Ecumenical community prays for Korean hostages

Ecumenical community prays for Korean hostages

As the captivity of the Korean hostages held by the Taliban in Afghanistan stretches to agonizing length, the Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea (PROK) and ecumenical partners are praying in united faith. The killing of a second hostage prompted the PROK to send out an urgent appeal for prayer on July 31st, calling on “the entire ecumenical community around the world to pray to God that the killings of innocent people may stop and that these hostages may safely return to their families.”

As the captivity of the Korean hostages held by the Taliban in Afghanistan stretches to agonizing length, the Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea (PROK) and ecumenical partners are praying in united faith. The killing of a second hostage prompted the PROK to send out an urgent appeal for prayer on July 31st, calling on “the entire ecumenical community around the world to pray to God that the killings of innocent people may stop and that these hostages may safely return to their families.”

Expressing appreciation of the earlier appeal to member churches and assurance of prayer sent from the World Council of Churches to the National Council of Churches in Korea, PROK General Secretary Rev. Yoon Kil-Soo further wrote, “We urge the global community to work for true peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan. Particularly, we sincerely request the governments of both Afghanistan and the US to lead the negotiations with the Taliban for the sake of the safe return of the hostages… Let us all continue to pray for all people whose lives are threatened by conflict situations and to make our utmost effort to work for abundant life for all people.”

As receiving churches and organizations in turn shared the appeal through their own networks, the circle of prayer widened, and prayerful responses received, to this point, from partners and individuals in India, Philippines, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Myanmar, Hungary, England, Scotland, Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, and the US strengthen our conviction that indeed we are one family in Christ. In this ecumenical unity we shared the responses with Saemmul Church, of a different denomination, which sent the young volunteers to Afghanistan. Perhaps the suffering families of the hostages will be most encouraged by the letters and color postcards sent by the children of one congregation in the US; praying for the safe return of the hostages, the members and children of that congregation promised, “Our prayers will not stop until they are home again.”