10th year challenge
Everybody is well aware of the current situation all around the world. Because of today’s circumstances, we at LFNKR are, like so many other organizations, being seriously impacted. Our rescue activities have been drastically curtailed. Since the border between China and North Korea has been completely closed for over a year, rescue operations for North Korean defectors waiting in China have been indefinitely suspended. Meanwhile, however, we are delighted to report on the great success achieved by one of our North Korean defector couples. We were involved in their rescue and their resettlement in Japan. In the following article the wife tells about the couple’s experiences.
10th year challenge (by K. M.)
It feels like it was just yesterday that we escaped from North Korea and came to Japan, but it’s been 10 years now. Anyone over 40 will know this feeling – that the years have flown by.
Before coming to Japan, our cravings and dreams for freedom were so great that I expected the whole process of starting new life in Japan would surely be filled with joy, gratitude and confidence that my husband and I would be able to surmount any difficulties.
Contrary to our expectations, however, the process of settlement after we entered Japan was not easy. For almost five years, both my husband and I had to wander and work, seeking our place in Japanese society, trying to find what we could do, find the way we should go. There were so many things we had to learn before we found and settled into our place.
What sustained us through those days of little money was a hope that tomorrow would be better than today. All we had was our dream of living a good life and our hope that tomorrow would be brighter. This dream and hope changed us. It sustained me and my husband, and it protected us despite the dark emotions of depression, frustration, disappointment, anxiety, worry and fear. It empowered us to feel peace and gratitude, and it gave us passion and courage.
Now my husband and I, together, run a home construction company. My husband has become expert at all the fine work and management of the worksites. It is as if he has found his vocation. Meanwhile, I challenged and passed the Japanese homebuilder exam last December. Our company has received a real estate license, so we have established a new real estate business, too. During the challenge of the homebuilder exam and the process of studying, I felt like I had finally found my true place, and I was able to feel greater self-affirmation.
It was difficult because my Japanese ability was a bit weak, but for some reason I grew extremely interested in this study. First, I tried the exam in 2019 and failed, but I never even considered giving up because of the fun, and when I tried again in 2020, I passed.
I think that the process of having a dream in a person’s life, talking about one’s dream, and achieving it without giving up are very important regardless of the result. Even if circumstances don’t change easily and sometimes things get harder, if you don’t give up on your dreams, a path will seem to just open up for you.
We are now living in the Corona era. We all face the same situation, but for some, this situation will be an opportunity to boldly change the paradigm and step into new territories, while for others it will remain gloomy. That’s why I want to say that we should have dreams, express our dreams, believe in our dreams. Dreams give us the courage, passion, wisdom, and rewards to create a path in a barren land. So, again today, and every day, I talk about my dream and work toward it. To create a life that will benefit not only myself, but also my family, friends, and associates, I will walk the path that my dreams have opened up.