He fell down, but got back up and tried to enter through the
gate again, but Akash held him, holding down his arms, and pulled
him away from the church.”
Akash held the bomber while Sikander slammed the heavy church
gate closed again when the bomber ignited his bomb. Sikander was
restraining him when the bomb went off.
The death and injury toll, while terrible, would have been incredible
if the bomber had made it into the church.
Radical Islamists celebrated this suicide bomber and all the others
as martyrs for sacrificially killing so many “infidels” that fateful
Sunday. Parents of suicide jihadists even comfort themselves with
promises that their children received a martyr’s reward in eternity.
The shock that the bombers must experience as they enter eternity
often haunts me. I know they are murderers, but they are deceived
and so sincere in their willingness to please Allah that they will
extinguish their own lives and murder hundreds around them because
their religion is telling them to oppose those who resist Islam. They
didn’t just come up with this crazy idea but were taught this lie by
Muhammad, Islam’s holy books, and his living adherents.
So the bomber pays the ultimate price to gain paradise but after
death awakes to reality and finds that everything he was taught about
God was a lie and that he had been obeying Satan.
Furthermore, he realizes that he has killed 19 innocents and that his
fate is sealed; captured by Satan, he will be in torment for eternity.
4 PERSECU ION.org
MAY 2017
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN

President’s Letter
THE REAL MARTYRS
Of course, the real martyrs are not the killers, but the victims, especially
Akash and Sikander. When Akash was killed, his soul was immediately
taken to heaven where he received the crown of life, an eternal
reward that will never perish, spoil, or fade. Akash’s mother spoke with
ICC some time after the bombing and spoke to this point.
“We [have] two feelings,” she said. “We are depressed because we
have lost our son. But we are also proud of his sacrifice. He saved hundreds.
I am happy that God has given him the crown of martyrdom.”
Akash wasn’t a pastor, missionary, or saint. He was like you and me.
He aspired to live like Jesus but probably failed miserably on a day-today
basis. Yet, by laying down his life for others, he became Jesus to
the many in St. John’s Church who lived that day because one deceived
follower of Satan couldn’t get to them. Because of Akash’s sacrifice
and death, they lived.
Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life
for one’s friends” (John 15:13 NIV). While the suicide bombers died
in the fire and violence of hate, Akash and the other security guard laid
down their lives in one supreme act of selflessness and sacrifice.
A FLAWED STRATEGY
There’s a lot of propaganda coming from our government and echoed
by uninformed sheep that Islam is a religion of peace. Most in the
leadership of our government involved in fighting Islam know this isn’t
true. Muhammad wasn’t peaceful. He personally led 35-70 raids where
many were killed. He was preaching and evangelizing for a decade with
only a few followers to show for it when he said that Allah gave him a
new revelation. This revelation would radically change his religion and
would cause the number of his followers to explode.
What was this new revelation? He said Allah showed him that he
could kill those who opposed him. He could also take their gold, their
homes, their wives and their children and do anything he wished with
them. He could make them his “wives” or sell them as slaves. This was
Allah’s will that had just been revealed to him.
Muhammad even had to urge his followers to attack and kill others
since your average person doesn’t want to be involved in this
kind of “worship.”
“Fighting is ordained for you (Muslims) though you dislike it, and it
may be that you dislike [something] that is good for you. Allah [knows
best]” (Quran 2:216).
THE CONUNDRUM
The conundrum our leaders face is that they fear if they tell the
truth and openly condemn Islam, it will only become more violent
and millions more young Muslim men around the globe will stand
up to defend their religion and flow into the ranks of Islamic terror.
So they have come up with a very flawed and increasingly incongruous
campaign to put a wedge between the moderates and radicals
of Islam through sloganeering (“Islam is a religion of peace”).
The only problem is that they are fighting against the holy books
of Islam, Muhammad, as well as the Saudi and other Gulf states that
have spent 200 billion dollars or more in the last 40 years radicalizing
the world’s Muslims.
When I get weary of the resulting massive flowing sewer of
Islam’s victims, when the countless stories of planned mass
and individual murder and violence weigh me down (and
they do), I take refuge in the fact that those who died for
Christ have stood before our Father and cried out to Him.
PERSECU ION.org
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN
“And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their
testimony about Jesus and for proclaiming the word of God.”
- Revelation 20:4 (NLT)
“ 9 I saw under the altar the souls of all who had been martyred
for the word of God and for being faithful in their testimony.
10
They shouted to the Lord and said, “O Sovereign Lord, holy
and true, how long before you judge the people who belong to
this world and avenge our blood for what they have done to us?
11
Then a white robe was given to each of them. And they were
told to rest a little longer until the full number of their brothers
and sisters—their fellow servants of Jesus who were to be martyred—had
joined them.”
- Revelation 6:9-11 (NLT)
These are the last words of the martyrs we see in the Word and if this
was the end of the story, I would take some comfort in the fact that they
were heard and were to be rewarded from the ultimate source of justice
but I would still be naturally left wanting.
Our souls are wired to desire justice and we have been left wanting in
our culture. One day, justice will be delivered completely and in full by
our hero. He will save the day and all evil will be defeated and judged.
All tears will be wiped away and death and evil will be swallowed up
(Revelation 21:4).
The most important last words for martyrs like Abishey, Akash, and
Sikander, though, will not be the words they speak but rather the ones
they will hear. . .
“Well done, good and faithful servant … Come and share your
master’s happiness!”
- Matthew 25:23 (NIV).
Jeff King
President
International Christian Concern
www.persecution.org
Jeff King, President
International Christian Concern
5

