North Korean Refugee Stories: Meet Sarah
Sarah was born in North Korea. After marrying Nathan and having a child together, they decided it would be best to escape into China in hopes of finding freedom and starting a new life together. Because they left when their son was an infant, he would never know the challenges of living in North Korea, however, as for many, the decision to leave was not any easy one. For Sarah, making the choice to find freedom for herself and her family, meant leaving behind family and friends — a choice many of us can’t even fathom making.
After connecting with LiNK and resettling in South Korea, she has learned that there are still challenges she will face. While her husband and son are away at work and preschool, respectively, she is home alone for much of the day. This has lead to slight feelings of loneliness, but luckily she’s become part of a very welcoming church community and has started to make friends! She’s also taking classes to pursue her dream of working in the healthcare field.
Even as she faces challenges, Sarah is happy with the decision she made to leave her homeland. Watching her son acclimate to life in South Korea is very exciting for her, and her face lights up when she talks about him. Because he arrived so young, he’s learning to speak with a South Korean accent and will grow up truly identifying with the culture! Thanks to networks of generous, caring people, one little boy has the chance to grow up without knowing the challenges he was destined to face.
UPDATE: July 2013
For almost a month, Sarah’s son has been in and out of hospitals, fighting stubborn infections. She’s had to sleep on cots and eat hospital food for days at a time, unable to go home and shower. Exhausted, she became sick herself. Her husband has been helpful and supportive, letting her go home and rest on the weekends despite his demanding class schedule and three-hour commute. Thankfully, her son’s condition improved and they’re finally back at home. She’ll finally be able to get proper rest and resume computer literacy class.
