North Korea - Return of the Arduous March

That's what they are saying in some quarters. The "Arduous March" has returned. Arduous, as in "characterized by toilsome effort to the point of exhaustion." More like, to the point of starvation and death, in North Korean terms. The official "march" was said to have taken place when the Korean people were led through the worst famine in their history -some say anyone's history- back in the 90's, around 1994-2000 to be a little more precise. All the reasons for such an event are not clear, but governmental mis-management is never ruled out except by Pyongyang.

During the "march" years, the Public Distribution System suddenly stopped. People ate more grass than rice. Thievery increased. Death abounded then multiplied. Hunger kills. Two to three million, they say.

But in spite of recent pronouncements from the capital that by the year 2012 (Kim Il Sung's 100th birthday), North Korea will become so great a power that it will "dwarf all the difficulties" and solve all the problems it has been having, the people who know best say it aint necessarily so.

• some homes had less food last year than during the "arduous march" years.
• the longer some people live there, they say, the less hope they have of living.
• ordinary laborers say that 2007 was the very worst year yet, at least regarding food.
• in 2007 laborers were forbidden to farm on their own.
• once again, more and more people are turning to lives of thievery to survive.
• now the thievery is turning to members of their own families.
• many North Koreans drift away into the mountains, never to be seen again.
• people are working hard all year, but the food crops last only a few months.

No one knows the future. Maybe by 2012 North Korea really will be a rich and prosperous nation, and powerful too. I'd say they'd have a much better shot at that if they will open up to the Creator of the harvest. Right now they are being told He does not exist. Though some know otherwise, the big breakthrough of spiritual and material uplift that comes when Christ is free to be preached nationwide, is still in the future.

Our job as believers is clear. Pray, pray, and then pray some more.

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. Just about every day I'm writing a blog featuring some news, a book, or a story of North Korea. There's a live news feed on the site, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together!

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond on my site.