October 2004

An Open Door to Help Children in North Korea

…a great door for effective work has opened…
I Corinthians 16:9

We have just received word that a new Extra Commitment Opportunity (ECO) has been approved for helping Sue’s work in North Korea. The number is 051775, and it’s called “Children’s Nutrition Project—North Korea.” We praise God for several churches that have made a commitment to help with this project, but of course the needs are great. Sue has a vision to provide soy milk for 100,000 children, as requested by an official in North Korea, but increasing the project incrementally is the only way. To give online, click on the "give" button below.

Although we’re in the middle of our itineration assignment, Sue is visiting North Korea again! She needs to negotiate an additional site for another soy milk plant and check on the situation with the orphanage and the first soy milk plant in Sariwon City. When several Korean church leaders at lunch were discussing how hard it was to get some Korean pastors visas to visit the United States, I made the point that it is even harder to get a visa for North Korea. Sue had sent her request through three different channels a month ahead of time. Usually she just has to estimate that the visa will be approved and then go to Beijing and contact the North Korean embassy there. If the request is disapproved or delayed, then prospective travelers return home without a visit, which has happened a couple of times with medical doctors Sue wanted to take with her.

Horace G. Underwood was the first ordained Protestant missionary to enter Korea, was a leader in planting churches, and founded Yonhi College which became Yonsei University. The second Horace Underwood served at Yonhi College and Horace G. Underwood, the third generation to serve in Korea, died in January, 2004, after serving Yonsei University as professor, acting president, and board member for over 60 years. Horace H. Underwood, fourth generation, has been English professor and head of the Division of International Education and Exchange at Yonsei and, most recently, headed up the Fulbright program in Korea.

Yours for Christ in Korea,

Art and Sue

The 2004 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 89