Pioneering Education for North Korean Refugee Students

There were no educational institutions for North Korean refugee students in 2003. Principal Hyangja Lim, while engaging in missionary work for North Korea alongside the late Pastor Dongshik Kim—who was repatriated to North Korea and lost his life—realized that, despite wholehearted efforts driven by compassion, the deeply entrenched struggles of North Korean defectors were not easily transformed. She eventually came to the conclusion that the mission calling for North Korea must be fulfilled through education. This led to the establishment of Heavenly Dream School, founded with 6 orphaned North Korean defectors and 6 teachers.

Family-Style Dormitory : Educating Through Life

Heavenly Dream School provide education while living with the students who had left their parents behind in North Korea. Starting in 2004, the school introduced a "family-style" dormitory system in which one teacher lived with 4–6 students in a shared home. Faith-based education took place within these school-created homes, fostering personal growth and character transformation.

"For me, the dormitory was the only family I had in South Korea. Through my teacher, I learned how to approach life, and I experienced family
worship for the first time in the dormitory." — Graduate

"There is no better way to deeply understand and genuinely experience these children’s lives than by living together with them" — Teacher

Faith Takes Root : The Beginning of English Unification Camp (EUC)
& Leadership Camp (DTS)

Building up individuals is the most direct path to North Korean missions. In the journey shaped by prayer and the Word, students experienced
profound healing and restoration in God. Through consistent faith-based education and participation in spiritual camps, they encountered
God on a personal level and professed their faith. They also began to dream of returning to North Korea to bring healing and restoration to
their homeland.

Accreditation by Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education

2014: Construction of new school building
2015: Heavenly Dream School received accreditation for middle and high school education from the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education.
Following this milestone, the school successfully carried out the ‘Educational Model Development for North Korean Youth’ project, focusing on
character building, world history, mathematics, and writing. Since then, Heavenly Dream School has continued its research to refine and
advance educational models tailored for North Korean youth.

20th Anniversary: Growth and a Leap Forward

March 2023: Heavenly Dream School celebrated its 20th anniversary, reflecting with gratitude on the works God had accomplished over the past two decades. With a renewed sense of purpose, the school began preparing to embrace new challenges entrusted by God, stepping into the next phase of its journey.

• Accumulated Data and
  Educational Resources through
  education of over 650 students

• Over 90% of graduates enroll
  in higher education

• Recognition and commendations
  from Presidents and Ministers for
  outstanding education