{"id":36354,"date":"2021-04-27T13:33:09","date_gmt":"2021-04-27T04:33:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/?p=36354"},"modified":"2021-04-27T15:04:52","modified_gmt":"2021-04-27T06:04:52","slug":"vomk-report-152","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/2021\/04\/27\/vomk-report-152\/","title":{"rendered":"TOP EUROPEAN GOSPEL GROUP\u2019S SONG CELEBRATES BIBLE BALLOON LAUNCHING TO NORTH KOREA"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”36337″ img_size=”full”][vc_custom_heading text=”The Netherlands\u2019 Country Trail Band, one of Europe\u2019s most popular country gospel groups, is commemorating the North Korean Bible balloon launches of Korean NGO Voice of the Martyrs with a song. The song, \u201cStraight into the Heart\u201d, which appears on the group\u2019s album of the same name, says in the chorus, \u201cThe word of God is not held back by borders; the word of God goes straight into the heart.\u201d” 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

\u201cDuring a speaking tour of the Netherlands a few years ago, I was hosted at a B&B\u00a0<\/span><\/span>for a few days,\u201d says Voice of the Martyrs CEO, the Rev. Dr. Eric Foley. \u201cThe owner<\/span><\/span>,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Kees<\/span><\/span>\u00a0Steeds,<\/span><\/span>\u00a0was a Christian<\/span><\/span>\u00a0who was particularly moved by our Bible balloon launch work.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>What I did not realize was that Mr. Steeds was also a member of the\u00a0<\/span><\/span>renowned European Gospel group, the\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Country Trail Band<\/span><\/span>, which has been popular throughout Europe and the United States since 1985<\/span><\/span>. He shared with the other band members about our work, and from that sharing\u00a0<\/span><\/span>they wrote a<\/span><\/span>n English language<\/span><\/span>\u00a0song about our Bible balloon launches called \u2018Straight\u00a0<\/span><\/span>into<\/span><\/span>\u00a0the Heart\u2019.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Hans Steeds<\/span><\/span>,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>the band\u2019s manager, says that\u00a0<\/span><\/span>the band continues to pray for Voice of the Martyrs Korea and its balloon launches\u00a0<\/span><\/span>in light of<\/span><\/span>\u00a0the new anti-leaflet law that went into effect in March. \u201cTell everyone we pray for you,\u201d Steeds recently wrote Pastor Foley. \u201cWe feel one in Christ with you<\/span><\/span>\u00a0and our brothers and sisters in both countries.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>It is a blessing to us to hear that our song encourages people, especially you who are doing this work.<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_single_image image=”36351″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”The Netherlands\u2019 Country Trail Band commemorates NK Bible balloon launches in it\u2019s album \u2013 \u201cStraight into the Heart\u201d” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Country Trail B<\/span><\/span>and recently released a video of their performance of the\u00a0<\/span><\/span>balloon launching\u00a0<\/span><\/span>song<\/span><\/span>,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>recorded\u00a0<\/span><\/span>at the<\/span><\/span>\u00a0band\u2019s\u00a0<\/span><\/span>35th anniversary concert in August 2020 in the city of Dordrecht in the Netherlands.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>The\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Country Trail Band\u00a0<\/span><\/span>and\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Voice of the Martyrs Korea\u00a0<\/span><\/span>then cooperated to create a version of the video that includes\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Korean<\/span><\/span>\u00a0subtitles<\/span><\/span>\u00a0of the original English lyrics, as well as\u00a0<\/span><\/span>photos and videos from the ministry\u2019s actual balloon launches from 2005 through last year.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0This video is now posted on the Voice of the Martyrs Korea website at\u00a0<\/span><\/span>www.vomkorea.com\/nk-bible\/<\/span><\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Pastor Foley says that the video allows the public to see the difference between\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Voice of the Martyrs Korea\u2019s\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Bible balloon launches and the launching of\u00a0<\/span><\/span>political flyers by other NGOs. \u201cThe Bible balloon launches are completely different in technology<\/span><\/span>,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>goal<\/span><\/span>, and spirit<\/span><\/span>. We use round weather balloons that cross the border at an extremely high altitude to avoid\u00a0<\/span><\/span>military misidentification. Our balloons are biodegradable<\/span><\/span>\u00a0and filled with helium<\/span><\/span>, posing no threat to the environment<\/span><\/span>\u00a0or to residents<\/span><\/span>. We use GPS devices and computer modeling to only launch on the 10 to 15 nights a year when the Bibles are guaranteed to land in North Korea.