A light in the darkness of North Korea

------=_Part_374032182_4736315.1704988878024 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_Part_374032183_2110241146.1704988878024" ------=_Part_374032183_2110241146.1704988878024 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable [ hurch/] Dear {NAME}, =C2=A0 Seven-year-old Roshan* remembers the day his family was told to leave their= home. After they decided to follow Jesus, Roshan=E2=80=99s family was shun= ned by their wider Hindu family, followed by their whole village.=C2=A0 =C2=A0 Following Jesus meant that his mother lost her financial security and her l= ivelihood, leaving Roshan and his brother without food, the shelter of a sa= fe home and the opportunity to attend school.=C2=A0 =C2=A0 When we think about the 360+ million Christians in the world who face high = levels of persecution and discrimination for their decision to follow Jesus= , we may tend to think about the men and women who risk so much.=C2=A0 =C2=A0 But persecution is no respecter of age.=C2=A0 =C2=A0 Throughout the world, children like Roshan also pay a high cost, especially= if they or their parents left the community or tribal religion to convert = to Christianity.=C2=A0 =C2=A0 This Christmas, will you pray with us for the youngest voices of persecutio= n?=C2=A0 25 prayers for children of the persecuted church [= rg/en-US/stories/25-prayers-children-persecuted-church/] We=E2=80=99re sharing 25 prayers you can pray for kids like Roshan whose ma= in Christmas wish is for safety and peace in their homes and communities.= =C2=A0 =C2=A0 I=E2=80=99m reminded of how vital our prayers are for these children when I= read the words of Ermias, a father in Ethiopia with twin boys (pictured ab= ove) who know persecution firsthand. =C2=A0 =E2=80=9CChildren are the next generation for the gospel,=E2=80=9D Ermias s= ays. =E2=80=9C=E2=80=A6 They are the hope for the Church.=E2=80=9D =C2=A0 Next week, I=E2=80=99ll be taking you on a daily trip around the world to i= ntroduce you to more of these children and share their Christmas prayers. S= o make sure to check your email each day. =C2=A0 Thank you for praying for the hope and future of the Church. =C2=A0 =C2=A0 In Christ, =C2=A0 Ryan Brown CEO, Open Doors US =C2=A0 P.S.=C2=A0Check out our monthly prayer calendar.=C2=A0It=E2=80=99s a great = way to lift up your persecuted family each day. Click HERE to download! [ht= tps://www.opendoorsus.org/getinvolved/pray/prayer-calendar-nov-dec-2023] =C2=A0 =C2=A0 For more information about Open Doors US, visit www.opendoorsus.org [https:= //www.opendoorsus.org/en-US/] [ [ [ =C2=A0 =E2=80=9COpen Doors US is part of the global ministry of Open Doors, mobili= zing prayer, support and advocacy in 22 countries and supporting Christians= in the 70 countries where they face the greatest cost for their faith. If = you have any questions about your donation please contact info@opendoorsus.= org [mailto:info@opendoorsus.org], or call 1-800-896-5285=E2=80=9D. =C2=A0 =C2=A0FAQs =C2=A0 [ e=3DFCM5w39iAc3NVlzj4wpig_D7LZquKGNs1eQ3NLeDrmB6G7TQ5hzH3rEqW8FITOVu&recipi= entid=3Dcontact-cb73e8b21491ed11aad06045bd8a3c0f-2d5c40eaf52245ffb5465e0676= 396eca&utm_source=3DClickDimensions&utm_medium=3Demail&utm_campaign=3DOD%20= US%20Announce&esid=3D51c0f86c-a108-4d17-a0d3-6c590ccd1bc7]| Privacy Policy = [ |=C2=A0Unsubscribe [htt= p://elink.opendoorsus.org/uu/3/eyJhaSI6NDU0NjEwNTQsImUiOiJ0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3= aW44NkBnbWFpbC5jb20iLCJyaSI6ImNvbnRhY3QtZTI5NmE3M2VlOWJjZWQxMTgzZmU2MDQ1YmQ= 