Freedom Singers have traveled far to bring their gospel music to Iola. The Canadian trio, formed in 1999, are originally from Romania.
Freedom Singers’ origins date back to 1998 when Simon Ivascu and Wesley Pop fled their native country rather than face army conscription. Freedom of worship was restricted in the army, and the men, devout Christians, preferred exile. Remaining in Romania would have meant imprisonment.
Arriving in Italy, Ivascu was arrested and given 15 days to leave.
Ivascu and Pop sought refuge and were hidden in a shipping container of ceramic construction tiles. They were promised the container would be taken the next day on a ship to Canada.
Instead, the container sat untouched on a loading dock for four days.
Running short on air and afraid of being discovered, Ivascu and Pop chiseled away a hole in the crate’s metal wall, breathing through straws.
After the crate was placed in the hull of a cargo ship, the pair endured two weeks of isolation. They quickly ran short on food and water.
Ivanscu and Pop credit God for their survival, recounting a song that had been dancing in their heads — “Because He Lives” — during the ordeal. Once in Canada, the pair decided to dedicate their lives to ministry through song.
Ivascu’s brother, Steven, emigrated from Romania to join them in 2006.
THE GROUP will perform a free concert at 7 p.m. Saturday at Iola’s First Christian Church.
The concert is sponsored by the Southeast Kansas Christian Artists Series. Offerings will be accepted.
