At first glance, South Korea looks only like a pit stop in our summer. As the Multinational Advance team, we have spent the first 10 days of our trip connecting with our Korean teammates and doing refugee ministry with Korean girls. Not much of our summer was spent here, but we are all leaving a piece of our heart in this city with these people.
The reality of the brokenness of this nation set in yesterday as we visited the DMZ. This is the border of North and South Korea, the most heavily militarized border in the world.
It was an eye opening experience as we looked through binoculars at a country that is so lost. From the observatory, you can see a propaganda village that has been built by the government to give outsiders false imagery of life in North Korea. No one actually lives here though.
Before we all came, we heard, "Don't get too close to North Korea"...but far before we ever went to the DMZ we had already gotten too close. We had welcomed a home full of refugees into our hearts. We had shared life, laughed, and cried with these girls. And now our hearts are breaking and longing for the Gospel to get to the inner depths of this nation.
South Korea is deemed an evangelized country; North Korea however is practically unreached. All that stands between them is hardened hearts and miles of land mines and forest. They have "ceased fire" but the pain and tension still heavily linger.
Despite these obstacles, God's promise is still true. Gen. 12:1-3 says that the Lord is infinitely concerned with reaching each and every people group. And He will use us to do that. Whatever it takes, we must be about spreading the Gospel.
Pray for unity of this nation. Leaving so early, when we see a huge need here is hard on our team. But we know that it will only be through radically changed hearts by the power of the Gospel that one day this country may stand unified again.
As God's chosen people, we are commanded, "And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity" Colossians 3:14.
Pray for the believers in South Korea that they may love their neighbors! The division between the nation is clear. Pray for the refugees that they may hear the Gospel message and be discipled! So many of the girls claim to be believers but still feel as though they have little faith. Pray for the leaders of these nations and for the softening of their hearts!
Despite our longing to stay in Korea all summer, we are hopeful and expectant for what the Lord will do in Cambodia. Please pray for us as we travel the next couple of days to our new location and for the ministry there!