News
2
7
1
3
5
6
4
Sudan Orders
Church
Demolitions
Christians fleeing the violence in El-Arish.
Christians Flee Sinai after
Violent Attacks
1 | EGYPT On February 22, the bodies of two Coptic
Christian men were found behind a school in El-Arish,
Egypt. Saad Hakim Hanna was found with a bullet wound
to the head, while his son, Medhat, appears to have been
burned alive. A local priest reported that three masked
men showed up on the doorstep of the father and son’s
home, before killing them and burning the house.
Unfortunately, this is only one incident in a string of
several attacks against Christians in El-Arish. A trader
was killed in his shop in front of his wife and son. A veterinarian
was shot in the head. A Christian plumber was
shot multiple times in front of his wife and five children.
The killings were revealed to be part of a militant hit list.
In response to the violence, more than 150 Coptic families
have fled the city in a state of panic, worried that their
family may be next. These families are now rebuilding
their lives from nothing as they attempt to protect their
loved ones from execution.
Pastor Wins Discrimination Lawsuit
2 | UNITED STATES In early February, the State of
Georgia agreed to pay Dr. Eric Walsh $225,000 to
settle his religious discrimination lawsuit. Dr. Eric Walsh
was hired in May 2014 as a district health director for
Georgia’s Department of Public Health. One week after
his hire, he was asked to submit sermons to his employers,
which he had previously delivered during his time as
a lay-pastor. Only two days later, he was fired.
After Walsh lost his position, First Liberty Institute filed
a lawsuit on his behalf against the Georgia Department of
Public Health in a religious discrimination case, arguing
that he was fired on account of his faith. After three years
of legal battle, the matter was finally put to rest when the
State of Georgia agreed to the settlement. Senior Counsel
for First Liberty Institute, Jeremy Dys, stated, “This is a
clear and resounding victory for religious freedom.”
Thankfully, Walsh’s case came to a positive conclusion,
but others in similar
cases have not been
so fortunate. While
Christians in the United
States certainly do not
face persecution to the
same degree as those
in many other countries
do, we must stand up
for all Christians who
are losing their rights
to practice their faith
freely, or religious freedom
will slowly begin
to chip away.
3 | SUDAN It is no
secret that the government
of Sudan
is seeking to keep
Christians from freely
practicing their
faith. Through a
series of imprisonments,
church demolitions,
and countless
incidents of harassment,
Sudan rightfully
earned its designation
as a Country of
Particular Concern
by the US State
Department.
Most recently,
authorities in Sudan
ordered the demolition
of at least 25
Christian church
buildings near
the capital city of
Khartoum. The
government issued
a letter detailing the
names and locations
of the churches designated
for destruction.
While the letter noted
that the churches
were built on grounds
designated for other
purposes, local
Christian leaders
stated that mosques
built in the same
area didn’t face the
same repercussions.
The churches that
were targeted cover
a broad spectrum of
Christian denominations
and the majority
are located in residential
areas.
6 PERSECU ION.org
MAY 2017
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN

China and Christianity
Despite China’s persecution
of Christians, it is expected to
be the world’s ‘most Christian
nation’ within 15 years.
Christian Woman in China Accused of Cult Activity
4 | CHINA A Christian woman from China, Tu Yan, has been accused of “using an evil cult to undermine law enforcement” for her involvement in
ministry. She was initially arrested last October and continues to be detained, despite mass outcry from the public. Under the guise of a crackdown
on cult activity, the Chinese government continues to persecute and imprison China’s growing Christian population.
Christian in Coma After Mob Attack
5 | INDIA In India, a Christian evangelist named Dr.
Kusuma Anjeneya Swamy slipped into a coma shortly
after being harassed by a group of Hindu radicals. Dr.
Swamy was distributing New Testaments in a park,
when he was surrounded by the group of radicals who
were shouting violent threats. The mob then led Swamy
to the police station where he endured further harassment
from the authorities. Although there was no visible
evidence of physical violence, Swamy suffered a brain
hemorrhage and slipped into a coma shortly after leaving
the police station.
Since the rise to power of Prime Minister Narendra
Modi (pictured) in 2014, Christians in India have experienced
a sharp uptick in persecution due to the impunity
that Hindu radicals enjoy.
President Modi of the right-winged BJP party.
PERSECU ION.org
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN
New Law
Could Protect
Christians
6 | VIETNAM A
recently ratified
law in Vietnam,
which will go into
effect in 2018, could
potentially protect
Christian groups.
The law will give
religious organizations
the opportunity
to obtain legal status,
which Christians
hope will also give
them legal protections.
However, until
the law is fully implemented,
its impact
remains unclear and
there could be both
positive and negative
ramifications. Yet
Christians are hopeful
that this is a step
forward for religious
freedom in Vietnam.
Congress Demands Release of
Christian Pastor Held in Turkey
7 | TURKEY On February 15, 78 members of
Congress, including 37 senators, wrote a letter to the
president of Turkey on behalf of Andrew Brunson,
an American pastor imprisoned in Turkey who leads
a church in the coastal city of Izmir. The bipartisan
letter requested that Pastor Brunson be “immediately
released and deported” on account of a lack of evidence
in his case. The letter was sent four months
after Brunson and his wife, Norine, were arrested
after being accused of terrorist activities. Norine was
released after 12 days of detention, but, at the time
of writing, her husband remains in jail, despite the
absence of evidence supporting his imprisonment.
Andrew Brunson and wife, Norine.
7

News
3
2
6
1
5
4
“God changed
the heart of the
judge and he set
me free.”
Supreme Court of Pakistan. Wikimedia photo.
Prosecutor Offers Imprisoned Christians
Freedom if They Convert to Islam
1 | PAKISTAN In March, ICC learned that a deputy district
prosecutor in Pakistan was blackmailing 42 Christians
who have been imprisoned since 2015. The prosecutor
offered the Christians their freedom on one condition: that
they abandon their Christian faith and convert to Islam.
When this deal initially came to light, the prosecutor
denied ever making such an offer. However, once it was
revealed that the accused had video evidence of him making
the offer, he changed his story. He then stated that he
was simply offering them a choice. Worse still, this is not
the first time that he has offered such a deal. The prosecutor’s
office attempted to blackmail the Christians in the
same way six months prior. However, the Christians clung
tightly to their faith and refused the offer. According to a
human rights activist involved in the case, one prisoner
went so far as to say that he would rather be hanged than
convert to Islam.
Adding to the injustice of the case, many of the 42 men
had been arbitrarily detained following a biased inves-
tigation and shoddy
police work. ICC has
investigated and interviewed
several people
involved in this case
and it is evident that
there are several innocent
people suffering
in prison, solely
because they are not
a part of the Muslim
majority.
With a government
bent on pushing their
own religious agenda,
Christians in Pakistan
are often denied
the justice that they
deserve as authorities
ignore the rule of
law and overstep due
process procedures.
Prisoners should not
have to fear whether
or not they will receive
an impartial investigation
simply because of
their religious identity.
Unfortunately, as
authorities continue
to prioritize their religious
beliefs above
the law, religious
minorities, including
Christians, will continue
to suffer the
consequences.
Syrian Man Gives Testimony of ISIS
Kidnapping and Torture
2 | SYRIA As ISIS continues its campaign of violence
throughout the Middle East and beyond, personal stories
of violence and abuse continue to pour out of the
region. Meghrik (name changed for security) recently
came forward with a testimony of such abuse.
Meghrik was stopped by militants at a checkpoint
while travelling by bus. Meghrik is a Christian name;
however, he never professed to be a Christian or
believe in the religion of his parents. Unfortunately
for Meghrik, his name was enough to condemn him
in the eyes of these ISIS militants and they forced him
off the bus.
An ISIS judge sentenced him to death and he was
later told that he would be spared only if he converted
to Islam. With a struggling faith, Meghrik called out
to God in desperation. After ten days of death threats,
torture, and forced conversion, he was finally released
and permitted to return
home. According to
World Watch Monitor,
Meghrik proclaimed,
“God changed the
heart of the judge and
he set me free.” As
statistics and news
updates continue to
flood our news stations,
let us not forget
to pray for the individual,
such as Meghrik
who reclaimed his
faith in the most horrendous
of circumstances.
8 PERSECU ION.org
MAY 2017
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN

