No prison is a vacation. I'm told that prison reform in America has produced some places of incarceration that do seem a bit swanky. They say "Gitmo" south of our border is not all that bad, considering the men housed there are sworn enemies of our nation and way of life. But no prison is a place to be desired by sane men.

But prison in North Korea is a ticket to sickness, and excruciating death. There is nothing to which we can compare how awful NK's prisons are, unless we take a trek back to Hitler's time.

I give you three prisoners who would deserve our prayers, but one of which has already left this life. My sources are various trustworthy internet sites. The wording is mine.

Kenneth Bae, aged 45. His birthday was spent again, just yesterday in fact, in a North Korean labor camp. He is Korean-American, and was, until his arrest, on a mission to serve the North Korean people. The charge against him of wanting to "overthrow" the government is typical Communist talk, meaning when translated, This guy is a threat to our atheistic way of life. If people believe his message, things will have to change here. We don't want change. Get rid of him.

That kind of "overthrow."

He was leading a tour group in North Korea when he was detained, arrested, charged, sentenced to 15 years. This happened in November of 2012. How the heart aches for such a man. He will be the longest serving American detainee in North Korea since 1953.

In addition to the other horrors of NK prisons, our brother Kenneth has collected a seriously long list of diseases that threaten his very existence.

We ask again, How long, O Lord, how long?

More recently a South Korean Baptist missionary of about 50 years , Kim Jung-Wook, was sentenced - originally - to death for trying to set up underground churches.

At the time of his capture, He was in China providing shelter, food, etc to North Korean refugees. He taught them the Bible. One day some visitors came and urged him to go back into North Korea with them to follow up on some other refugees in whom he was greatly interested. It was a trap. The visitors were NK agents. Upon his arrival in North Korea, immediate arrest. Outside of a miracle, he will spend his life in prison, since the "merciful" government commuted his sentence downward.

It seems they need people like Bae and Kim to use as bargaining chips with the West, should the need arise.

The nightmarish sub-story here is that thirty-three (33!) other North Koreans probably will be executed for receiving money from this big-hearted missionary.

"Paul" in the Far East tells me that the flow of North Korean refugees has ground to a halt recently. He is positioned along the "underground railroad" of our day, that leads through China and Southeast Asia. It is conjectured, and the story above confirms it, that Kim Jon-Un has tightened security immensely in the beginnings of his reign, so as to send a strong message to his regime that things will not change in North Korea. Don't mess with me. I still hate the Jesus message.

Message received, Mr. Kim. One day there will be a message for you. The Lord is not slack. Vengeance belongs to Him, and He will repay.

Meanwhile we can continue to pray for the salvation of this and other NK leaders. God is able.

But I promised three stories. Here is the third.

Ahn Song-Woon was likewise lured into a trap some years ago. Arrested. Sentenced. Imprisoned. Even disappeared. But one day he miraculously reappeared as an assistant-pastor in one of North Korea's showcase churches. Yes, in Pyongyang, tourists can go to church, Catholic or Protestant. Those who have tried both have found that the same actors attend both services! A true show.

And there in the middle of this performing is Ahn Song-Woon. But only for about two years. Pretending to be a Christian, when in fact a traitor, is evidently more painful than a concentration camp. Mr. Ahn ended his own life and took his chances on eternity.

I tell you there is no more evil place on this orb than this Communist make-over of the Christian religion. It is a lie from hell, from Pyongyang to the smallest village.

Oh, when GOD arises, what a wonderful scene will be viewed in that place. I want a front-row seat.