The recent events are the result of nine years of bridge building with those in North Korea who, like ourselves, are longing to bring help to the most needy among us.

Nine years ago, before Steve left for a medical mission, he had prayed to meet a man such as is recorded in Acts 10. A Cornelius!

While the team did many surgeries at that time, the hospital they were hoping to build for the Disabled did not happen, and there was one North Korean man whose love for his people was displayed as he grieved openly for the loss of such a project for his people. He was the Cornelius that Steve had prayed for.

Since that time, NAFEC and ERM have had many opportunities to help Northeast Asia universities, but a few months prior to this past trip did Steve once again meet Cornelius. ‘Cornelius’, or Mun Chol Kim, brought a group of Disabled Performers to Oxford, England, last February. Here, we learned that Mun Chol is now Vice Chairman of the Korea Federation for Protection of the Disabled (KFPD), and has responsibility to provide care for many through his organization. Steve and Mun Chol resolved to work together, where a ‘door had closed 9 years ago, it has now opened’.

Through the grace of God and the willingness of a doctor, a Korean pastor, a Brazilian football player-coach, and a dedicated fund-raiser, this five-person team accompanied Steve to North Korea in June to meet Mun Chol . They resolved together with Mun Chol that they should work to improve the lives of the disabled in North Korea. Through God’s grace and your help we believe that the following plans of loving our neighbor are achievable.

1.    Building a green house to support the work of KFPD schools for the blind, deaf and handicapped (mentally & physically). The vegetables are grown & bartered to provide food for the children.

2.    Establishing a bakery in the needy region of Wonson to produce vitamin & iron fortified bread for pregnant mothers & infants. Vitamin supplementation in pregnancy has been shown to prevent prematurity, and neural tube defects in the newborn (eg. spina bifida).

3.    Bringing 2 disabled swimmers to Wales to train over a period of 4-6 months for the Paralympics, which is to be held in Brazil in 2016.

Both swimmers have leg amputations. They have achieved some success in Pan Asia Paralympics, but need encouragement to come to international competitive levels.

In Swansea, Wales, we have the national coaching centre for UK, and excellent results.

Such support for the hitherto ‘disenfranchised’ athletes in North Korea would provide great encouragement not only to the athletes and their families, but to the whole country and indeed the world.

4.    Long-term project to build a surgical/rehabilitation centre at Kim Manyu Hospital, in association with the Medical Sciences Department of PUST.

Here we will be able to train physicians in the care of the Disabled as well as treat congenital orthopaedic deformities, deafness, blindness etc.

Projects 1-3 do not involve large sums of money and with your prayers and financial help can be achieved in the near future.

Project 4 will take more capital and organization, and is in its embryonic phase.

Are you being called to become “STAKEHOLDERS” in this ministry? We need your financial support, as well as prayer. This is a unique opportunity to serve!

Yours in His Gospel,

Steve Price

Learning Braille