Hope in a dark place

It was raining, the streets were grey, and the hotel buffet was closed so he had to head across the road to the bistro pub to find something to eat. Belfast is not the most welcoming place in the rain but the steak pie was good. A colleague and I had been hanging around the bus station to meet a man we didn't know from Dublin, but the waiting was worth while. Thankfully the first bearded stranger I approached turned out to be our contact - I didn't want to get arrested for harassing strangers!

Mr. X had agreed to meet us to tell us about opportunities in North Korea. For decades now the northern part of this Asian peninsular, sandwiched between the economic miracle of South Korea and the emergent power of China, has been a very dark place. Closed to the outside world, stricken by hunger and disease, and with a population in fear of their rulers, North Korea stands as a challenge to freedom, democracy and justice. Last week, in rainy Belfast, however we heard of borders that are permeable (with care), Chinese, Russian and Korean ‘visitors’ who bring hope, and a vision for change. Small beginnings, a kindergarten for deprived children, a bakery for hungry workers, and a few farm implements to ease the life of rural peasants – all done in the name of Jesus, who longs to be a brother to each North Korean. Quietly, underground, Jesus promised the mustard seed will grow. Quietly rays of hope are creeping across the borders of one of the darkest places on earth.