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“Before you came, I had no
hope.
Now I have hope.”
(Tuberculosis Patient)
"Thank you for
coming. Thank you for your sincere efforts to help."
( Director of TB Hospital)
"The staff and patients of this hospital are very thankful for
your help. Please continue to help us."
(Director
of a TB Rest Home)
"Thanks to the assistance from Christian Friends of Korea,
we have had much success in the treatment of TB patients. Many
of them have been able to go home."
(Doctor at
TB Hospital)
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"But God demonstrates his own love
for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Romans 5:8 (NIV)
What is Christian Friends of Korea (CFK)?
Christian Friends of Korea seeks to minister in the name of Christ to the
people of North Korea. In recent years, this has been primarily
through providing humanitarian aid. We are incorporated in the State
of North Carolina and registered as a tax-exempt 501(c)3 non-profit.
We are members of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA)
and Technical Exchange for Christian Healthcare (TECH).
What does CFK do?
CFK sends humanitarian aid in the form of food, medicine, agricultural
supplies, bedding and blankets, medical equipment and supplies and other
needed goods to hospitals and other facilities in North Korea, regularly
confirming delivery and distribution of all goods sent.
We also assist with technical projects and respond to specific
requests as we are able.
Motivation
In recent days in particular, some have asked why we are
doing this work in North Korea.
With all that is going on in the news regarding the political and
diplomatic tensions, should the assistance continue?
Our response is simple – as followers of Christ, we must obey his command
to feed the hungry and heal the sick. (Matthew 25: 31-46)
We have a rare opportunity to minister to those who are suffering
in North Korea, we confirm delivery of what we send, and we learn of new
needs each time we visit. As
long as we are able to do these things, and God provides the means for us
to help through His people, we will continue in these efforts.
We pray you will partner with us as we seek to serve our Savior and
the needs of our brothers and sisters who are suffering in North Korea.
Why support CFK?
CFK is one of the few openly Christian organizations
actively working in North Korea.
We seek to assist the ordinary people of North Korea who suffer
from hunger, hardship and disease, bringing hope and healing to them in
Christ’s name.
CFK has worked in North Korea since 1995, sending nearly $25 million
dollars worth of goods to very needy segments of the population.
During this time we have established trust and strong relationships
with the institutions, organizations and individuals with whom we work.
CFK’s programs are efficient:
Nearly 96% of donations received last year were spent directly on program
services. Last year, every
dollar given was multiplied an average 7-fold through the receipt of
donated goods-in-kind or through purchases of goods at reduced rates.
As members of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability since
1999, we strive for transparency in all our efforts, seeking to honor our
Lord. We value your trust and
investment in this work and stretch every dollar as far as possible.
History
Christian Friends of Korea was established in 1995 by a
group of people who saw an opportunity for sustained ministry in North
Korea following the visits there by Dr. Billy Graham in 1992 and 1994.
Initially named the Eugene Bell Centennial Foundation in honor of
one of the early missionaries to Korea, some of our initial efforts
included sending food in response to the flooding that occurred in North
Korea in 1995.
Beginning in 1997, we responded to a request to provide support to
tuberculosis facilities that were seeing a large increase in the number of
patients due to the hardships North Korea was experiencing.
Since that time, we have shipped thousands of
patients worth of:
-
tuberculosis medicine
-
scores of lab supply kits and
microscopes
-
hundreds of tons of supplemental food
in the form of
-
soybeans
-
canned chicken
-
nutritional
supplements
-
agricultural supplies including
-
small
greenhouses, seed, and other supplies
-
small tractors
and accessories
-
thousands of blankets, hundreds of
bedding sets including new mattresses and sheets
-
medical equipment, and other needed
goods
On a regular
basis, we visit each of the institutions that we support to confirm the
arrival, distribution and use of these goods and to assess current needs.
In 1998, we changed our name to Christian Friends of Korea to better
reflect our identity and purpose. Soon
after, we focused our efforts on the Southwestern region of North Korea –
North and South Hwanghae Provinces and the Provincial City region of
Kaesong. We now provide ongoing support to 3 prophylactic provincial
tuberculosis hospitals and about 15 tuberculosis rest homes scattered
throughout this geographical region, many of them in remote areas.
In 2002, we were also invited to provide assistance to the Kaesong
Provincial Pediatric Hospital – formerly known as the Ivey Hospital, a
facility that was built by Methodist missionaries to Korea in 1907.
Who are the people behind CFK?
Some of our strongest supporters are a large group of
retired missionaries to Korea, many of whom attended the Pyongyang Foreign
School (a school that was located in Pyongyang prior to the 1940’s and
dedicated to the education of missionary children whose parents served in
East Asia.) Having spent
their lives in Korea on mission efforts ranging from medicine to education
to evangelism, many of these people retired to the mountains of Western
North Carolina. They freely
assist the work of CFK by serving on our board or advisory board, or
giving of their time, wisdom, resources and encouragement.
In addition, hundreds of individuals, organizations and churches of many
denominations – both American and Korean – are also part of the Christian
Friends of Korea family through their ongoing prayers and financial
support of our work. While we are a diverse group, we are united in
our faith and purpose. Please
contact us if you would like a copy of our Statement of Faith.
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