It was announced earlier today that North Korea released three hostages, including a pastor, as a gesture of goodwill toward the United States. The news was announced after a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, according to Breaking Christian News.

Reports claim that the hostages three hostages — Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak Song, and Kim Sang Duk — have been detained for more than a year. The three men are now expected to arrive in Washington, DC by 2 am on Thursday.

This news has been welcomed throughout the world, especially in Christian communities, who were alarmed especially at what they thought was the wrongful detaining of a pastor. Some commented on Trump’s firm and direct dealing with the North Korean government which, according to many reports, helped bring about recent news.

In order to bring about the releasing of these pastors  — and in order to bring about peace between North and South Korea — many pastors went on a 40-day fast. According to Breaking Christian News, hundreds of pastors made the commitment to pray and fast for 40 days starting sometime after a major Christian conference earlier this year.

“We should, as God’s people, be extraordinarily thankful to God for answering a prayer, because I believe this is an answer to prayer,” claims CBN. “We should be more encouraged and more committed to praying for this president and this secretary of state in particular who knows the Lord as his Savior, Mike Pompeo.”

Christian pastors are praising Trump’s dealings with the North Korean government, attributing him for much of the success in bringing about greater peace between the two Koreas.

According to Samuel Rodriguez, the president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, “As an American, I wholeheartedly applaud the Trump administration for working tirelessly on bringing home the three detained Americans from North Korean, and more broadly President Trump’s role in helping create a genuine opportunity for peace on the Korean peninsula. This is truly a historic day and one that bodes well for the prospect of peace throughout all of Asia.”

“As a Christian, I rejoice knowing full well that the proclamation of the Gospel in North Korea has been clandestine in nature for decades. Many brothers and sisters in Christ have risked their lives in doing so and at least one of those released was detained because of his faith. Where the South has flourished economically and spiritually, the north has languished under communist stagnation and state-sponsored atheism and shamanism. I believe today marks a prophetic shift in the future of the North Korean people as well as for the Gospel spreading among them, just as it did in the south.”

Read more at Franklin Graham Reacts to Major White House Announcement About North Korea.