Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
WASHINGTON (AP) — American missionary Kenneth Bae says he became "God's ambassador" during his two years of detention in North Korea.
Bae had led tour groups into North Korea to surreptitiously pray and worship when a hard drive that authorities found in his briefcase exposed his missionary activity.
In Washington this week, Bae met with members of Congress who worked for his release, and talked about his new book: "Not Forgotten: The True Story of My Imprisonment in North Korea."
After realizing that he faced a lengthy detention, Bae says he saw that God had placed him there to share his Christian faith with North Korean guards, some of whom had never heard the name "Jesus" before.
Bae says when North Korean officials called his prayerful tourism subversive, he marveled that atheists had more faith in the power of prayer than many Christians.
Sound:
%@AP Links
237-a-08-(Kenneth Bae, American missionary who was detained in North Korea, at news conference on Capitol Hill)-"do God's work"-Kenneth Bae, an American missionary who was detained in North Korea, says his spirits rose after he resigned himself to a lengthy detention. (12 May 2016)
<<CUT *237 (05/12/16)££ 00:08 "do God's work"
239-a-16-(Kenneth Bae, American missionary who was detained in North Korea, at news conference on Capitol Hill)-"name Jesus before"-Kenneth Bae, an American missionary who was detained in North Korea, says one of his guards asked him about Jesus. ((longer version of cut used in wrap)) (12 May 2016)
<<CUT *239 (05/12/16)££ 00:16 "name Jesus before"
240-a-14-(Kenneth Bae, American missionary who was detained in North Korea, at news conference on Capitol Hill)-"not be forgotten"-Kenneth Bae, an American missionary who was detained in North Korea, says North Koreans need prayer. (12 May 2016)
<<CUT *240 (05/12/16)££ 00:14 "not be forgotten"
238-a-07-(Kenneth Bae, American missionary who was detained in North Korea, at news conference on Capitol Hill)-"most Christians do"-Kenneth Bae, an American missionary who was detained in North Korea, says he responded with surprise when North Koreans said his prayerful tours threatened the regime. ((cut used in wrap)) (12 May 2016)
<<CUT *238 (05/12/16)££ 00:07 "most Christians do"
236-w-36-(Steve Coleman, AP religion editor, with Kenneth Bae, American missionary who was detained in North Korea)--American missionary Kenneth Bae says he became "God's ambassador" during his two years of detention in North Korea. AP Religion Editor Steve Coleman reports. (12 May 2016)
<<CUT *236 (05/12/16)££ 00:36
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
