‘Hope’ is the work of promising young London artist Emma Butler. Emma, who’s 17, is a former student at Thames Christian College, Clapham, London. She said: ‘Art is a wonderful way to express something you cannot communicate any other way.

 

‘North Koreans desperately need to hear God’s message of hope. Christians are reaching out to them with balloons carrying messages about Jesus that they send into North Korea. To see light coming in is what I wanted to capture and communicate. It’s such a beautiful image - this idea of hope coming across the horizon.’

 

Emma’s painting will be on display at a number of locations during October and November. It is being auctioned in the weeks leading up to Christmas to raise funds for Release’s One Day campaign for religious freedom in North Korea.

 

After the presentation Andy Dipper added: ‘Emma has done an amazing job and we’re thrilled that she has responded to the One Day campaign in this way. We’re enormously grateful to Emma for putting her talents to use to produce something that will inspire many Christians in this country to engage with the issue of persecution in North Korea.’

 

North Korea is considered to be one of the worst persecutors of Christians. So far more than 30,000 people have signed a Release petition calling on North Korea to allow its citizens to practise their faith in freedom.

 

The petition form can be downloaded from the Releasewebsite or signed online at www.releaseinternational.org/petition

 

Release International is supporting refugees who have fled North Korea and is working with local Christian partners to provide safe houses, health care and pastoral support.

 

 

 

 

For a country profile on North Korea and news stories on that nation please go to:

 

For further information, please contact Release International on 01689 823491, or by email at info@releaseinternational.org