My assignment on the first full day of work was to help the American team from Portland, Oregon -here for one week- get to know the North Korean "Underground University" students .

"UU" is a group of 15 intrepid North Korean defectors who are being equipped for ministry, some in North Korea itself. They meet only on Saturdays, because the holding of a job is one of the requirements for entry into the program. Though some ministries actually pay North Korean students to come to school, even to go to church, Seoul USA feels this is the wrong message to be sending out.

Anyway, the method we were to use for get-acquainted , I was told, had to be fun. So we started out with a snowball fight. Ever tried this? In late June? What happens is, everyone writes three things about himself or herself, wads up the paper, and starts throwing it at other members of the group. After a short "fight" everyone retrieves a snowball, un-crunches it, and tries to guess the person described.

I share this so that I can tell you, if you did not already know, the vast difference in mentality between westerners and North Koreans. Not meant to condemn. Only to inform.

The Americans wanted people to know things like, "I love to eat", and "I am a ski-er." Valid enough, no problem. But the NK's entered information like, "I just lost a loved one," and "I want to go back to North Korea to minister," or words to that effect.

A telling, almost embarrassing, moment.

It was an important evening. One of the students said, "I was trained to hate Americans, and here I am fellowshipping with them" (again a loose translation).

Those of you who pray for us, we ask that you not let up or let down. Missionary trips are fraught with all sorts of interesting surprises. We especially beg your intercession for North Korea and the believers suffering there.