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>We\u00a0<\/span><\/span>launch quietly,<\/span><\/span>\u00a0at night, without fanfare or publicity.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Most importantly, we launch only Bibles<\/span><\/span>, using the translation created by the North Korean government<\/span><\/span>. As the Country Trail Band\u2019s song says, what we are launching goes \u2018straight\u00a0<\/span><\/span>in<\/span><\/span>to the heart\u2019<\/span><\/span>\u00a0of\u00a0<\/span><\/span>the\u00a0<\/span><\/span>North Korean<\/span><\/span>\u00a0recipients. A<\/span><\/span>ccording to the North Korean constitution and the public\u00a0<\/span><\/span>assurances\u00a0<\/span><\/span>of the North Korean government<\/span><\/span>, North Koreans have the right to read the Bible<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”36347″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”The first Voice of the Martyrs balloon launch to North Korea took place in 1969″ font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”36348″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”Voice of the Martyrs Korea CEO, Eric Foley, launches Bible balloons to North Korea on June 25, 2020
\nPhoto Credit: NK News” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|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]Pastor Foley says that even though Voice of the Martyrs Korea uses a variety of methods to get Bibles into North Korea,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>they\u00a0<\/span><\/span>have sent more Bibles to North Korea\u00a0<\/span><\/span>by balloon\u00a0<\/span><\/span>than\u00a0<\/span><\/span>by\u00a0<\/span><\/span>all other methods combined.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u201cThe North Korean Human Rights Database, an independent data-gathering NGO, did a study where they found that\u00a0<\/span><\/span>in the year 2000, effectively 0% of people inside North Korea had ever seen a Bible with their own eyes. They have continued to update that study, and at the end of 2020 they determined that around 8% of people inside of North Korea have now seen a Bible with their own eyes<\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>A significant number of these Bibles would have been ones we sent by balloon.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>This is why<\/span><\/span>\u00a0when people say to us, \u2018Can\u2019t you just send Bibles another way?\u2019, the answer is that we do, but<\/span><\/span>\u00a0eliminating Bible balloon launching would severely restrict\u00a0<\/span><\/span>ordinary North Koreans\u2019\u00a0<\/span><\/span>access to the Bible<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span><\/span>It\u2019s important to note that u<\/span><\/span>ntil now,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Bible balloon launching\u00a0<\/span><\/span>from South Korea\u00a0<\/span><\/span>has been the only legal way to\u00a0<\/span><\/span>get\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Bible<\/span><\/span>s<\/span><\/span>\u00a0into North Korea<\/span><\/span>,<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>says Pastor Foley<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u201cThe\u00a0<\/span><\/span>other<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>neighboring\u00a0<\/span><\/span>countr<\/span><\/span>ies<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>ha<\/span><\/span>ve\u00a0<\/span><\/span>joined North Korea in\u00a0<\/span><\/span>using laws and police activities to stop Bibles from entering\u00a0<\/span><\/span>North Korea<\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Now, will South Korea join those nations\u00a0<\/span><\/span>in making Bible distribution\u00a0<\/span><\/span>to North Korea\u00a0<\/span><\/span>a crime?\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”36349″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”Round weather balloons carry the Bible balloons to extremely high altitudes before crossing the border into North Korea” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][vc_single_image image=”36350″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”GPS tracking documents the successful launch of Bible balloons into North Korea” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Pastor Foley\u00a0<\/span><\/span>says<\/span><\/span>\u00a0that Voice of the Martyrs Korea will wait until summer to\u00a0<\/span><\/span>make a determination<\/span><\/span>\u00a0regarding its balloon launch<\/span><\/span>ing\u00a0<\/span><\/span>activities\u00a0<\/span><\/span>this