Some 300 individuals gathered in front of the Canadian Parliament Hill on February 17 for a prayer meeting on behalf of Reverend Hyeon Soo Lim, who was sentenced to life in prison by the North Korean government last December after being detained during his last visit to the country. Many of those who gathered included members of Light Presbyterian Church, where Lim had been serving as the lead pastor until his detainment.
The intercessors gathered despite the worst snow storm in Ottawa's recent history and prayed fervently for Lim's return.
"All of these people from Light Presbyterian Church and other leaders of the church community came despite the bad circumstances and the long distance. It was a time that we were able to once again realize how strong the church community could be and how great their love is," said one of the attendees. "Compared to the amount of time it took for many of them to travel here, it might have seemed like the time of prayer was short. But I know that we prayed with the heart like that of the woman who broke her expensive alabaster jar of perfume, and that our prayers will bear fruit."
A petition to secure Lim's release with some 165,000 signatures was also presented at the prayer meeting.
Tony Clement, a conservative member of the Canadian Parliament and a foreign affairs official, was also present at this prayer meeting along with Yonah Martin, a conservative Korean Canadian Senator, who both expressed hopes for Lim's release.