Boko Haram Attacks Near Christian Town of Chibok
3 | NIGERIA In February, Boko Haram carried out yet another attack near the Christian town of Chibok, Nigeria. The attack killed one and seriously
injured another, a young boy whose hands were broken. Boko Haram has targeted Chibok several times in their violent campaign to rid
the region of Christianity. In April 2014, Boko Haram militants carried out a mass kidnapping, abducting more than 270 primarily Christian
schoolgirls, most of whom are still missing.
Boko Haram militants in Nigeria
60+ Churches Destroyed in Myanmar since 2011 Christian Teen Remains Imprisoned in Pakistan
4 | MYANMAR According to reports from Christian Solidarity
Worldwide, at least 66 churches have been burned down in Myanmar
since 2011, in addition to hundreds of villages being destroyed. In
2011, the Burma Army broke a longstanding ceasefire and more
than 100,000 have been displaced by the ongoing conflict. Although
their constitution promotes religious freedom, the government openly
favors Buddhism, leaving religious minorities, including Christians,
vulnerable to conflict in an already tense environment.
5 | PAKISTAN In September 2016, Nabil Masih, a Christian teenager in
Pakistan, was accused of blasphemy for “liking” a photo on Facebook
that allegedly blasphemed against Islam. Masih’s supporters report that
this is impossible because Masih is illiterate and does not use social
media, suggesting that the account was fake. Although Masih maintains
his innocence, reports suggest that police assaulted the teen until
he confessed. At the time of writing, Masih has been denied bail and
continues to suffer in prison.
Iranian Christian Prisoners Go on Hunger Strike
6 | IRAN Two Iranian Christians, Hadi Asgari and Amin Afshar, went on a
hunger strike following six months of imprisonment without charge. The
Christians are victims of the Iranian authorities’ all too common practice of
indefinitely detaining prisoners of conscience without adequate medical care
or legal attention. While the men suffer in Iran’s notorious Evin prison, their
families have been rejected any attempt to learn more about their loved ones’
cases. In previous cases, similar periods of confinement have caused prisoners
lasting physical and emotional damage. Meanwhile, the accusers are granted
more time to gather false evidence to condemn the already detained prisoners.
Unfortunately, one of the prisoners fell seriously ill. Finally, after receiving
promises of better medical aid and attention to their case, the men decided to
end their strike.
PERSECU ION.org
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN
Hadi Asgari (left) and Amin Afshar
9

Your Dollar$ at Work
Education and Assistance after Al-Shabaab Attack
Community Rebuild
In 2014, al-Shabaab attacked the Joy in Jesus
Church in Mombasa, Kenya, killing seven
people, including a preacher, and leaving
many more injured. The militants stormed
into the church building through the back
doors, shooting sporadically.
Three families were particularly and permanently
affected. Dennis Odongo, Austin
Ouma and Diana Ouma were all severely
injured during the gunfire. Each has been
undergoing medical treatment for their injuries
though none have been able to work
since 2014.
Florence Ochieng, whose husband was
killed in the attack, worked diligently to keep
the family’s motorbike business afloat, but
sadly was unable to carry the load alone.
The children in all of these families have
been in and out of school in the last three
years as their parents have been unable to
maintain a sustainable source of income.
These kids have been slighted in the worst
way as their opportunity to be educated is
slipping away.
Thanks to your generous donations, we
were able to step in and help these families
both physically and financially. ICC
funded a full year of school tuition for each
of the children in these three families so
they could continue their education without
worry.
“I would like to thank ICC greatly for
paying my children’s school fees since this
was the most stressing part to me as a single
mother. It hasn’t been easy at all, but glory to
God, He sent you people my way and I count
this as a miracle,” Florence told ICC.
While we have been able to provide educational
assistance, the work is not done. These
families need continued prayer and trust in
God for healing, comfort, and provisions in
the months and years to come.
10 PERSECU ION.org
MAY 2017
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN

Food Assistance
in Koraput, India
Community Rebuild
Persecution is nothing new in the Koraput
district of India. During the 2008
Kandhamal riots, Christians faced severe communal
violence which resulted in damaged
houses, livestock, and crops. Some were also
forcefully reconverted to Hinduism under dire
circumstances, including severe beatings. The
entire Christian communities of Talagumandi
village of Narayanpatna block in Koraput
were forced to reconvert or leave the village.
Christians were strong-armed out of the
village by Hindus, and, after eight years, have
not been able to return home. Originally, all
120 Christian families went to an internally
displaced persons (IDP) camp. Over the years,
all but 29 have moved elsewhere in the country.
The remaining families, however, have no
jobs or income and little food. ICC located the
29 families, and with your help, funded a food
aid package for each family. ICC will continue
looking for ways to serve these families.
PERSECU ION.org
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN
Wrongfully
Accused Pastor in
Mali Assisted
Underground Pastor
The Muslim father of a converted Christian
daughter falsely accused a Malian pastor
of kidnapping and forcibly converting
his minor daughter in 2016. The father also
accused a local Christian counselor to the
mayor of creating and signing a false identification
card for the daughter to hide her age as
a minor child.
Following the false accusations, both
the mayor’s counselor and the pastor were
imprisoned. The counselor is on provisional
release; however, both families are in need
of food assistance as their breadwinners
are unable to work. In response, ICC delivered
several food assistance packages to the
families of the counselor and the imprisoned
pastor. These food packages included rice,
milk powder, and oil. The families expressed
gratitude for God’s faithfulness during this
difficult time.
Assistance for
IDPs in Kaduna,
Nigeria
Hand of Hope
Fulani militants attacked several villages
in the Kaduna state of Nigeria from
October 15-17, 2016. They destroyed crops,
burned down hundreds of home, killed
approximately 30 people, and injured 326.
The attack forced 27,000 people to flee to
Kafanchan or other neighboring communities
for refuge.
With your help, ICC has been able to
bring immediate relief to some of the refugee
families in the Kafanchan internally
displaced persons (IDP) camp. The most
immediate needs included food and clothing.
ICC provided food packages for 110 families
and clothing for each person in the family -
approximately 1,035 people.
The food packages will provide enough
food for a month, while the clothing will
protect individuals from the harsh elements.
This is the direct result of your gifts!
11

