All of us, at one time or another, have felt hungry—even hangry. That’s the term you might use when you’re past hunger and you become angry or grumpy. I’ve been there, felt that; and I know many of you have too!
Under the Same Sky is a story is about starvation and salvation from the perspective of a young boy named Joseph Kim. He lives a normal life in North Korea until the age of 5. Then his world is turned upside down and disaster strikes, the first wave of the Great Famine comes. It is devastating to Joseph and his family, especially his father. His mother and sister seek out desperate escape routes in hopes of finding a better life in China.
I thought to myself, “How would it feel to be so completely hungry that you had no idea when or where your next meal would be coming from?” And furthermore, “How can a young boy survive such a devastating disaster and find salvation?” I was intrigued by this true story, and wanted to learn what Joseph did to overcome death and not become another victim to the Great Famine.
From the very start, this book was captivating. I loved learning about Joseph Kim’s family life and how much he loved his sister, mother and father. He had such a close bond with is his sister. They were happy.
As Joseph Kim grew, he had to live on his own. There was a great deal of hardship. He had to learn to fend for himself in a very cruel world in North Korea. So cruel that it became hard for me to read portions of the book.
Sadly, in order to eat, Joseph had to learn to steal. At this point, I didn’t feel it was such a crime to steal because he was literally starving.
One time, Joseph went out to collect snails along the riverbank. His father’s co-workers had told his family that there were hundreds of snails for gathering and they were edible. Joseph was excited to eat something-anything. But the horrible taste of the snails made Joseph gag. He wished he hadn’t eaten them at all. Yet, it was one more way to keep alive. One more day.
Joseph ends up traversing many miles to relative’s houses with his mother to plead for a place to stay the night and a bit of food. Often the relatives would send them away only days later. Soon, there was nowhere to turn.
In a valiant escape, Joseph crosses a frozen river to China. He looks behind him to see if anyone is following. How will he know the way to find help? He was only a teenager by now.
A kind Christian woman takes Joseph in. He didn’t want to go. He was afraid. He didn’t trust people. But he felt such love and peace living in a home with food, kind words, people who cared, although Joseph felt tempted to steal again.
Many kind hands give Joseph hope. Eventually, he is guided by an underground network of activists who enable him to come to the United States as a refugee. Joseph only knew how to speak in his native tongue. No English. Yet, the affection and warmth he felt from his foster family gave him reason to change his life and learn.
You’ll want to read this book to realize the impact of what it’s like to go through starvation and the harrowing events that lead to salvation. Under the Same Sky helps you realize the importance of kindness and answered prayers from God. It gives you great understanding of another’s tragedy and triumph which is most fulfilling.
