Hostages' Pastor: 'Remorse Is the Face of the Church'
The 19 South Koreans freed by the Taliban returned to Seoul Sunday as the church that sent the group fields critical remarks for sending members to such a volatile country.
The return ends a 43-day ordeal in which two hostages were killed, including Bae Hyung-kyu, an associate pastor at Saemmul Church.
Before they left Afghanistan, the hostages apologized at a press conference for the trouble they had caused South Korea.
"I've had sleepless nights, thinking of what we have caused the country. I am deeply sorry," Yu Kyeong-sik said at a press conference.
"Remorse is the face of the church," said Park Eun-jo, senior pastor of Saemmul Church. The Presbyterian congregation that sponsored the trip, in the Seoul suburb of Bundang, has a weekly attendance of about 5,000 people.
"Koreans, particularly those who are not receptive to Christianity, are very emotional and critical about this incident," he told Christianity Today. "Because of the hostage situation, people withheld their opinions, but since they are released, people are now really letting us have what they think."
The hostages did not know until after they were released that two male hostages, including the associate pastor of the church, were killed.
"Upon hearing the news, they all wailed and were in great agony," Park said. "They couldn't handle the sadness, losing their loved ones."
Park said that 20 South Koreans traveled to Afghanistan for a short-term trip to volunteer at a school and provide medical aid. He said that three of the hostages were missionaries who had already been in Korea when the group arrived. Before it had left for the country, the group was told to be cautious in the dangerous area.
As they traveled through the country, their bus driver picked up two people without asking permission, which the pastor called a mistake. The two fired guns before taking the group hostage.
"I feel deep responsibility, strong responsibility, for the two lives that were lost," the pastor said.
Saemmul Church has decided to identify the two killed hostages as martyrs, Park said. The church will hold a funeral service September 7 for Bae Hyung-kyu, the associate pastor killed by the Taliban.
When the hostages were first taken, the church had prayer services throughout the day. At night, more than 1,000 people would attend.
"During those times, we were in shock. We were not able to pray anything clearly but for their safe return," the pastor said. "A week later, we began to calm down, and then we started to pray for Afghanistan."
After the hostages' release, Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi told the Associated Press that the group plans to abduct more foreigners.
"We will do the same thing with the other allies in Afghanistan, because we found this way to be successful," he said.
His statement reinforced international fears that South Korea's decision to negotiate directly with the militants would create more hostage situations
"I understand that this has created a huge problem and it has become an international issue," Pastor Park said. "Personally I have to be grateful for their effort."
The pastor said that the church will pray that hostage issues will not happen again.
"That is what we can do at this moment," he said.
The church will cover the cost to bring the hostages back to South Korea.
After the hostage situation began, South Korea banned its citizens from traveling to the country. Park said that the 180 Korean missionaries currently serving in the country have been told to leave by the end of September.
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Anonymous
Yeah, well the problem is that too many people want to suit for such a thing-as one respondent put it that if it were his family, he would be considering a law suit against the church. Jesus said such things would happen. I agree that people should not go for the wrong reasons, but then look at Jesus, He came for the right reasons and He was beaten and crucified. Someone might say that God would not do that or allow that. One soul won to the Lord is worth more than this world. Be led of the Spirit, reach the lost, be responsible in choices and don't make them out of emotion. I am glad someone out there is letting us know what is going on in the world. Thanks.
David
I have mixed feelings. I have been a christian for 30 years. Missionaries who work in high risk areas without security training and or have QUALITY risk assessments and contingency plans is incredibly irresponsible in my opinion. Should that stop people from going? No. But count the cost. Be sure it is God leading you and not fame,maryterdom, personalities attracted to high risk behavior or a book deal when death occurs. If they were my brothers I might be considering a lawsuit against the church or mission agency.
a south korean
to Rick Thiessen. i am willing to admit your truly faith. but i think you don't know the cultural difference between U.S.A and S. Korea. Christianity is not a traditional religion that korean people believed, rather it is a foreign one. unfortunately, many korean people hardly understand what you wanted to hear from 19 koreans. further, ordinary koreans may be provoked if they say what your wanted to be heard. most non-chrisitan koreans are generous to other religions, and believed that all religions should respect the truth of other religions. so they think they are insulted if they should be converted by a chrisitian faith. so sadly, most chrisitans and churchs in korea have an oppressive mission strategies.
Rick Thiessen
Agreed. And why does the gov't violate the long standing policy of not negotiating with terrorits and then blame the hostages as if they MADE them do so? They didn't make them do anything. While I'm sure they're happy to be alive, the missionaries knew the risks and the gov't wasn't under any obligation to compromise itself for them. I'm not surprised that secular Koreans can't understand the risk taking nature of those who live for another kind of Kingdom. I'm sorry that the missionaries were so apologetic coming back - they missed an opportunity. I would have rather heard something like, "we're sorry everyone's upset, but we didn't ask anyone to rescue us. Our Master didn't promise we'd be rescued from every trial, but he did call us to go. We went to help, to heal, to tell good news, to do good. We don't apologize for that. We pray others follow us because we love Afghan. and surely the blood of our martyrs proves to everyone just how much she needs love."
Braveheart
I believe that the LORD allowed this to happen so we can pray more for the salvation of the Talibans and Al-Qaeda. We should recognize the sacrifice that these Korean brethren have done just to show the love of CHRIST to the Afghan people. I call on all Followers of Christ to worship, pray and fast during the Ramadan from September 7, 2007 to October 14, 2007 for the Holy Spirit to rain down on the whole nation of Afghanistan. We want to see breakthroughs and the hunger for JESUS to be the LORD and Savior of the Afghan people. The we will see Afghanistan transformed into Salaamistan. "Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever." A shepherd from Kandahar