North Korea in the dark

The news is stunning out of Asia today, that it is confirmed that a South Korean ship sank because it was torpedoed by a North Korean vessel. Forty six sailors lost their lives as their ship sank beneath the sea in the March 26 incident. The political rhetoric is intense as a result.

A few years ago I was looking at a satellite photo of the whole Earth composed of nighttime photos. When you look at the photo you can see the busy urban centers of the world. I noticed what appeared to be a very bright island in Asia and wondered what that island might be. Then I recognized that it was not an island at all, but South Korea appearing isolated from the mainland by the darkness of North Korea. Literal darkness.

And I remembered visiting the infamous DMZ between the north and the south–the tensest border on the face of the planet, standing at an observation deck, looking toward the barren land and the intensely grave soldiers on the other side. A sign read, “do not raise your camera quickly.”

I met a woman who had been involved in smuggling food and sewing machines across the border in the rural areas. She told me that the recipients of her grace had no context in which to understand the altruism of the act. Not just no concept of God and divine grace, but no concept of human kindness at all. Amazing. Darkness begets darkness. May the light shine.

1 thought on “North Korea in the dark”

  1. I am possibly going to South Korea in august, if there isn’t anything between the countries that could threaten my trip. i really would like it if people could continue to pray for these countries during the next few months. it’s really a big issue, and with possibly going to this place, it has become an even closer thing for me.

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