Rob's take on the NK trip

First of all, we need to apologize for the long delay of this update following our trip to North Korea and China.  Jenny and I made it back safely to our great country of freedom.  But we also brought back a little Asian sickness along with some major jet lag.  But we had little time to rest as there were work projects waiting for us.  

We've been back for about two weeks now and still have not had time to process and look through all of our photos and footage. We WERE able to get our cameras into North Korea and get some incredible documentation of what life is like for many people there today - so thank you for your prayers!

To give you a brief rundown, we stayed in Beijing, China for two days before flying to North Korea where we spent 3 days and 3 nights in the capitol city, Pyongyang.  Then, before returning to the states, we spent another two days in Beijing.  There were nine Americans in our group from all around the country and the team got along very well.  

China itself was a fascinating place and not only were we able to see some incredible sites such as the Great Wall and the Forbidden City, but a highlight of the trip was our last evening when we had dinner with a very wise Chinese Christian pastor who not only was imprisoned decades ago for his faith, but continues to encourage and teach a number of small "house churches" today around Beijing.  Our guide during the entire trip was a man who we called Stephen.  He showed us around Beijing and was with us at all times while inside North Korea - his third visit to the "Hermit Kingdom".

As we arrived at the airport in Pyongyang, we were immediately given several forms to fill out with some of the usual customs questions and then some odd inquiries requiring us to list ANY publications or books that we were bringing into North Korea (or as they prefer to refer to their country, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, DPRK).  Entering the country with us were many other foreigners from Europe and Asia, there to get a rare look at this reclusive and bizarre place.  No cell phones, computers, or communication devices are allowed into the country, so they took away all such electronics and gave the visitors a receipt by which they could recover their property when they left.  Tight control over information in and out of the country is one of the many methods that the DPRK leadership keeps the starving and oppressed population subdued and isolated.  It has kept the people in order for the past 60 years...

They allowed our cameras most likely because they hope that foreigners will take pictures of the grand monuments, vast highways, and beautiful countryside and show the world that North Korea is a marvelous paradise.  The sad fact is that many foreigners ARE deceived by this propaganda and actually uphold the DPRK as a model government and society (though I doubt many socialist-minded westerners have plans to move there).  But it is so obvious any impartial observer that the happy citizens, beautiful parks, and glorious culture that seems to exist there is only a facade - all carefully scripted and staged for the benefit of the tourists.  Even despite the government's efforts to portray a gleaming paradise of communism, it's not hard to miss the disparity between the terrified, impoverished North Koreans and the free, prosperous South Koreans just 50 miles south of Pyongyang.

Right now I'm traveling with a group called Liberty in North Korea.  We'll be on the road with two music groups as they do concerts on college campuses around the country and raise awareness about the North Korean human rights crisis.  I'll post about the rest of the NK trip and put pictures up soon!  Thanks for your patience and support!