NORTH KOREA — Timothy* grew up as an orphan in North Korea at the time of the 1990s famine. As a teenager, he decided to cross the Tumen River into China in a bid for survival. This is how coming across a safe house, run by Open Doors partners in China, set him on the…
NORTH KOREA — North Korean Persecuted Christian Bae* was sentenced to a lifetime of backbreaking labour and starvation rations – just for having a Bible. If you were to see Bae* during the day, you’d assume that her work was picking crops. Every morning in the village she’s forced to live in, Bae spends the…
NORTH KOREA — The persecution of Christian women and girls around the world is hidden, complex and violent. They are vulnerable for both their gender and their faith. As part of International Women’s Day on 8 March, Open Doors has been sharing stories of those who’ve been persecuted simply because they are Christian women. The…
NORTH KOREA — This story is based on a real-life account of a North Korea Christian sent to prison and then to a re-education camp. Other details have been added from other prison accounts. Open Doors has heard stories like this from numerous North Korean believers – and, disturbingly, the details are all eerily similar….
NORTH KOREA — Earlier this month the South Korean goverment passed a law that makes it illegal to send anything considered anti-North Korean into the so called “Hermit Kingdom”. This new law will have a direct impact on The Voice of the Martyrs Korea’s ministry of using balloons to get Bibles into North Korea. Since…
CHINA — Since 2002, North Korea has been the place where Christians face the most extreme persecution. In response Open Doors secret fieldworkers are supporting Christians who’ve managed to flee to China, through underground networks. Across the river from North Korea, in China, they run secret safe houses for North Korean Christians who have managed…
NORTH KOREA — North Korea is on the verge of a catastrophic meltdown according to reports reaching Open Doors from North Korean Christians. “North Korea faces a major crisis with multiple causes,” says Timothy Cho, North Korean escapee. “Covid-19 lockdown, catastrophic flooding, and international sanctions.” Although the North Korean Government has claimed that they have…
BLACK MOUNTAIN, NC – Frankly, I was surprised to learn of a Christian ministry actively working in North Korea. Then, I discovered CFK (not to be confused with KFC), Christian Friends of Korea. I was amazed by how the Lord has opened doors for CFK and how much He has accomplished through them in the…
MOSCOW – This is not an article about a missionary agency, a missionary project, or a faith-based organization. It is about people of whom we are mostly unaware. People who need the Lord. People who need our prayers. The purpose of this article is to raise our collective awareness and encourage us to pray.Something significant…
BARTLESVILLE, OK The Voice of the Martyrs is calling on Christians around the world to pray for persecuted believers in North Korea as the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church takes place on Sunday November 3. To help mobilize informed prayers, VOM’s 2019 IDOP short film, “Sang-chul: North Korea”, provides a dramatic example…
This week the State Department hosted its second annual Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom.As part of the session, 27 victims of religious persecution met Wednesday with President Trump at the White House.The ministerial convenes foreign diplomats, experts and civil society leaders to address the most pressing issues affecting religious freedom around the world. Certainly among…
WASHINGTON – Lovers of freedom around the globe rejoiced to hear the news on 10 May 2018 that three Americans held prisoner in North Korea had been returned to the U.S. When the men and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived at Joint Base Andrews at 2:00 a.m., President Trump was on hand to greet…
SEOUL – “Until All Have Heard.” That’s on the header of the Far East Broadcasting (FEBC) website. FEBC has been working to help reach that goal with the Gospel sine 1945. This year, FEBC is celebrating the 70th anniversary of its first broadcast on June 4, 1948. Originally based in Shanghai, the company relocated to…
SA 3.0 Kim Jong Un sends laborers into countries such as Russia to work and make a profit for the government. Per Fox News, “Brutal North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un is shipping tens of thousands of impoverished citizens to Russia for the hard currency his cash-strapped regime desperately needs, Fox News has found.” The…
By Kok Leng Yeo from Singapore Last August, North Korea was flooded. This was due to Typhoon Lionrock hitting the country. Fox News reports, “Typhoon Lionrock, amplified by a low-pressure system in the region, created floods that submerged, severely damaged or destroyed 30,000 homes and displaced 70,000 people.” North Korea tried to get aid, only…
Gospel Broadcaster to Restore and Rebuild Fire-Ravaged Station Near North Korea BorderLA MIRADA, CA — Koreans are struggling to receive Christian radio broadcasts after a wildfire severely crippled a radio station near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) with North Korea. Gospel broadcaster FEBC (Far East Broadcasting Company) has launched a campaign on its website (www.febc.org) to…
SEOUL – One of the chief ministries of Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) is getting Bibles to nations where the Word of God is restricted. The ministry uses innovative means to place Bibles into the hands of people – in their own language – who would otherwise live their lives without ever reading the Good…
