South Korean missionaries brave many dangers to evangelise Middle East

Calling Muslims "the most difficult group to convert", The New York Times have reported that South Korean missionaries are focusing on Arab countries, especially Jordan and Iraq.

"South Korea has rapidly become the world's second largest source of Christian missionaries, only a couple of decades after it started deploying them. With more than 12,000 abroad, it is second only to the United States and ahead of Britain," says the New York Times.

One missionary phrased up the growing phenomenon succinctly, "There is a saying that when Koreans arrive in a new place, they establish a church; the Chinese establish a restaurant; the Japanese, a factory.”

This missionary, who has lived in Amman, Jordan for a number of years, wished not to be identified out of fear of persecution of himself and his converted former Muslim friends.

Another Korean missionary, also in Amman, said that as he often evangelised over "intimate meals with three or four Muslims, he would let the conversation drift to Jesus. Muslims who have converted to Christianity are never identified as such - a necessary precaution in a society where some families engage in so-called honour killings of relatives who have left Islam," said the Korean missionary. "Many missionaries also focus on bringing Arab Catholics or Chaldeans into the evangelical fold." According to the New York Times, about 30 missionary families have settled in Amman.

Many South Korean missionaries are apparently able to enter “[Middle East countries] on student visas or set up computer or other businesses, and evangelise discreetly."

Another missionary works in a Jordanian church and delivers his sermons in English, which are subsequently translated into Arabic. He said that "There are so many ways to do our work. Just as American missionaries did in Korea by building schools and hospitals, there are many ways here.”

"One important group is Iraqi refugees. They come here. They are tired physically and spiritually. They are so lonely. We help them. They realise they are being helped by Christians. Then they ask about Jesus."

The missionary in Amman, in his 40's reported that previously in the Philippines, “he was awed when he saw American missionaries fly to remote islands and, wherever they spotted signs of life in the jungle below, drop food packets as the first contact with what missionaries call ‘unreached people.’”

"So even here, it is very difficult, but not impossible," he said, referring to Jordan and Iraq. "We are planting one church at a time."

In Iraq, John Jung has been involved with an Iraqi pastor, Estawri Haritounian, to open a seminary at the National Protestant Evangelical Church in Baghdad. Unfortunately, the recent insurgent violence in Iraq has made missionary work all but impossible.

"Saddam Hussein's regime allowed Christians to gather in private houses, so it was difficult, though possible, for us to evangelise," said Jung, who has been traveling in and out of Iraq for several years.

"But now it has become even more difficult for Christians in Iraq. Christians are afraid of Muslims for the first time. We are frustrated we can't be in Iraq at this important time. But as soon as the security allows, we will go back to Baghdad."