North Korea’s “eternal” leader, Kim Il-sung, is portrayed as a loving man, but thousands in his prison camps suffer unthinkable injustices

Dear Friends,

In August, David Servant appealed to all the friends of Heaven’s Family for a sister in Christ who has been incarcerated in a North Korean prison camp. She was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor for telling someone about Jesus. Her sentence was reduced to 8 years, but from what we know of the camp’s hellish conditions it is very unlikely that she could survive that long.

We have been trying to secure her release through some bribes—the only method, aside from prayer, that works in the North Korean system. We are grateful that we received all the funds needed. Unfortunately though, there were some major security leaks in the underground railroad that our contact uses to get people safely into South Korea. Thus her rescue has been pushed back to early spring, after things have quieted down again.

The last time our contacts visited her, however, she was near starvation. So until she is released, we are sending medicine to combat the effects of malnutrition and food to help her survive through the next few months of harsh winter conditions.

Please pray that God will sustain her through the winter months—a season that takes the lives of many weak prisoners. Pray also that He will use her as a witness to the prison guards and to the other inmates.

Finally, I’m so happy to report that Heaven’s Family provided the needed funding for the rescue of another North Korean believer who was on the run from the authorities, and her recent escape was successful! Next month I’ll be sending a mini-update with more details.

In Service to our Lord,

Elisabeth Servant
Director, North Korean Christians Fund

Thousands of Pakistanis, including this woman and her small child (in hammock) were forced to flee their homes due to flooding from unusually heavy monsoon rains

Dear Friends,

You may recall that I visited Pakistan just over a year ago to bring emergency relief on behalf of those who generously contributed to the Disaster Relief Fund.

Although more localized this year, the southern Sindh Province was again hit with record-breaking monsoon rains.

Heaven’s Family received a plea for help from one of our partners in Pakistan who lives in the hardest-hit area (and who I worked with last year when I was there). He told us that many of our brothers and sisters in Christ were forced to abandon their flooded homes and their submerged crops. Government help was limited, of course, especially for followers of Jesus.

We responded by sending $2,000, and we are happy to report that 70 families were helped with emergency supplies that included flour, rice, sugar, vegetable oil, tea, dry milk, and mosquito coils. Some supplies also went to a few Hindu and Muslim families who are open to the gospel. In the next couple of weeks Heaven’s Family hopes to be able to send more relief money to equip our partner to help even more families.

Below are some photos of Pakistani believers very happy to receive our help in the last two weeks!

Because of Him,

Jeff Trotter
Director, Disaster Relief Fund

And I couldn’t resist including a photo of some cute kids!

Polio-stricken Francis Budohi, ready to go to church on a bicycle taxi

Dear Friends,

Francis Budohi contracted polio as a young boy and has not walked since. To make matters worse, he never had the chance to go to school in Kenya, his homeland, because his parents could not afford the special school that handicapped children were required to attend.

Since he has no mobility in his legs, Francis has to pay people to carry him wherever he wants to go.

But here’s some good news: Several years ago, Francis surrendered his life to Jesus and has been following Him ever since. He sews shoes by hand to earn enough money to pay someone to transport him to church on a bicycle taxi.

Because of your gifts to the Handicapped Christians Fund, we’ve just sent money to provide Francis with a special hand-powered tricycle so he can get around on his own. We also hope to soon provide him with a micro-loan so that he can purchase the necessary equipment to expand his shoe business. Then he’ll be completely self-sufficient.

Francis Budohi with his new hand-powered tricycle

On behalf of Francis, thank you.

C.J. McDaniel
Director, Handicapped Christians Fund