SEOUL – North and South Korea have made a lot of headlines in the past year, including North Korea’s ballistic missile tests and nuclear potential, South Korea’s hosting of the Winter Olympics, and the historic meeting between North Korea’s Kim Jung Un and U.S. President Donald Trump in Singapore. While the complete denuclearization of North…
TAEBAEK, South Korea – Ben Torrey is the great-grandson of Dr. Reuben Archer Torrey, author, preacher, and one of D.L. Moody’s associate evangelists. Ben’s lineage is one of preachers. His grandfather was a missionary to China. His father was the founder of Jesus Abbey in South Korea. After his father died in 2002, the staff…
Noel Yeatts, President of World Help, an international, Christian humanitarian organization serving the needs of the impoverished around the world, discusses the suffering that Christians face, even by those who use social media as a tool to fan the flames of persecution. When you look at lists of the most dangerous places to be a…
WITNEY, ENGLAND — Afghanistan is now the most dangerous place in the world to be a Christian, according to figures released today in the 2022 World Watch List (WWL). Afghanistan replaces North Korea at the top of the list after 20 years – this despite persecution also rising there this year. The WWL, which records…
WILLS POINT, TX – GFA World (Gospel for Asia) founded by K.P. Yohannan, whose heart to love and help the poor has inspired numerous charities like GFA World Canada, to serve the deprived and downcast worldwide, reveals on a shocking new report, from U.S. border to South Asia, 1.2 billion children in crisis face ‘horrors,’…
WITNEY, ENGLAND —Open Doors has revealed that Afghanistan has replaced North Korea as the most dangerous country to be a Christian in their 2022 World Watch List. Christian men are facing almost certain death if their faith is discovered. Women and girls may escape death but may be married to young Taliban fighters who want…
SANTA ANA, CA — For the first time ever, Afghanistan is the most dangerous place on the planet to be a Christian, according to Open Doors’ 2022 World Watch List, which was released today. The World Watch List is a definitive, comprehensive research-based report that ranks the top 50 countries where it is most dangerous…
FALLS CHURCH, VA — As Christians face rising persecution worldwide, many of us are looking for ways to connect with those who suffer for their faith. Christian Freedom International – which helps persecuted Christians – has a few ideas. In hostile regions of the world, Christians risk beatings, imprisonment, discrimination, and death for their faith….
WILLS POINT, TX — Girls face greater exploitation than ever, with 650 million child brides in the world today, a shocking new report reveals. As women’s rights take center stage in the U.S. and many parts of the world, the reality for millions of girls worldwide is sexual exploitation and forced marriage before the age…
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by KP Yohannan, issued this Special Report on the horrific realities girls face, child marriage, human trafficking, abuse & exploitation, and the restoration & redemption that God brings to their lives. Nearly 173 years ago, on October 16,…
WASHINGTON, DC – Its 2020 Annual Report on international freedom of religion has been made available to the public by the USCIRF. Various media reports have created confusion concerning the publication, with some referring to it as “the 2019 report” and others as “the 2020 report.” For clarification, the title of the 104-page document is…
PHOENIX, AZ – The most significant existential threat for America is not the Coronavirus. Nor is it China, Iran, Russia, or North Korea. It is also not the potential collapse of our economy and supply chains. Continuing analysis by the American Worldview Inventory 2020 points out that “One-third of the nation’s adults who have chosen…
“Our ability to act quickly is critical.” — Open Doors USASANTA ANA, CA — Living conditions for Christians and other religious minorities worldwide are rapidly worsening due to the Coronavirus outbreak, says Open Doors USA, an organization working with persecuted Christians in more than 60 countries. “Their situation is going from bad to worse,” said…
WASHINGTON, DC – The passage of the FY2020 Federal spending bill on December 19th ensures government funding for the US Commission on International Religious Freedom for another three years. Congress must re-approve funding of the USCIRF before the 2023 fiscal year. Although many government programs are included in the $1.4 trillion package, the USCIRF came…
Recently we observed one of the International Day[s] of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (known by the acronym IDOP). Initiated over 20 years ago by the World Evangelical Alliance, 100,000 congregations around the world and millions of Christians participate on this day. “Let us unite in prayer for our persecuted brothers and sisters,” IDOP said…
LONDON – 123 UK politicians gathered in the House of Parliament to hear first-hand about the persecution of Christians around the world, and listen to the recommendations from the Open Doors World Watch List report about how our Parliament can best respond. MPs heard about the 5,500 churches destroyed or closed down in China, the…
WASHINGTON – Today Open Doors announced the 2020 World Watch List of religious persecution offenders at a press conference in Washington, D.C, and revealed that Christians living in China are experiencing unprecedented levels of persecution, and their quality of life is deteriorating at an alarming rate. China jumped four spots, from #27 in 2019 to…
