I'll Cross the River

I was tremendously blessed to hear of this book and even more so to read it. Thank you, Hope!

An old Chinese proverb states, "An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstances. The thread may stretch, or tangle, but never break." In I'll Cross the River, the need of a North Korean refugee, named Young Soon, meets the courage of a Chinese missionary/evangelist, named Mei Lin, in a collision of grace orchestrated by a sovereign, loving God. It is the story of two strangers, who never actually meet, but whose lives are bound together by this red thread of hope. This red thread concept fascinated me because I had learned several years earlier that one of the Hebrew words which translated as "hope" in the Bible is tiqvah. Tiqvah finds its origins in the verb qavah meaning "to wait for" or "to look hopefully" in a particular direction. This verb's original meaning was to "stretch like a rope." The word tiqvah is found in Scripture 33 times, and in Joshua 2:18, 21, it is translated as "line" or "cord." You will recall that prior to the "attack" on Jericho, Joshua sent two spies into the city. Rahab hid them and helped them escape from the city by letting them down the outer wall by rope (Joshua 2:15). She asked them to spare her family when they conquered this great walled city. The spies told her they would, and instructed her to tie a scarlet tiqvah (rope or cord) in the window where she had let them down. If she brought her family into her home, and had this scarlet rope hanging from the window they would be saved. In much the same way, the red thread saves Young Soon's family. The scarlet rope of hope is symbolic of the redemptive work of Christ that saves us. It is interesting that Joshua's name means "God saves," (just as Jesus' does) and Rahab is one of Jesus' ancestors. There is something about this whole red thread concept which transcends cultures. I'll Cross the River is based on actual accounts from North Korean defectors. It will educate you as to the human misery to which the world has, to this point, turned a blind eye. This is a people who are starving for food and for truth. Your heart will be pierced as you hear the story of the suffering and deception of the North Korean people. The lack of action on the part of the United State in response to this situation will agitate you. But at the same time it will motivate you to do something about it. It made me want to arm the angel armies with my prayers. It made me want to equip the missionaries with God's Word. It made me want to go - to do what I can, where I can, when I can, under the prompting of the Holy Spirit, and in His power. This is not a feel- good summer read. This is a clarion call to arms in spiritual warfare for the country of North Korea. Hope - just like the author's middle name, is at the heart of this moving story. Once you read this book, your life will be forever bound to this people by this same red thread - a thread of hope in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

C. Hope Flinchbaugh has written a fictional account of the heart rending drama taking place in North Korea today. Her novel based on testimonies and interviews of refuges and persecuted Chinese Christians ministering on the border of North Korea. "I'll Cross the River" is the story of two women and two dreams that converge as God's plan unfolds. Young Soon, recently widowed and pregnant, struggles to provide for her two starving children. Steeped in a heritage of loyalty to a man god, Kim Il Sung, and Communist propaganda Young Soon is drawn to the God that loves. She has a dream that her unborn son will grow up in another land. After learning of conditions beyond North Korea where children didn't starve she decided to risk her life and defect with her new born infant and young son. Mei Lin, a young Chinese evangelist, while on a mission deep in the remote mountain villages, dreams of a baby crying from the muddy waters of a river. Her dream left her unsettled, sensing it was a message from God; she interceded in the behalf of a young boy and the baby as they reached out to her for rescue. Although fictional in approach, Flinchbaugh writes with such realism and passion that I felt I was reading an actual biography and was gripped by the horror of the four million children who have died of starvation in North Korea since 1995. Flinchbaugh's writing is compassionate and articulate. "I'll Cross the River" is a call to prayer and a call to action. The reader is provided with a list of resources and challenges of ways to get involved in reaching out to provide hope in this human tragedy. This is a book that should be in every library in America, It is must reading for concerned Christians.

This was a great book. It was one of those books that you can't put down. It showed the truth faith of those who believed in Christ. It made you think about how strong your faith is and would you truly suffer persecution for Christ sake. Really enjoyed the book.

Great novel based on true stories. The faith of a young girl helps her and her family in tough times. Faith is what gets her to cross the river to the other side.