Joseph Kim grew up in North Korea with loving parents, but his world changed during the Great Famine of the 1990s. When he was 12, his father died of starvation, and soon after, his mother and sister left for China in search of food. His mother returned alone, having sold his sister into bride slavery-a common fate for young North Korean refugees. Later, his mother was imprisoned by the North Korean government, leaving Joseph alone and homeless on the streets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For three years, Joseph survived by begging and sleeping in the mountains. At 15, facing starvation, he made the dangerous decision to escape North Korea by crossing into China. There, an elderly Chinese Korean woman advised him to seek help at a church. He found a church, where members gave him small amounts of money and temporary shelter. The kindness of these Christians, who helped a stranger without expecting anything in return, sparked his curiosity about their faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At another church, he saw the words, \u201cCome To Me, All You Who Are Weary And Burdened, And I Will Give You Rest.\u201d Joseph recalls, \u201cIt was as if someone was talking directly to me. I thought I heard a voice saying, \u2018I understand how exhausted you are and what a hopeless situation you are in. I will take care of you.\u2019\u201d A Christian woman took him in, encouraged him to read the Bible, and gave him the name \u201cJoseph.\u201d He prayed, \u201cGod, I don\u2019t know who you are or whether you exist as the Bible and Christians claim. But I need your help.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With help from activists and Liberty in North Korea (LiNK), Joseph eventually escaped to the United States in 2007 as a refugee minor, attended high school, and began to build a new life. Reflecting on his journey, Joseph writes, \u201cI had been alone in the world. Finding Christians in China, I found hope again. Caring for strangers, acting compassionately without expecting anything in return: That is the beauty of the gospel.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"template":"","tax_ctp_audience":[],"tax_ctp_authors":[],"tax_ctp_categories":[165],"tax_ctp_format":[171],"tax_ctp_illustration_types":[],"tax_ctp_multimedia":[],"tax_ctp_point_editor":[],"tax_publications":[140],"tax_ctp_tags":[3513,3517,3648,3689,3730,3879,3897,4000,4043,4057,4194,4541,4579,4644,4646,4782,4786,4877,5007,5073,5139],"tax_ctp_topics":[],"class_list":["post-66407","sermon-illustrations","type-sermon-illustrations","status-publish","hentry","tax_publications-ct-pastors","tax_ctp_tags-bondage","tax_ctp_tags-born-again","tax_ctp_tags-compassion","tax_ctp_tags-conversion","tax_ctp_tags-daily-bread","tax_ctp_tags-escape","tax_ctp_tags-evangelism","tax_ctp_tags-food","tax_ctp_tags-generosity","tax_ctp_tags-giving","tax_ctp_tags-hunger","tax_ctp_tags-new-life","tax_ctp_tags-outreach","tax_ctp_tags-physical-bondage","tax_ctp_tags-physical-hunger","tax_ctp_tags-redemption","tax_ctp_tags-refugee","tax_ctp_tags-salvation","tax_ctp_tags-social-conditions","tax_ctp_tags-starvation","tax_ctp_tags-testimony"],"acf":{"scripture_references":[{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null},{"first_verse":null,"add_second_verse":false,"second_verse":null}]},"yoast_head":"\n