North Korean Evangelist Executed for Bible Distribution

The following prayer request is in this weeks Canada Prayer Alert from The Voice of the Martyrs.  As I read through this request it really touched me because my husband and I distribute bibles through The Gideon's International and I know of many others who work with the Gideons all over the world who also do.  This can be very dangerous work, as this story tells.

A North Korean evangelist has been executed for possessing and distributing a Korean New Testament, according to a January 8 press release from the World Bible Translation Center (www.wbtc.com).

Although there are few details regarding the nature and circumstances of the death, there have been reports that have confirmed the incident. WBTC's U.S. office is attempting to gather additional information at this time.

Persecution of Christians in North Korea is wide-spread but few reports are available because of the oppressive situation in the nation. Those who possess or distribute the Bible are subject to a minimum sentence of thirteen years imprisonment and a maximum sentence of death. According to reports, the simple one-colour cover of the New Testament had become recognizable to the North Korean authorities. WBTC is working to put the Scriptures into other formats in order to help protect those putting their lives at risk to spread God's Word to the people of North Korea.