year<\/span><\/span>. \u201c<\/span><\/span>Now it is spring<\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>In spring t<\/span><\/span>he winds blow north to south<\/span><\/span>,<\/span><\/span>\u00a0and this prevents<\/span><\/span>\u00a0balloon launching<\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>When summer comes<\/span><\/span>\u00a0and the winds change<\/span><\/span>, we will do the same thing we do every\u00a0<\/span><\/span>day<\/span><\/span>:<\/span><\/span>\u00a0G<\/span><\/span>ather data,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>take counsel,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>pray, and follow the Lord\u2019s direction<\/span><\/span>\u00a0about\u00a0<\/span><\/span>how\u00a0<\/span><\/span>he\u00a0<\/span><\/span>intends\u00a0<\/span><\/span>to get Bibles into North Korea<\/span><\/span>. N<\/span><\/span>ow that every\u00a0<\/span><\/span>method of Bible distribution to North Korea has become a crime, we need his wisdom more than ever<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span><\/span>As for today<\/span><\/span>, we continue to get Bibles into North Korea each day through many different methods<\/span><\/span>,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>humbly\u00a0<\/span><\/span>obeying God rather than men<\/span><\/span>\u00a0whe<\/span><\/span>rever<\/span><\/span>\u00a0Bible distribution\u00a0<\/span><\/span>has\u00a0<\/span><\/span>become a crime<\/span><\/span>,<\/span><\/span>\u201d says Pastor Foley<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u201c<\/span><\/span>As for\u00a0<\/span><\/span>balloon launching\u00a0<\/span><\/span>this summertime, t<\/span><\/span>he Lord says to let tomorrow take care of itself.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0There are many years when people told us it would be impossible to launch<\/span><\/span>,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>but<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>the Lord\u00a0<\/span><\/span>has made a way<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>for Bible balloon launching\u00a0<\/span><\/span>into North Korea\u00a0<\/span><\/span>every year since\u00a0<\/span><\/span>an earlier generation of Korean Christians\u00a0<\/span><\/span>did\u00a0<\/span><\/span>the\u00a0<\/span><\/span>first\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Voice of the Martyrs balloon\u00a0<\/span><\/span>launch<\/span><\/span>,<\/span><\/span>\u00a0in\u00a0<\/span><\/span>1969<\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Let\u2019s<\/span><\/span>\u00a0see what the Lord does<\/span><\/span>\u00a0this year<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0We know Christians\u00a0<\/span><\/span>in Korea and even\u00a0<\/span><\/span>around the world are praying<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>for\u00a0<\/span><\/span>our Bible balloon launches<\/span><\/span>. This song from the Country Trail Band is a<\/span><\/span>n encouraging<\/span><\/span>\u00a0reminder of that<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The Country Trail Band\u2019s live performance of their Bible balloon launch tribute song \u201cStraight\u00a0<\/span><\/span>into<\/span><\/span>\u00a0the Heart\u201d, including photo and video footage from Voice of the Martyrs Korea balloon launches can be viewed at\u00a0<\/span><\/span>www.vomkorea.com\/nk-bible\/<\/span><\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_video link=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=wU5v7k8wrI8″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”36337″ img_size=”full”][vc_custom_heading text=”The Netherlands\u2019 Country Trail Band, one of Europe\u2019s most popular country gospel groups, is commemorating the North Korean Bible balloon launches of Korean NGO Voice of the …","protected":false},"author":659,"featured_media":36336,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[857,235,869,140],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36354","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-russian-special","category-special-column","category-china-special","category-vomk-report"],"translation":{"provider":"WPGlobus","version":"3.0.2","language":"en","enabled_languages":["ko","en","zh","ru"],"languages":{"ko":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"en":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"zh":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"ru":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36354","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/659"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36354"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36354\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36336"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36354"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36354"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36354"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}