Falkgroup takes team to South Korea to participate in University Student Prayer Movement

More on this earth assignment here 

While the tension between Communist North Korea and the rest of the world mounts with the threat of nuclear attack, Christian University students from throughout South Korea are meeting for their first ever “Student Prayer Movement” conference.

Three months earlier Steven Falk from Black Creek and Terry Somerville from Campbell River were invited by Impartation Ministries International to speak at their annual leadership conference in South Korea.  As an unplanned bonus after the conference Steve Falk was introduced and invited to teach, for two days, to the Student Prayer Movement.  The Movement is very young and cautious about getting caught in church or government politics.  Rather they are committed to connecting the concerns of their country with the love of God through corporate prayer.  How could this plan draw a crowd?  I asked the same question and was surprised by the answer.  Summer 2005 the Student Prayer Movement (SPM) wanted to hold a 24 hour prayer meeting for the students of Seoul.  When the Mayor of the city heard what they were planning he offered them a stadium for free.  8000 students met for 24 hours simply to prayer that God would intervene on behalf of their city and country.  On January 22-28, 2006 this same group, which has now expanded to a national movement with students representing every major city and university, is meeting again to pray this time for four days.  They will be asking God for strategies to love North Korea. 

 North and South Korea have been in a stalemate since their unnatural division as a result of the Allies Second World War victory over the Japanese.  Japan had previously kept Korea under their rule for over fifty years.  After this cold war division (very similar to West and East Germany), the North attacked the South and the world engaged again in what was called the Korean War.  This war ended in 1953 with China, North Korea, and United States signing to end the war.  South Korea, refused to sign the treaty and thus since 1953 the North and the South have been in political and military tension.  The wall dividing the conflict is a narrow strip of land called the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).  At the peek of tension over the years North Korea has had up to 900,000 ready armed soldiers on their side of the DMZ and South Korea has deployed 600,000 armed solders, plus another 30,000 American troops supporting South Korea.  This build up of cold war tension is today one of the most militarized borders in the world.  Over the past months South Korea and North Korea are making tentative courtship advances towards each other.  While the hearts of most Korean’s is for a unified one nation country of Korea their international partners namely China, Russia, and the US find unification a potential threat to their global positioning.

So what’s the solution to this very real problem in Asia?  Some would suggest war; others put their trust in governmental, business or international interventions.  And then there is prayer.  I am convinced that the best solution to the global threat of North Korea will be revealed through prayer.  For this reason four North Island Men will be traveling to the DMZ and then attending the Student Prayer Movement National gathering.

Steven Falk the leader is a well known local Family and Individual Therapist and community volunteer, Roger Wogan from Campbell River is versed in the practical power of both unconditional love and information technology,  Allen Schroeder is a compassionate focused professional photographer, and Randy Brouwer has joined as a man with a passion for adventure and international Christian service.  As we leave our wives, kids and supportive friends for the DMZ we cherish all their encouragement and love.  Thank you also to an anonymous person who quietly offered his unsolicited support to the team by donating one full ticket of Air Miles.            

It’s a big world and it would be easy to just focus on our own backyard.  What I have discovered is the joy that I receive when I intentionally choose to love another nation and share in their hopes and dreams.  Martin Luther King chose to join a movement that changed the civil rights in the United States. We are not Martin Luther but who knows what our positive influence will accomplish?