E
arlier this year, ICC funded a persecution preparedness training
program for rural pastors in the Nalgonda district of Telangana,
India. The program taught 23 pastors proactive techniques to use
against persecution and sustain their work.
In the last two years, Telangana’s Christians have suffered more
persecution than any other state in southern India. Local pastors and
Christian workers have been assaulted by neighboring religious extremists
on more than one occasion. Rural Christians are, unfortunately,
uninformed about India’s religious freedom laws. This shortcoming has
played a major role in the constant attacks because Christians do not
know how to present their cases to the authorities.
ICC’s training program assists these pastors in two ways. First, pastors
learned how to advocate for themselves using the religious freedom
law. Second, the training involved sensitizing the participants on the
Indian penal codes and criminal procedure codes.
Telangana Christian JAC, a human rights group, collaborated with
ICC by coordinating with pastors in the area. They also hosted the
training and provided lunch to the attendees. With six mainline denominations
and several independent churches in attendance, pastors comprised
the majority of the training participants.
ICC requests prayer for the safety of all of the pastors, as they face
the constant threat of persecution. In addition, pray that these pastors
will be able to respond and report persecution as the first step of fighting
for justice and religious freedom.
Your Dollar$ at Work
‘Persecution Preparedness
Training’ in India
Underground Pastor
Business Development
for Iraqi Christian
Community Rebuild
A
t 16, Samer is the youngest in his family. Samer is also the
breadwinner for his family since his father is in prison. His
father used to be a technical manager at a Mosul dam, but the chief
accountant became angry at the government for giving this position
to a Christian. Consequently, the accountant attacked Samer’s father
with a knife.
In an act of self-defense, Samer’s father pushed back on the
accountant, knocking him to the ground. The man hit his head on his
way down, landing him in the hospital where he would later die of
the injury. Samer’s father was arrested and has been imprisoned for
the last six years.
Samer’s family previously lived in Qeraqosh until ISIS’ attack in
2014 forced them to flee. He took his family to Erbil, but had no way
to support them.
Samer wanted to start a barbershop; he even had a location. But
he did not have the money to fund the startup costs. With help from
your donations, ICC provided the materials necessary to start this
small business, including dryers, clippers, scissors, and towels. With
these essentials, he will be able to provide for himself and his family.
“Thank you so much, it seems like we will be here...for a long time so
it’s good to have a job here,” Samer said.
12 PERSECU ION.org
MAY 2017
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN

PERSECU ION.org
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN
Your Dollar$ at Work
Jos IDP School in Nigeria
Suffering Wives and Children
C
hristian communities in Nigeria have long suffered the weight of terrorism. Boko Haram
and others have displaced thousands of families, forcing them to flee into internally displaced
persons (IDP) camps in the country. In Bukuru-Jos, hundreds of families are living far
from their homes. Children and young adults have been slighted as their educations have been
completely disrupted through this crisis.
In January 2017, ICC was able to establish and open a new school within the borders of the
Jos IDP camp to ensure that children could continue their education. In addition to the school
building, ICC provided textbooks and established curriculums for math, science, and English.
Because of your donations, ICC purchased, delivered, and distributed the books and learning
resources for teachers and 28 children living in the camp.
Please keep these children and their families in your prayers as they have many emotional
barriers to overcome in their new homes. Having been uprooted, these families must start
over. Furthermore, pray for the children’s interest and enthusiasm in their educational and
learning experience.
Rebuilding After Taliban Attack
Community Rebuild
I
n September 2016, the Pakistani Taliban attacked the Christian community in Peshawar,
Pakistan. The attack left one Christian dead and nine homes damaged. Household goods
were destroyed and families’ quality of life became severely limited. One family even
expressed that everyone was “tense and worried for purchasing all the stuff again…”
To best help this community, ICC first conducted a survey of the neighborhood to
determine the level of damage and the types of goods most needed to help the victims
return to normality.
After the survey, ICC purchased the appropriate household items for each family. Some
families received mattresses, washing machines, and an iron. Others needed sheets, clothes,
and food aid. Blankets, cookware, and juicers were other items that ICC provided.
The victims expressed their gratitude for the “extraordinary support” shown by ICC
and believe that such support demonstrates the “real message of Christianity and fantastic
method of preaching Gospel of Jesus Christ....” Continue to pray for Christians in Pakistan
who experience daily persecution and attacks.
Aiding Pastors in Indonesia
Underground Pastor
C
hristians in Indonesia face persecution for their faith every day. Many church members take
risks simply by attending church. The risks for pastors, however, are even greater. Two of
the main issues underground pastors face in Indonesia are a lack of funds to support their families,
and the risk of being attacked for sharing the Gospel in a conservative Islamic environment.
This tension is no more obvious than on the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia. The risk is so real
that the city where they work was once dubbed “The Missionary Graveyard.”
In February 2017, ICC traveled to Indonesia to meet with these pastors and hear their concerns.
One of the main issues they face is that the community immediately becomes suspicious
when the pastors arrive without a valid “reason,” and begin to question them regarding their
presence in the community.
To help address this issue and provide a “cover story” for these underground pastors, ICC
funded a small business project to give underground pastors small goods to sell while they evangelize.
Working under the cover of “small business owners” gives pastors access to communities
without suspicion. With your help, ICC is also working on expanding a broader network to
provide similar assistance to underground pastors throughout Indonesia.
13

