Back in February of 2003 at Chung Pyung Lake in Korea, ___ approached me with the idea and inspiration to produce a CD of the traditional Korean arts songs that are so beloved to the Korean people. Her motivation as a Japanese woman married to a Korean man, was to demonstrate the heart of loving the enemy in an attempt to use her talent and the CD to assist in the reunification of communist North Korea and the democratic South Korea. The CD was finished in March but her ultimate goal was to go to North Korea to present a concert of these songs.

Well, on July 2, ___ is planning to fly to North Korea as a guest of a special delegation of Korean businessmen who have ties to the North Korean Government. She and her husband will research the possibility of doing a concert there in the future. This is huge and evidence that God is working in a very powerful way to use art and music foster reconciliation. We ask that you pray for their safe and successful journey to that troubled country. Dr. Yang has reported all this to True Father and it seems that Father is very intent on this being a fruitful and successful.

As a prelude to her trip, she performed with the Uruek Symphony in NY on June 14. The Korean ambassador to the UN and other VIPs were in attendance and we had the chance to meet many of them after the concert.

Also, the Peace Cantata that Israeli singer David D'Or and I are working on is going forward and our plan now is to perform a portion of this music in Jerusalem with the Ranana Symphony in September as part the next big MEPI pilgrimage. It's a time of great hope for the three Israels and art and music are at the center of it all.

Thank you for your prayer. I came back yesterday night as we planed. It was an amazing trip. I realized so many things very deeply.

They treated us well as a V. I. P. since they want us to have good impression about N. Korea (then we can tell other people) even though they hate American and Japanese so much. They are trying to make their best impression to treat guests well but you can see the food is very old and poor. They are so united to build their kingdom centered upon Kim Jung Il with the teaching of Kim Il Sung. We see the word of "Unification of N. and S. Korea", "Strong determination", "Victory" or "Unite our hearts as one" everywhere on the wall or on top of the building. Actually they are so similar to us (UC) with many points but I see that their motivation is resentment, hatred or jealousy. Every person is ready to fight for unification with the philosophy of Kim Il Sung who is a God in their country. Oh my goodness, I saw many speechless phenomenon. Only thing I can say was "What shall we do?"

The first night I felt God visited me in my prayer at the humble room of Pyong Yang Koryo Hotel which is one of the best hotels. I understood how God misses them. God loves them same as us even though they deny God. He may love them even more than us. You know, if one of your children has a big problem, your heart will focus on him. I felt God really wants to save them through anyone, anything. He wants to visit this country with any condition so when I pray for God, he came down immediately and shared his heart like as a child.

The thing we can do is try to make any condition or foundation for TP to open the gate. They have no hope without T.P's teaching. I couldn't stop tears at that night. I believe it was God tears. It was so painful because TF is so old now and there is little time. We have to hurry!

As I mentioned to you, in there eyes the Japanese are their eternal enemy. It is impossible for Japanese to stand in front of them at the public place. Of course, our offer to have a concert was strongly refused. They didn't want me to sing at all. Also, the songs of my CD are South Korean Songs so they didn't like it even though they understand the meaning of those songs. They don't like any western music too. I couldn't see any hope.

But miracle happened. I had learned one N. Korean song when I sang at the concert in NYC. I sang that song at everywhere when they asked me to sing. I sang it at the school, I sang it at the hospital, I sang it on the mountain, I sang it in the car from the bottom of my heart. And finally when I sang it at the diner meeting place with one of the top leaders who is working for the government, he hugged me so strongly and said, "Now I decided to have you at our concert for the future".

I hope it will happen. I know still its not easy. The next possibility to visit there and perform is April. They have a big celebration of Kim Il Sung's birthday at that time.

I received a huge N. Korean songbook as a gift. More than 8,000 songs are there. I will start learning N. Korean songs. Maybe another CD?

My conclusion is that "Music" can open their heart. If they want to listen to only their music, why not, we can love them with their own music at the beginning so they open their heart. It is a study. "If you want to go to N. Korea, you should learn N. Korean songs." It's very true!

God bless,
___