The U.S. State Department removed Sudan from its list of governments that are engaging in or tolerating systemic and ongoing religious freedom violations and has placed Nigeria, Cuba, and Nicaragua on a special watch list for “severe violations of religious freedom” for the first time. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced Friday the State Departments’…
NEW YORK – August 22, 2019, marked the first International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief sponsored by the United Nations. Missions Box News first became aware of the proposed special day in July 2018 when members of the British parliament were called to consider supporting a proposal…
WILLS POINT, TX – June 30th marked the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres remarked, “On this World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, let us reaffirm our commitment to stop criminals from ruthlessly exploiting people for profit and to help victims rebuild their lives.” In fact, the total eradication of human…
BANI, BURKIN FASO – Wearing a Christian cross on a necklace is common. For some, it is a mere prettification. Others wear one as a talisman of sorts. But, for believers, it is a witness to their faith in the finished work of Christ on Calvary. It is, for the most part, a perfectly acceptable…
WASHINGTON — Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), co-chairman of Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission along with Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA), today held a bipartisan hearing on the perilous state of religious freedom for Christians in China, Nigeria, Iran and other places around the world. Ambassador-at-Large for Religious Freedom Sam Brownback, head of the U.S. State Department’s Office…
ASMARA – The tiny country of Eritrea has been called “The North Korea of Africa.” The county ranks at Number 7 on the Open Doors World Watch list of states where the persecution of Christians is the most severe. No national elections have been held since the country gained its independence in 1993. Even though…
![The world is unlikely to meet a target of ending child labor by 2025, which is part of the 17 global development goals agreed [upon] in 2015 at the United Nations.](https://missionsbox.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/gfa-06-12-17-gospelforasia-RT15-04790-230x300.jpg)
LONDON – June 12 marks the annual World Day Against Child Labor. We would like to share news of advances in liberating children from this burden that robs them of their childhood, an education, and the potential for a thriving future. Sadly, on a global scale, we cannot. Verisk Maplecroft issued their 2019 Child Labor…
LONDON – Missions Box News reported on December 28, 2018, that British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt had ordered a review into the escalation of persecution of Christians around the world. The task was assigned to the Anglican Archbishop of Truro. The complete report was originally scheduled to be released in time for Easter Sunday. However,…
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has released its annual report in the aftermath of attacks on mosques in New Zealand, churches in Sri Lanka and synagogues in the United States. “It’s coming at a time when religious freedom concerns, for lots of reasons, are getting more attention across the board,” USCIRF Commissioner Johnnie…
WASHINGTON — With its particular focus on China’s oppression of religious and human rights, an independent watchdog group has decried in its annual report the state of religious freedom across the globe. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, a bipartisan organization created 20 years ago, concludes in its Monday (April 29) report that “innumerable…
Venezuela Crisis — “The political unrest is creating a humanitarian crisis. One of our partners on the ground said it’s the greatest humanitarian crisis in the world right now.” Venezuela is facing the biggest economic crisis in modern history with hyperinflation, leading to starvation, deaths and mass migration. The U.S. announced Saturday that USAID will be sending…
Religious freedom, i.e., the separation of church and state appears to be gaining greater legal standing around the globe. Yet, according to the latest Open Doors World Watch List, persecution of Christians is on the rise. Christians are not the only ones being persecuted. People of any faith who are in the minority are increasingly…
SANTA ANA, CA – According to its website, “For over 60 years, Open Doors has worked in the world’s most oppressive countries, empowering Christians who are persecuted for their beliefs. Open Doors equips persecuted Christians in more than 60 countries through programs like Bible & Gospel Development, Women & Children Advancement, and Christian Community Restoration.”…
Despite claims by some that radio broadcasting is dying, it remains at heart of FEBC’s pioneering ministry, even as it uses new-tech pathways to share the gospel LA MIRADA, Calif. – As it marks 70 years of proclaiming the gospel to some of the farthest corners of the world, FEBC (Far East Broadcasting Company), the…
WILLS POINT – The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was ratified in 1948, seventy years ago. Article 4 of the Declaration says, “No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.” A large number of people in the United States – perhaps most…
NEDLANDS, WESTERN AUSTRALIA – Slavery is not a thing of the past. Despite the efforts of William Wilberforce, Abraham Lincoln, and others, slavery did not end in the 19th century. In fact, according to the 2018 Global Slavery Index, over 70 million people are caught in the throes of 21st century slavery. More than 70…