Impact Report
WHERE MOST
NEEDED
FUND BALANCE:
SUFFERING WIVES
and CHILDREN
FUND BALANCE:
COMMUNITY
REBUILD
FUND BALANCE:
low medium high
low medium high
low medium high
2016 Q4 2016 Q4 2016 Q4
PROJECTS PROJECTS PROJECTS
• After years of relentless advocacy efforts,
ICC’s hard work culminated with the
unanimous passage of the Frank R. Wolf
International Religious Freedom Act in
December 2016. This act has been hailed
as the most important religious freedom act
in nearly 20 years. Among other provisions,
it requires all US Foreign Service Officers
to receive mandatory training on religious
freedom. It also gives the US the ability to
sanction non-governmental groups, such as
ISIS or Boko Haram, for religious freedom
violations, designating them as “entities of
particular concern.” Previously, it was only
possible to sanction entire countries.
• At the end of 2016, ICC launched an intensive
campaign on behalf of persecuted North Korean
Christians. Our advocacy efforts included a
petition calling on China to cease the deportation
of refugees back to North Korea where
they face death or torture. We also focused
on Korean Christians in two of our monthly
magazines. We interviewed and featured
almost 20 defectors and North Korea experts.
Additionally, the 2017 Bridge Conference
will focus on the prison state of North Korea.
• In November 2016, ICC travelled to northern
Nigeria to interview victims of recent Fulani
attacks, verify attacks, and begin the planning
process of how to effectively alleviate the
victims’ suffering.
• Last year, Christians celebrating the Easter
holiday in a public park were attacked by
a suicide bomber in Lahore, Pakistan.
Twenty-one Christians were killed in this
attack and 40 more were injured, leaving
many families without a breadwinner.
In addition to providing immediate aid,
ICC has helped several families affected
by this attack set up small businesses so
that they do not have to worry about daily
expenses.
• Following a deadly al-Shabaab attack in
Kenya, a Christian woman was left widowed,
with the responsibility of caring
for her five children alone. After paying
for her husband’s funeral, the woman was
low on finances and in need of immediate
assistance. ICC provided her with enough
food to feed her family for a month while
they grieve their devastating loss.
• In April 2014, more than 270 primarily
Christian schoolgirls were abducted in
Chibok, Nigeria, by Boko Haram. Since
the abduction, ICC has worked closely
with the Chibok community, providing
long-term assistance and encouragement
to those affected by the attack. Most
recently, ICC provided several of the
victims’ families with food packages and
medical care as they struggle to establish
a new life.
• As ISIS carried out a campaign of violence
throughout the Middle East, countless
Christians were forced to relocate,
losing both their homes and their
livelihoods. One such man became so
depressed because of the displacement
that his son was forced to find a way
to support the family. ICC provided the
equipment needed for him to start a car
wash business. He now has the tools
necessary to financially support his entire
family and hopes to one day continue his
education.
• Christians in Egypt are often denied
many of the educational and occupational
opportunities that their Muslim counterparts
receive, forcing them into the lower
rungs of society. In order to break this
cycle, ICC opened a Hope House in Egypt
to offer after-school education (computers
and English) for Christian kids. These
students receive language and computer
training, which will help them obtain jobs
more easily upon graduation.
• In 2016, a church in Tamil Nadu, India,
was set on fire, severely damaging
the building and other materials. In
response, ICC provided the church
with the necessary construction materials
for them to rebuild their church
building.
14 PERSECU ION.org
MAY 2017
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN

Impact Report
KIDS CARE
FUND BALANCE:
UNDERGROUND
PASTORS
FUND BALANCE:
BIBLES
FUND BALANCE:
low medium high
low medium high
low medium high
2016 Q4 2016 Q4 2016 Q4
PROJECTS PROJECTS PROJECTS
• In 2008, children throughout Orissa,
India, were left orphaned due to a massive
outbreak of violent, anti-Christian
riots. In response, ICC started an
orphanage to care for these children with
food, clothing, medical care, shelter, discipleship,
the best education. This past
Christmas, ICC provided the children
with gifts, new clothing, and a television
for the orphanage.
• In 2014, two suicide bombers devastated
Pakistan’s Christian community by
attacking All Saints Church in Peshawar.
When the dust settled, more than 130
people were killed in the attacks. Among
the most vulnerable of victims were children
who lost both parents or lost their
family’s breadwinner. In response, ICC
continues to supported these children on
a regular basis by providing them with
the resources necessary to obtain a quality
education.
• In Upper Egypt, Christian children are
often denied the educational resources
that they need in order to thrive in
adulthood. In order to help put them
on the path to success, ICC provides
necessities such as food, medical care,
school supplies and, most importantly,
the Gospel.
PERSECU ION.org
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN
• ICC provides monthly financial assistance
to several pastors in Somalia in order to
help them further the Kingdom and provide
for their churches in this incredibly
dangerous nation. Without this support,
these pastors would be forced to take on
one or more jobs which would severely
curtail their spiritual work.
• In 2016, a pastor in India was attacked by
a group of Hindu radicals while returning
home from leading worship. Pastor Rao
survived the attack, but lost his hearing.
Doctors recommended a costly ear
surgery that he could not afford on the
limited income of a rural minister. After
Pastor Rao was forced to borrow the funds
to pay for the surgery, ICC repaid his
debt, relieving him of the heavy financial
burden and enabling him to continue the
work of the ministry.
• Christians in Pakistan, particularly Muslimbackground
believers (MBBs), must operate
with extreme caution as they share the
Gospel with their communities. One MBB
works with a team of fellow evangelists to
distribute Christian literature in their community.
As a result, they have been beaten
and have received several violent threats.
ICC provides this evangelist with monthly
support as he continues this important, yet
dangerous, work of street evangelism.
• In Madhya Pradesh, India, pastors and
churches are often attacked. Due to the
poverty that Christian pastors in the
region face, they often cannot afford to
replace the destroyed materials. Thanks
to the help of generous donors, ICC was
able to provide more than 200 Bibles to
eight pastors in the area to distribute in
their communities.
• Muslims in Zanzibar are turning to
Christ at an incredible rate thanks to
the faithful work of Christian pastors
sharing the Gospel across the island.
Unfortunately, financial difficulties
prevent many from distributing the
written Word of God. ICC assisted
with this need by providing six pastors
with a stockpile of Bibles to distribute
in their communities and build
disciples.
• With the rise of the house church
movement in China, there is an increasing
demand for the Gospel. ICC provides
DVD kits that we call “church
in a box” to communities throughout
China. Thousands of these DVDs
have been distributed and include a
Chinese Bible, worship songs, the
JESUS Film, and other resources in
order to support these believers as they
grow in their faith.
15

PAUL GI HONG HAN
SENIOR PASTOR OF GRACE
MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL
TED CRUZ
US SENATOR & 2016
PRESIDENTIAL CANDID
FRANCIS CHAN
BEST-SELLING AUTHOR OF
“CRAZY LOVE” AMONG
OTHER BOOKS
ED ROYCE
CONGRESSMAN, CHAIR,
HOUSE FOREIGN
AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
JOSEPH KIM
NORTH KOREAN DEFECTOR
AND RIGHTS ACTIVIST
ICC’S
THE BRIDGE
THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON THE PERSECUTED CHURCH
POLICY DAY: MAY 24
MAIN CONFERENCE: JUNE 2-3
WASHINGTON DC
SADDLEBACK CHURCH, SoCal
WWW.THEPERSECUTIONCONFERENCE.ORG FOR MORE INFO
16 PERSECU ION.org
MAY 2017
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN

ATE
HANNAH SONG
CEO OF LIBERTY IN NORTH
KOREA (LiNK)
BRUCE KLINGNER
CIA’S FORMER DEPUTY
DIVISION CHIEF KOREA
JEFF KING
PRESIDENT OF ICC
RICK WARREN
LEADING PASTOR AND AUTHOR OF
“THE PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE”
PERSECU ION.org
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN
17

“What
Will You
Remember
Most?”
Why serving the needs of persecuted Christian
children across the world is so important.
By William Stark
18 PERSECU ION.org
MAY 2017
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN

