The author of this powerful book interviewed Kim Ae-Sang at a town that borders North Korea. This withered 32-year-old had been knocking on doors when she finally came to a Korean family that would talk with her. Her story was so typical but still so hard to grasp.

She had left her five- and seven-year-old with the grandfather in Hamhung, NK. She was desperate for food because since the factory where she worked shut down, no food rations were being given out. Her husband went to the countryside hoping to work for food. For some reason he never returned. So she stripped some copper from machinery at her old factory and headed for the border, hoping to sell the metal for food there.

It's 300 miles to the crossing point into China from Hamhung. People have to wait long hours for a train to take them there. Starving and cold, at least 20 of the prospective passengers die every night. When the old train finally took its heavy load of passengers slowly towards China, it took so long that eight of Ae-Sang's fellow travellers died.

She had no ticket. Not even a permit to travel. So the railway guards had beaten her. She got to the border, still hoping to sell her metal. But border guards caught her and confiscated the copper. Still she planned to cross the river, with nothing to take into China but herself and the clothes on her back. Her new plan was simply to beg for food.

After teaming up with a younger woman, she found a guide who offered to help cross the river. His plan was to sell both women upon arrival in China. Then the guide found out that Kim Ae-Sang was married. He took the other girl, and Ae-Sang ran away.

Now what to do? Stay in China where she might find work and survive, or go back and save her children somehow?

We who know Christ believe that humans ought not to be having to make choices like that. Dads should not have to leave homes because there is no food or money or work. Moms should not have to leave children. Men should not be preying on others' misfortunes. And governments should not create conditions whereby only a few have the right to "normalcy."