Over the past months we have been praying for four people in prison in North Korea and China for the sake of the Gospel.  South Korean Pastor Kim Jung-Wook is serving a life-sentence in North Korea for his efforts to spread the Good News inside North Korea.  Elderly (71 years old) Korean-American, Peter Hahn, has been in detention in Tumen, China since last year.  He operated a technical high school and had a number of projects going in North Korea.  We have just recently learned that he has now been formerly arrested, charged with embezzlement and is now awaiting trial.  The other two people are a Canadian couple, Kevin and Julia Garratt, who ran a coffee shop in Dandong, China and provided humanitarian assistance in North Korea.  They also organized prayer for North Korea.  The latest on them is that Julia has been released from detention, praise God, but only on bail while Kevin was moved to a high security prison.  Both are charged with spying.  Please keep all four of these brave souls, who are suffering for the sake of the Gospel, in your prayers.

Perhaps the gravest concern currently for the people of North Korea is what is called the "barley hump," the period in the spring when last year's harvests are getting depleted and the new harvests have not started coming in yet.  This year is of particular concern because of the extended dry winter and now spring.  On the market front, there are some mixed messages coming out. On the one hand, restrictions on the age at which women are allowed to set up market booths have been eliminated allowing younger women greater freedom to engage in commerce.  On the other hand, travel restrictions have increased as officials everywhere are getting into the act of charging new fees and fines for various types of travel.  For those involved in the markets, they see this as just another fee that they have to absorb. At the same time, there is growing cynicism as people see officials flaunting illegal South Korean products that they have confiscated from the markets.

On the information technology front, North Korea does have an internet, but it is very limited in scope and availability.  Here is an interesting article discussing what the North Korean internet looks like.  There are a few people who do have access to the big Internet beyond North Korea's cyber-border.  They are engaged in collecting knowledge off the 'Net and storing it at a large new data facility being built on an unoccupied island in Pyongyang's Daedong river.

One ongoing prayer is that through access to outside knowledge sources the people of North Korea will continue to learn more about the world outside and understand their own situation better.  Lately, a South Korean song titled "Letter from a Private" has been growing in popularity among young men being drafted into the North Korean army...

Ben Torrey
Director
The Fourth River Project, Inc.
www.thefourthriver.org

After an international prayer initiative for North Korea just completed this week, many are sensing that a new day for a new, united Korea is coming. Let's continue to pray and trust God for the two countries to become one again soon! Here is an encouraging prophetic word that IPC colleague Dr. Leslie Keegel shared in line with this week's initiative:

"A word I received for the group gathering in April to pray for North Korea.

I see the Lord causing a major shift to take place in the supernatural realm over North Korea in answer to the prayers made for that great nation before and also resulting from the prayer initiative in April 2015. The shift in the supernatural realm will dispel the extreme darkness and unseat the principality of lies and deception. That nation has been built on a philosophy based on lies and deception. I see the Lord exposing the lies, confounding the spirit of deception and pulling down that stronghold which has kept people in that nation in darkness and spiritual blindness. The principality power which has blindfolded innocent people and brainwashed them to believe "what is not as if it exists", will be openly exposed and put to defeat and shame.

The falling of that Kingdom of Falsehood will not take place instantly or suddenly, it will be a drawn out process. Nevertheless though quietly, one stone after another from its foundation will be removed very unnoticeably. As those foundation stones are removed, the displacing of such will cause cracks to appear on the walls of the formidable strongholds of that empire. Little by little the cracks will widen and finally will crash with a loud bang shaking the whole earth. The impact of that fall on that nation and the surrounding nations will be huge and crippling economically and structurally. Thousands upon thousands will emerge out of darkness to see the marvelous light, to be confronted with the truth. The Church which now is in that great nation though hidden is strong and beautiful. She will emerge victorious to rejoice with the global body of Christ as the truth and her hope is finally and gloriously unveiled.

I wish to encourage all who have prayed for North Korea with fervency and in travail, keep on in your good work and do not faint. I know it has been hard, but the Lord says, continue to invest your resources of tears, sweat, emotions and strength for great will be your reward. You will see the Church of North Korea emerge to lead the rest of the body of Christ in the final assault of the kingdoms of darkness of Satan and his oppressive reign over the nations."

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA-March 3-6, 2015, at the Koreana Hotel, 28 international and 26 local leaders came together to plan for the World Youth Prayer Assembly (working title) pegged for 2016 or 2017 16 countries were represented in the meeting-South Korea, the United States of America, United Kingdom, the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, Romania, American Samoa, Nigeria, Fiji, Vietnam, India, and Germany. It was amazing how God has orchestrated the meeting and how He has supernaturally provided to see this happen.

To get everybody on the same page, Pastor Jerome Ocampo re-cast the vision for the WYPA to the young, global leaders present in the meeting. As these leaders made a commitment to run with the vision and to be a part of the International Dream Team (IDT), the planning and stirring team for the event, they were prayed for and anointed by the older generation of leaders who were present. What a beautiful sight of impartation to and empowerment of the next generation!

During the sessions, the IDT was grouped into teams for discussion. It was previously agreed that the WYPA will be an event "for the youth and by the youth." Thus, the young leaders were given a venue for their voices to be heard-- they gave input on the challenges the youth of today face, and generated ideas on how the WYPA can possibly address these issues and how it will be distinct from other gatherings for the youth. Among the challenges that surfaced across all group discussions are the lack of understanding of identity and purpose, and the lack of mentoring and fathering. One of the key elements the team thinks would be distinctive of the WYPA will be "learning conversations with fathers," apart from powerful moments of just enjoying being marked by the Presence of the Lord.

They also brainstormed on the form and content of the event. Some ideas that came up were having prayer tents for the "seven mountains of culture," plus another tent where 24/7 worship will take place. It is foreseen to be highly social and highly interactive; delegates will come out of the event well-connected with people from all over the world who are called to occupy the same "mountain" as theirs.

The team also threw out ideas for the event name, and among the names suggested, "UP: Unified Prayer/ United Prayer" is a direction the team is prayerfully considering going for.

Each of the IDT members were also asked to volunteer for committees they would like to be a part of for the event, aside from committing to mobilize from their respective nations and regions. A faith goal of bringing 1,254 delegates was generated from the commitment of the IDT alone! Faith for fund-raising was also challenged as each member believed for a specific amount to raise for the event.

Dates will be set for the WYPA pending the Korean Executive Team's confirmation.

One of the highlights of the meeting was a trip to the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone)-the border between North and South Korea. In the freezing cold weather, the team's hearts burned in prayer for the unification of Korea. It was a foretaste of what is planned for the WYPA-to bring the delegates from all nations to the border to release declarations for the freedom of North Korea and for the unification of the North and South.

What was remarkable in this meeting were the relationships forged among these young, global leaders. It was a joy to see them get along so well in just two and a half days of being together! Seeing these strong bonds formed, it will not be a surprise if the IDT will take their friendships and partnerships beyond 2016.

Praise the Lord for all that He has done!

Sarah Torres, WYPA and IDT Administrator

Prayer concerns:
1 For the IDT members to move strongly ahead in the work of mobilizing in their nations and regions.
2 For the Korean Executive Team's formation and effective efforts within their nation to bring many other leaders and organizations on board and in support of the WYPA.
3 For Jerome Ocampo and his team in the Philippines to effectively lead and coordinate planning along with the IDT members.
4 For His provision of funding for this major event since there will be very significant financial needs to make it happen.