For the past five years, I have
had the unique opportunity
of serving the persecuted
Church around the world.
This service has, quite
literally, taken me across
the globe. From the rural
jungles of Bangladesh to
the urban chaos of Cairo,
the ocean of memories I
have will stick with me for the rest of my life.
Often, I am asked by friends and family,
“What will you remember most?”
When I actually take the time to think about
it, there are memories that are more vivid than
others. Possibly because these memories are
more cherished. Among the first memories
to come to mind are the many projects I have
been a part of that focused on serving the
needs of children affected by persecution.
Often, when people think about persecuted
Christians, they tend to focus on the immediate
victim – those directly affected. The
parishioner killed in a church bombing. The
evangelist beaten for bringing the Gospel to
a closed village. The pastor imprisoned for
leading a community considered illegal by
their government. Unfortunately, the children,
whose lives depend on those parishioners,
evangelists, and pastors, are often overlooked,
making them the unseen, but no less affected,
victims of persecution.
I remember this vividly in the days and
weeks following the bombing of All Saints
Church in Peshawar, Pakistan, in 2013. As
many organizations, churches, and individuals
rushed to provide medical assistance and
other forms of initial support to the Christians
injured or families who had a member killed
in the bombing, few were looking to the needs
of the Christian children whose parents were
affected in the bombing.
In light of this, ICC committed to providing
primary and secondary education for those
children whose parents were either killed
or handicapped in the bombing. This vital
program, which is going into its fourth year,
not only helped stabilize over 30 Christian
families, it also helped ensure that the persecution
did not have a generational effect on
the Christian community of Peshawar.
When I visited the Christian community
of Peshawar a few years after the bombing,
I remember being pulled aside by one of the
city’s church leaders. He pointed to one of
PERSECU ION.org
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN
19

Feature Article
“ It is only because
of the support you
are giving that will
allow these children
to pursue these
dreams.”
– PESHAWAR CHURCH LEADER
“My father was the main breadwinner for the
family, so with his death we were unsure how
we would continue my education.”
the students in our program and said, “You
see that child there? She wants to become a
doctor.” He pointed at another student. “You
see that child there? He wants to become an
accountant. It is only because of the support
you are giving that will allow these children
to pursue these dreams.”
Can you imagine the impact that had on
me? The honor, the incredible sense of humility,
and the sense of responsibility that came
with that heartfelt expression is to be shared
with you, our donor.
For I am only the feet or hands of you, our
partner, that delivers your aid to the victims.
Without us working together after the blast,
these kids would have had to drop out of
school. So instead of a doctor, accountant, or
educated Christian professional, we would
have had kids who would have dropped out of
school and become common laborers.
I recently caught up with the one of the
students this church leader pointed out to me.
Joyce William is a bright 18-year-old girl
who lost her father, older brother, and sister
in the All Saints Church bombing. Joyce’s
mother was also badly injured and she still
has not fully recovered. Although Joyce has
graduated from ICC’s education program,
she still remembers the vital support that ICC
provided her and her family.
“After the bomb blast, what was left of
our family was (facing disaster),” Joyce
explained. “My father was the main breadwinner
for the family, so with his death we
were unsure how we would continue my
education. In the midst of all these challenges,
ICC supported us and helped with financial
support and provided for my school
fees and other expenses,” Joyce continued.
“ICC also arranged programs to help with
the psychological effects of the blast for the
children affected.”
“After graduating from ICC’s program,
I was able to gain admission at Edwards
College in Peshawar where I am now a student,”
Joyce reported. “I am currently studying
in the medical program and am planning
to take the medical exams so I can become a
doctor.”
Across the world, I have witnessed similar
stories of tragedy and perseverance from the
children of the persecuted. I have always
found that, somehow, children have a unique
ability to bounce back from persecution if
simply given the opportunity and resources.
In Nigeria, I remember arriving at a camp
where Christians displaced by Boko Haram
had been living for nearly two years. As we
drove to the camp, the camp manager painted
me a grim picture as to the camp’s conditions
and those living there.
When we arrived, the excitement and joy
I witnessed, especially from among the children
living in the camp, felt completely opposite
from what I was expecting. As I entered
20 PERSECU ION.org
MAY 2017
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN

ICC Kids
Care
Top Left
Internally displaced
children in Nigeria
will receive a
chance at an
education thanks
to ICC’s donors.
Top Right
ICC proudly
supports young
Pakistani students
who lost family
members in the
2015 Youhanabad
bombings.
Bottom Left
A Pakistani girl
works on her
homework. Her
family was severely
affected by the
2015 Youhanabad
bombings.
Bottom Right
A young girl living
internally displaced
in Nigeria. Her
family fled their
home when radical
militias stormed
their village.
“I have found that, somehow, children have a unique ability to bounce
back from persecution if simply given the opportunity and resources.”
the camp, all the children, literally hundreds,
lined up to greet us.
In spite of living in an internally displaced
persons (IDP) camp and being out
of school for years, these children still had
dreams for the future. The persecution they
were experiencing had not taken their sense
of hope in the future. When the camp manager
asked Alheri, a young Christian child
in the camp, what he wanted to do when
he grew up, Alheri shouted, “I want to be
a pilot! I want to drive a plane in the air!”
Since our initial contact with this IDP
camp, ICC has established a school for the
PERSECU ION.org
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN
kids still living there. This way, children like
Alheri have the opportunity to pursue their
dreams of building a brighter future for themselves
and their community.
This is where the importance of working
with these “unseen victims” of persecution
really comes forward. These children,
although often not the direct victims of
persecution, are the future of their communities.
One day, they will take on roles of
leadership and will likely still face many of
the same challenges faced by their parents
because of their faith.
It would truly be a tragedy if we only
focused on serving the present needs without
keeping an eye to the future. Ultimately, this
would allow persecution to have a compounding
and devastating generational effect on
Christian communities across the world.
For me at least, this is one reason why
I am not only willing, but excited, to
travel to countries like Pakistan, Nigeria,
Afghanistan, Iraq, and the many other places
Christians are persecuted. The memories
I make today, especially while working with
these Christian children, I hope will one
day be the beginning of a brighter future for
them and their communities.
21

