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Luke 4;43, “But he said, ‘I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns, too because that is why I was sent.’”

I just returned to Chicago after 1 week medical trip to PY (October 13-20). I thank God for safe return home through many God’s servants’ prayer support. It is a remarkable work of God that half of the 20 members of our medical team were 2nd gens.

I have witnessed a slow but steady change in NK in many ways. For example, in the past, PY Airport looked like a small dark city hall but I was amazed to see that it was remodeled as an international airport. Through this I could see the possibility for the future change of NK. Furthermore, PUST changed from an all-male school; they recently admitted 10 female students.  

Previously we received permission from the NK government to use Kim-Man-Yoo hospital to be affiliated with the PUST medical school. While staying at PUST, we took care of the patients of KMY hospital, dividing our medical team into 3 parts: surgery, outpatients, lecture. 

The KMY hospital is a big hospital with 1200 beds built in 1986 by a Japanese Korean. At that time, it was regarded as the most modern hospital, but now it is outdated. The hospital leaders asked the US medical team to remodel it. I felt very sorry that the basic equipment was lacking completely, so it was very hard to give proper diagnosis and treatment for the patients. On the other hand, I saw the bright future for the hospital when I saw the young doctors’ brilliant, open-mindedness, free and learning-mindedness.  

Dr. Jennifer Roh, who is an ER physician at the Yale Medical School Hospital gave a lecture with ACLS (Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support). Afterwards, about 40 NK physicians  divided into several groups and practiced joyfully. I heard that the hospital director was very satisfied with her lecture.

Through this trip, we could envision a general picture on how to remodel the hospital. We decided to challenge the PUST medical school building project by faith in the Almighty God who provides, although it seems to be impossible to raise funds of $3 million for building a 5-story medical school. 

We heard that just after the departure of our medical team, an international science conference was planned with 27 guests from different countries, including 8 officials and college deans from Korea. We learn that the medical school project may be solved if we receive financial support through them. 

One characteristic of our medical team was that it was composed of 20 devout Christians. Every morning and evening, our medical team engaged in delivering a message and united prayer. The prayer meeting was full of the tears of repentance and joy. We believe that God would bless this explosive united prayer, and shine the light of Jesus in the land of darkness. 

Personally I felt exhausted after preparing Dr. Lee’s memorial service for 2 months, and so I wanted to give up visiting NK, even though I had continued to visit annually for the last 11 years. However, I felt crying when I thought about my people in NK who are groaning under the shadow of death. I decided to keep on visiting NK at any cost, especially when my tragic country remains the only country divided in the world with 10 million family members separated from each other for the last 70 years. 

I read the whole book of Luke’s Gospel during night because I could not sleep due to jet lag. I asked to myself, “What message would Jesus give to us, if he comes to NK now?” Then I was touched by one word of God (LK 4:43), which P. Ron Ward gave us during SWS a few weeks ago.  Jesus said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns, too because that is why I was sent.” When I thought about North Koreans, they seemed to need many things. They need food for the starving people. They need medicine for the sick. They also need freedom for the oppressed. However, they need only one thing. It is the kingdom of God. I believe that all their needs would be solved if the kingdom of God comes to NK. I deeply accepted it as our life direction and purpose to proclaim the kingdom of God. We earnestly prayed that God may accept our medical trip as 5 loaves and 2 fish and shine the light of Jesus and proclaim the kingdom of God in the land of NK. We also prayed that the two Koreas may be reunified peacefully as one nation so that Korea may be a priestly nation. We came back to home safely, after making plans to visit NK next year at 4 different dates.  

Paul Koh