An all-day event to pray for peaceful reunification in Korea took place in Los Angeles on August 15, a day which marked the 70th anniversary since Korea's independence from Japanese rule as well as the 70th year since Korea's division into North and South.
The event, called 'Adopt815' was centered on the theme 'One Korea, One Peace,' and was divided into several portions: an early dawn prayer at a Korean mall in Koreatown; a prayer march in Koreatown; a series of workshops on field work in North Korea and work with North Korean refugees at Oriental Mission Church (OMC); and a night prayer and worship service also at OMC.
"[Reunification] in Korea is not possible by our own might, but only by God's compassion and power," said Dr. Timothy Park, Director of Global Connections and Professor of Asian Missions at Fuller Theological Seminary, who preached during the early dawn prayer.
Workshops featured representatives from different organizations doing work related with North Korea, including Crossing Borders, which focuses on providing resources and sharing the gospel to North Korean refugees in China; a representative from Yanbian University of Science and Technology (YUST) who shared how YUST and Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST) began and experiences of engaging with students in China and North Korea; and Reah International, which encourages a 'unity approach' to doing work in North Korea.
Dr. Jamie Kim, the director of Reah International, was the main speaker during the night worship service, during which he criticized the lack of unity amongst Korean Christians, and emphasized that unity is necessary to reach the North Korean people.
"Without the foundation of love, reconciliation, and unity, all of the medicine and humanitarian efforts we bring into that nation is in vain," he said. Kim spoke from John 17:23, which states, "May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."
"Why is North Korea not open? Because we are not ready," Kim went on. "How could we go into North Korea and say God loves you and forgives you when we are fighting over theological and denominational lines? Only through a demonstration of the good news in reconciliation will the people know."
Attendees went on to pray for the spiritual healing of the people in North Korea, for the Korean diaspora all over the world, and for the next generation of Koreans.
Organizers of 'Adopt815' has held numerous events leading up to Saturday, including a prayer meeting that took place on August 15, 2014, a rally in January, and workshops in June.