Interview
Choi Jung Oon: The Accid
A North Korean
defector tells ICC
how he accidentally
defected from North
Korea, and what he
is doing to free the
oppressed still at
home.
By Daniel Harris
Choi Jung Oon talks with ICC staff at his organization’s office in Seoul, South Korea.
In 1975 a boat of South
Korean fishermen was
abducted by North
Korea. The fishermen,
along with their
captain, were taken to
North Korea and forced
to integrate into North
Korean society. In a
single day, the course of
their lives was radically changed.
Swallowed up by North Korea,
their families never heard from
them again.
Fast forward to 2006, Choi
Jung Oon, a former military officer
and a government official
in North Korea, was informed
by the North Korean government
that his funding was to be cut and
he would have to find alternative
means to pay his employees.
To compensate, he began
taking trips to China for trade.
On his tenth trip into China, he
heard about a woman who was
offering $10,000 to anyone who
could find her father and bring
him back home. She said she
was the daughter of the captain
of the abducted ship. She had
no pictures. She didn’t know
where he was…all she had was a
name: Choi Wook Il. Armed with
only a name and a desire to earn
$10,000, Choi Jung Oon began
travelling through North Korea
looking for the captain. It took
him three months, but he found
him. He was married to a North
Korean woman and had children.
His wife was essentially a North
22 PERSECU ION.org
MAY 2017
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN

ental Defector
In that moment everything changed for Choi Jung Oon. He went to
sleep as a government official and woke up a fugitive. Choi had no
choice but to defect.
Korean spy tasked with reporting
on his every movement.
Choi pleaded with the captain’s
wife and promised he would
bring the captain back if she
would let him visit his daughter
in China. She conceded.
Choi and the captain set off
westward, crossing into China
on Christmas day in 2006. But
when they saw the captain’s
daughter for the first time, it
was not his daughter at all…it
was his wife. Thirty-one years
had passed without a word. The
captain was 36 the day he disappeared;
he was now 67.
Choi told ICC, “Watching their
meeting was so hard.” He said they
wept so much, “they cried like
animals…it was not the sound of
people.” Choi stood there watching,
and for the first time he wondered
what kind of country could do this
to someone. For the first time in
his life he questioned what he and
his country stood for. That night, as
they slept, the captain and his wife snuck away.
They ran straight to the South Korean embassy.
When they arrived, they published a press release
detailing his 31 years in captivity, how he escaped,
and who helped him escape. They named names,
including Choi Jung Oon.
In that moment, everything changed for
Choi Jung Oon. He went to sleep as a government
official and woke up a fugitive. He could
never go back, as the North Korean government
was furious and executed everyone
even remotely connected to the escape. By
8:00 a.m., even the border guards had been
executed. Choi had no choice but to defect. He
found a way to call his family and they begged
him to not try to come home.
As for many North Korean defectors, it
took Choi more than a year to make his way to
South Korea. Defectors making their way to
South Korea must dodge Chinese policemen
PERSECU ION.org
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN
Part of the Korean Demilitarized Zone
and North Korean spies, all the while bribing
officers or hiring agents to get them into South
Korea...all without a job and without knowing
the local language. To be caught means automatic
repatriation to North Korea where they
will face torture at a minimum, long imprisonment,
or execution.
With the help of an agent, Choi reached
South Korea on December 31, 2007. After
being interrogated to make sure he was not a
North Korean spy, he found a job as a reporter.
He worked as hard as he could to save his
money and hire agents to sneak his family out
of North Korea, one-by-one. In 2011, he had
snuck out every family member except his
youngest brother. Because Choi had written an
article that incensed the North Korean government,
his baby brother was executed.
The death of his brother still haunts him
today. It is what drives Choi to do the work
he does. Now, Choi works for
a radio station that beams news
into North Korea about the outside
world and the truth about
the North Korean regime.
They tell North Koreans that
there is hope outside of North
Korea and the truth about what
their country is doing. They
broadcast North Korean songs
rewritten with words from the
Gospel. As a side project, Choi
works to smuggle USB sticks
filled with news, media, or
the Bible into North Korea.
It is a dangerous task with
people risking their lives at
night to cross the border. But
Choi is one of the most active
and passionate leaders in the
fight against the North Korean
regime.
Life for Choi after the
escape has not been easy.
North Korean spies are
everywhere and it is difficult
to know who to trust. Some
defectors who ICC met with have had as
many as eight attempts on their life since
escaping North Korea. In 2012, North
Korea sent a spy to befriend Choi and kill
him. They told the spy that they would execute
her son if she did not follow through
with it. Luckily, she was identified and
captured before she could get to him. For
Choi, and for many defectors, the sad truth
remains that they may never truly escape
the reaches of North Korea’s cruelty.
ICC is working to support Choi’s work.
We are also inviting Choi to speak at The
Bridge Conference at Saddleback Church
on June 2-3. We hope you will join us
in supporting the work Choi is doing to
change North Korea and to help the persecuted
and the oppressed. To find out
more about the conference, go to www.
thepersecutionconference.org.
23

Interview
Lee’s Story:
Escaping North Korea
and Finding Christ
By Sandra Elliot
Over the last 20
years, ICC staffers
have had the privilege
of listening
to the first-hand
testimonies of persecuted
Christians
around the world.
Widowed mothers,
fatherless
children, and underground pastors are just a
few of the interviewees we have spoken with.
Recently, while visiting the persecuted in
Southeast Asia, we sat down to hear the heroic,
and often horrific, stories of North Korean
defectors who escaped their hellish lives in
the prison state.
Lee and her mother, JungAe, are two defectors
who we met in South Korea this year.
It was 1999 when North Korean officials
discovered that JungAe had illegally maintained
contact with relatives in South Korea.
JungAe had seen her family split as a child
during the Korean War, with half staying
in North Korea and the rest claiming South
Korea as home. In 1999, JungAe and Lee
knew they had to flee North Korea for their
own safety, despite knowing they would have
to leave Lee’s brother behind. While Lee’s
father had already died, her brother was still
enlisted in the North Korean army.
At just 17 years old, Lee crossed the border
into China to restart her life in a new world.
After three years of living in daily fear of
repatriation, the two decided they must go further
to find permanent safety. They had heard
that, if they make it, South Korea would grant
them immediate citizenship.
Communicating through a translator, Lee
explained how dangerous it is for multiple
people to travel to South Korea from China.
They decided it would be safer for Lee to
travel first, then JungAe would follow. As
with many North Korean defectors, Lee and
her mother connected with a non-governmental
organization (NGO) during their years in
China. The group armed her with a fake passport
and sent her by ship to her newer, safer
home in South Korea.
She arrived within days and was welcomed
with citizenship and enrollment at a local
university. She was 19 when her life finally
began to look normal.
Unfortunately, good fortune would not last
long.
“I had never prayed until my mother was
caught,” Lee told ICC. Her only experience
with prayer were scenes from a Korean War
documentary depicting American soldiers
on their knees before an unseen God. It
“I had never
prayed until
my mother was
caught.”
seemed the right thing to do when facing
impossible odds.
JungAe was surely facing impossible odds.
Police tracked her down and repatriated her
outside of the South Korean embassy the
same day she was set to leave China. She was
picked up along with another North Korean
defector, a young woman named Sarah.
According to Lee, Sarah never should
have been caught. The young woman actually
turned around to help Lee’s mother
when she could have easily escaped the
authorities’ notice.
Sarah and JungAe had a cordial relationship
before they were arrested. Sarah was an
outspoken Christian evangelist living with
Chinese missionaries in the area. JungAe was
just a woman she had shared the Gospel with.
It didn’t make sense for Sarah to sacrifice herself
for such a stranger. But she did.
Upon re-entry, both women were sent away
to a prison camp. Officials send people to
the Korean gulags, as prison camps are often
called, to die. Slowly. It was here that JungAe
learned how to pray. Much like her daughter
did when faced with the impossible, JungAe
turned to this unknown God for help. She
watched Sarah do it every day from their cell,
so she learned the mannerisms and adopted
the habit.
Both JungAe and Sarah were severely beaten
by prison guards. Age and gender offered
no mercy to their cause. Throughout the time
spent in the North Korean gulag, JungAe
watched as Sarah proudly proclaimed her
24 PERSECU ION.org
MAY 2017
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN

