{"id":24246,"date":"2020-04-14T14:19:57","date_gmt":"2020-04-14T05:19:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/?p=24246"},"modified":"2020-05-30T11:44:08","modified_gmt":"2020-05-30T02:44:08","slug":"vomk-report-96","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/2020\/04\/14\/vomk-report-96\/","title":{"rendered":"DEMAND FOR BIBLES SOARS IN NORTH KOREA AMIDST CORONAVIRUS"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”24242″ img_size=”full”][vc_custom_heading text=”Statistics on the spread of the Coronavirus inside North Korea are the subject of considerable speculation among governments, media, and aid agencies, but according to Voice of the Martyrs Korea representative Dr. Hyun Sook Foley, one fact is well established: Demand for Bibles in North Koreans has increased sharply during the pandemic.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:1.2em|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” el_class=”headline”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not only masks and medicines that\u00a0<\/span><\/span>have been\u00a0<\/span><\/span>in high demand from North Koreans<\/span><\/span>\u00a0in<\/span><\/span>North Korea and Northeast China<\/span><\/span>,\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

says Representative Foley.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span><\/span>In the first three months of 2020 we have\u00a0<\/span><\/span>already\u00a0<\/span><\/span>distributed\u00a0<\/span><\/span>close to 2,000<\/span><\/span>\u00a0audio Bibles in the area, which is\u00a0<\/span><\/span>double the quantity that we distributed\u00a0<\/span><\/span>in the same period last year<\/span><\/span>.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u00a0Representative Foley notes that Voice of the Martyrs Korea does not do mass distribution of audio Bibles inside North Korea\u00a0<\/span><\/span>and China\u00a0<\/span><\/span>but instead distributes them one at a time through specially trained workers to individuals who indicate a desire to receive them.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]Representative Foley attributes<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>the surge in demand to what she describes as\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u201ca desperat<\/span><\/span>e search for any kind of hope<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>amidst the very real\u00a0<\/span><\/span>possibility of death due to infection<\/span><\/span>\u201d on the part of North Korean people. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe received a letter\u00a0<\/span><\/span>from the field\u00a0<\/span><\/span>this month from a N<\/span><\/span>orth Korean who received\u00a0<\/span><\/span>masks and\u00a0<\/span><\/span>one of our audio Bibles,<\/span><\/span>\u00a0as part of a special campaign funded by our supporters,<\/span><\/span>\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

says Representative Foley. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span><\/span>The North Korean man<\/span><\/span>\u00a0wrote, \u2018<\/span><\/span>I receive hope of living as I am praying. The virus situation in Pyongyang and Sinuiju is more serious than the border areas. I think we will all die from starvation or being infected. Both are deadly and cause despair, but after knowing Him, my fear has vanished. We truly thank you again.<\/span><\/span>\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”24236″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_rounded” onclick=”custom_link” img_link_target=”_blank”][vc_custom_heading text=”A North Korean who received our audio Bible says that he has received hope in the midst of the serious Coronavirus situation.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%23000000|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal” link=”||target:%20_blank|”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span><\/span>Note that t<\/span><\/span>he\u00a0<\/span><\/span>man who wrote the\u00a0<\/span><\/span>letter<\/span><\/span>\u00a0received both mask<\/span><\/span>s<\/span><\/span>\u00a0and an audio Bible<\/span><\/span>\u00a0from us<\/span><\/span>, but his thankfulness\u00a0<\/span><\/span>was\u00a0<\/span><\/span>focused on the Bible,\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

says<\/span><\/span>\u00a0Representative Foley.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span><\/span>Of course<\/span>\u00a0that doesn\u2019t mean that medical aid isn\u2019t important, but it is\u00a0<\/span><\/span>insufficient. People\u00a0<\/span>need to hear the word of God at all times<\/span>, but especially during\u00a0<\/span><\/span>crisis\u00a0<\/span><\/span>situations like this<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0Only the word of God, not a mask, can bring hope\u00a0<\/span><\/span>in the most fearful times<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Representative Foley says\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Voice of the Martyrs Korea<\/span><\/span>\u00a0receive<\/span><\/span>d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0frequent\u00a0<\/span><\/span>inquiries<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>th<\/span><\/span>is month<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>from reporters and\u00a0<\/span><\/span>researchers asking for specific information about the spread of the virus in North Korea.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>But Representative Foley says that neither\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Voice of<\/span><\/span>\u00a0the Martyrs Korea\u00a0<\/span><\/span>nor the recipients of their\u00a0<\/span><\/span>audio\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Bibles are\u00a0<\/span><\/span>in a position<\/span><\/span>\u00a0to give any kind of a knowledgeable estimate. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEven in the best of circumstances, North Koreans are like frogs in a well when it comes to\u00a0<\/span><\/span>statistical knowledge about what is happening even in their own city,\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

says Representative Foley. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we do know is that every North Korean in North Korea and China with whom we have had contact this past month has referenced the Coronavirus as a<\/span><\/span>n everyday reality of life t<\/span><\/span>here, just as it is for us here.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Representative Foley says that\u00a0<\/span><\/span>the\u00a0<\/span><\/span>North Koreans\u00a0<\/span><\/span>that Voice of the Martyrs Korea\u00a0<\/span><\/span>works\u00a0<\/span><\/span>with\u00a0<\/span><\/span>in South Korea\u00a0<\/span><\/span>are\u00a0<\/span><\/span>concern<\/span><\/span>ed<\/span><\/span>\u00a0for all North Koreans<\/span><\/span>, not only their own families,<\/span><\/span>\u00a0who may be infected\u00a0<\/span><\/span>with the Coronavirus<\/span><\/span>\u00a0inside North Korea<\/span><\/span>. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span><\/span>One of our missionar<\/span><\/span>y trainees<\/span><\/span>\u00a0from N<\/span><\/span>orth Korea<\/span><\/span>\u00a0said she was working at a hospital in N<\/span><\/span>orth Korea<\/span><\/span>\u00a0during the SARS outbreak in the early 2000’s<\/span><\/span>,\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

says Representative Foley<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span><\/span>She said that at the time the hospital staff prepared a separate room for the SARS patients. They covered the windows so no sunlight would get in. They chained the patients to their beds. If the patients recovered, they were sent to the State Security office on suspicion of having been in China. She also said that the medicine aid received from the U.N. would go to the marketplace, not to the hospital. She said that\u00a0<\/span><\/span>the\u00a0<\/span><\/span>government was not really concerned about whether the people lived or died. At that time, she thought,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u2018<\/span><\/span>How can these people be here in a room with no sunlight for days and days like this?<\/span><\/span>\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”24240″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”An NK defector receives a mask in addition to an audio Bible during a recent distribution by VOMK.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%23000000|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]I<\/span>ndividuals or churches interested in\u00a0<\/span>supporting Voice of the Martyrs Korea\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>ongoing\u00a0<\/span>discipleship work with North Koreans in China and North Korea<\/span>, including its present Coronavirus outreach work, can<\/span>\u00a0make a donation\u00a0via website or wire transfer<\/span>\u00a0to<\/span>:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n