ACU Red Thread Movement and International Justice Mission introduced Liberty in North Korea during a special Chapel in Hart auditorium last Friday.

Liberty in North Korea is a California-based nonprofit organization that works with North Korean people to promote and accelerate change. The group rescues and provides resettlement support to North Korean refugees.

Natasha Wiens from Vancouver, Canada, is one leader of the organization who has always been interested in North Korea.

“I have always thought it was something so secretive and a place that no one knew much about,” Wiens said. “I watched a lot of documentaries and read a lot of books about it, and through that I was introduced to the organization and thought it would be a good way to learn more.”

Liberty in North Korea helps refugees reach freedom from political persecution and economic hardship. The group has a goal of making 200 more rescues this fall. Students who join the organization are able to help by donating and being a part of the organization.

During the summer, two-month in-office internships are offered.

Wiens said students get to know the staff more and said Los Angeles is an “awesome place” to be during the summer.

“I hope to be able to make people more aware of the situations in North Korea,” she said. “I hope they wouldn’t just focus on the politics but also on the people so that we can raise funds to help rescue refuges that are in hiding.”

Abbey Moses, founder and chaplain of ACU Social Justice Chapel, first heard of Liberty in North Korea while she was working at a non-profit called Invisible Children in California. Moses then began contacting and reaching out to anyone involved to help bring the group to ACU.

“I decided to bring them to ACU because I believe there is an ignorance surrounding North Korea,” said Moses, junior political science major from Abilene. “So many Americans view North Korea as a nuclear crisis rather than a humanitarian crisis, and I hoped that by bringing LiNK to campus, students would be able to better connect the North Korean crisis to one of real human lives.”

Last Friday was the first time Liberty in North Korea has visited campus and hopes to come back as many students showed interest.

“Hopefully this is something that can happen again,” Moses said. “Speaking as the founder and chaplain of ACU Social Justice Chapel, I would be honored to host them again as they share the hopeful stories of North Koreans now flourishing in their new lives.”