4YzU5M2MtYmM2MDllZTdmYzZiNDk5YzliMTJlOWFmNGVjZjQxODciLCJycSI6InAxLWIyNDAxMS= 0wNDhkMGU3YWUxZmE0NmI4OTdhM2QwNjYzOTkxY2Y4YyIsInBoIjpudWxsLCJtIjpmYWxzZX0/h= RO-OhigkkdC3XzRTGSr6g] =C2=A0 ------=_Part_374032183_2110241146.1704988878024 Content-Type: text/html;charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 [3D"A](3D") Dear {NAME}, =C2=A0 Ji Ho* was just a girl when North Korean security agent= s ransacked her home. They found a Bible wrapped in plastic, buried in the = back garden.=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =E2=80=9CMy father and I sobbed,=E2=80=9D Ji H= o remembers. =E2=80=9CWe knew we=E2=80=99d never see each other again.= =E2=80=9D =C2=A0 Her father was taken away, and Ji Ho grew up alone. Str= uggling to survive. Often starving. =C2=A0 But you and I know, even in the darkest places,= God cannot be silenced. [Read more= an>](3D".=) Editor= =E2=80=99s note: Ji Ho=E2=80=99s story is based on several true accounts of= life in North Korea. While details have been created or combined to protec= t any specific person or place from identification, this story is a look at= what life is actually like for North Korean Christians. =C2=A0 One day Ji Ho found her father=E2=80=99s tiny, illegal = radio=E2=80=94and she heard the words of Jesus that changed her life.=C2=A0= =C2=A0 =E2=80=9CI=E2=80=99m a Christian now,=E2=80=9D= she says. =E2=80=9CI might be the only Christian in North Korea.=E2=80= =9D =C2=A0 Your support has helped Ji Ho and others like her; than= ks to your gifts and prayers, Open Doors is able to beam in radio broadcast= s like the one Ji Ho heard. North Korean believers are hearing the gospel= =E2=80=94and the resilience of God=E2=80=99s people is on display!= p> =C2=A0 =E2=80=9CI know that it would be dangerous to tell = anyone about Jesus. Our leaders don=E2=80=99t want us to worship anyone or = anything besides them. I=E2=80=99ve realized that=E2=80=99s why my father w= as taken=E2=80=94they saw he had a Lord that was bigger than our country=E2= =80=99s leaders.=E2=80=9D =C2=A0 How incredible: Ji Ho lives in North Korea, one= of the hardest places in the world to follow Jesus. And yet: She has hope!= =C2=A0 =C2=A0 Thank you for standing with Christians like Ji Ho. I ho= pe you=E2=80=99ll share her powerful story and commit to pray with her and = the hundreds of thousands of other secret believers in North Korea.=C2=A0= span> =C2=A0 In Christ, =C2=A0 Ryan Brow= n CEO, Open Doors US =C2=A0 P.S.=C2=A0Mark your calendars for next Wednes= day, January 17! We=E2=80=99ll release the 2024 World Watch List, our annua= l ranking of the Top 50 most dangerous places for Christians.=C2=A0= > =C2=A0 =C2=A0 *Representative name and photo used for security= reasons =C2=A0 For more= information about Open Doors US, visit [www.opendo= orsus.org](=3D") 3D" 3D" 3D" =C2= =A0 =E2=80=9COpen Doors US is part= of the global ministry of Open Doors, mobilizing prayer, support and advoc= acy in 22 countries and supporting Christians in the 70 countries where the= y face the greatest cost for their faith. If you have any questions about y= our donation please contact [info@opendoorsus.org](3D"mailto:info@opendoorsus.org"), or call 1-800-896= -5285=E2=80=9D. =C2=A0 =C2=A0[FAQs =C2=A0](3D")| [Privacy Policy](3D") |=C2=A0[Unsubscribe](=3D")= span> =C2=A0 ------=_Part_374032183_2110241146.1704988878024-- ------=_Part_374032182_4736315.1704988878024--