“It didn’t make
sense for Sarah
to sacrifice
herself for such
a stranger. But
she did.”
faith and refused to deny her Savior, though
tortured. Sarah would eventually pay the ultimate
price for her boldness in this camp, but
she never revealed that JungAe had become a
new believer.
Back in South Korea, Lee found refuge in
a church group and came to know the Lord
through their love and support. They never
stopped praying for JungAe, as they understood
what North Korean prisoners suffered.
Lee had no idea that her mother was finding
comfort in the same God so far away.
With help from those around her, Lee transferred
funds to secure her mother’s release and
safe passage into South Korea.
“Money would not have been enough to free
my mom,” she reminisced, “but God was at
work the whole time.”
The two were finally reunited in South
Korea, embracing one another and their newfound
faith together. Lee now works with an
organization dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation
of North Koreans in South Korea.
“I want to help people like me.”
While together again, Lee and JungAe still
bear the scars of their story, one being the
heartbreak of leaving Lee’s brother behind.
They learned that he was sentenced to a gulag
several years previously, but they have no idea
if he is alive or dead. They can only hope and
pray as they did for one another. They have
hope because of Christ, but they carry a burden
most of us will never understand.
Lee Han Byeol escaped North Korea with her mother in 1999.
PERSECU ION.org
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN
25

Feature Article
How the US Can Help Rebuil
Displaced Iraqi Children
In 2015, ICC traveled to Iraq
to help with aid distribution
and project development.
ICC Advocacy: Our efforts to push
for relief and reconstruction for
Christians in Iraq and Syria.
By Sandra Elliot
On March 14, 2017,
Congress passed
House Resolution
75 which declared
the Islamic State
in Iraq and Syria
(ISIS) as responsible
for genocide
against religious
minorities, namely
Christians, Yazidis and Shia Muslims. Days
later, the State Department released a concurring
statement highlighting the atrocities of
the group and once again leveling the ‘crime
of all crimes’ against them.
By nature, the term ‘genocide’ merits the
most immediate and extensive response. This
is why the US has been so hesitant to use it
in the past. Yet, even now, over a year since
we tagged the greatest crime to the actions of
ISIS, the most vulnerable victims continue to
suffer unnecessarily because they lack access
to proper aid and assistance. We have labeled
the perpetrator and named the crime; yet, as
a country, we have done little for the victims.
The situation in Iraq is desperate as displaced
persons, Christians in particular, struggle
with the daunting decision of emigration
or rehabilitation. For three years, they have
lived homeless, jobless, and, often, hopeless.
The Islamic State committed unspeakable
atrocities against women and children, while
executing fathers and recruiting brothers into
forced service.
Three million people have been displaced in
the conflict. Kurdistan and much of Baghdad
have become landing places for these people
over the last few years, while millions of others
have fled altogether. Still, a year after the
26 PERSECU ION.org
MAY 2017
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN

d Communities in Iraq
The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria
Pastor Edward Awabdeh on Capitol Hill
HR 390
“provide[s]
emergency
relief to victims
of genocide,
crimes against
humanity, and
war crimes in
Iraq and Syria,
and provide[s]
accountability
for perpetrators
of these crimes,
and for other
purposes.”
declaration of genocide, minimal has been
done on behalf of these populations.
International Christian Concern has aided
thousands of families in their time as internally
displaced persons (IDPs). We have
built homes, provided heaters and coats
for winter, and provided microfinancing to
establish small businesses to provide sustainable
incomes. But it’s not enough. Individual
projects will not solve the wider issue at
hand.
In March, ICC launched an advocacy
tour on behalf of these suffering believers,
pushing for a new House resolution that
“provide[s] emergency relief to victims of
genocide, crimes against humanity, and war
crimes in Iraq and Syria, and provide[s]
accountability for perpetrators of these
crimes, and for other purposes.”
PERSECU ION.org
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN
This two-fold resolution serves both the
immediate and long-term needs of Christian
communities in Syria and Iraq. Emergency
relief will service the pressing physical necessities
of IDPs and others, while accountability
for the perpetrators will ensure punishment
for those responsible and state-wide recognition
of the atrocities committed.
Accountability is more than just a blame
game; it is justice for the victims and a sense
of future security for the displaced. By outlining
the specifics of a wrongdoing and trying it
accordingly on the world stage, you reaffirm
the suffering of the victims, while at the same
time dissuading future perpetrators from carrying
out their crimes.
As a guest on our tour, we invited Pastor
Edward Awabdeh, the president of the
Evangelical Alliance Church of Syria and
Lebanon, to share his testimony on Capitol
Hill. Pastor Edward has led his congregation
and denomination in Syria through six
years of civil war, never once entertaining the
thought of leaving.
His work is one of many that we are
proud and excited to support, but we are
also working toward a greater solution - to
see the US government step up its care for
Christian victims.
ICC will continue to provide relief aid to our
brothers and sisters in Iraq, but we will also
continue to advocate for a bigger and more
permanent solution to the crisis at hand.
Would you consider giving to the persecuted
in Iraq and Syria? If so, you can
note ‘Iraq/Syria’ on your check or credit
card donation.
27

You Can Help Today!
PERSECU ION.org
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN
SEND DONATIONS TO:
ICC
PO BOX 8056
SILVER SPRING, MD 20907
OR ONLINE AT
WWW.PERSECUTION.ORG
OR BY PHONE
800-ICC-5441
GIVING TO ICC VIA
YOUR WILL
Provide now for a future gift to ICC
by including a bequest provision in
your will or revocable trust. If you
would like more information on giving
to ICC in this way, please give
us a call at 1-800-ICC-5441.
© Copyright 2017 ICC, Washington, D.C., USA.
All rights reserved. Permission to reproduce all
or part of this publication is granted provided
attribution is given to ICC as the source.
International Christian Concern (ICC) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) (all donations tax-deductible).
ICC makes every effort to honor donor wishes in regards to gifts. Occasionally, situations
arise where a project is no longer viable. ICC will then redirect those donated funds to the
fund most similar to the donor’s original wishes. ICC uses 7.5 percent of each restricted
donation to carry out the mission of its segregated funds.
facebook.com/persecuted
@persecutionnews