# Koreans you have done it!



## Raj (Sep 1, 2007)

Thank God ! The young Korean missionaries are at home now. After there release, there have been questions and comments about their lives and work. Some have appreciated, others have criticised them. It was not a easy time for the captors, the hostages, families of both sides, nation and for the international community. people from all walk, tried their best to free these missionaries.

"Critics said the group's actions forced their government into negotiations with the Islamic militants that damaged the nation's international reputation."

After reading some Koreans view, "this particular scene has damaged the country's reputation in the internatioal community" I did not feel comfortable and thought of writing my heart felt views.

I belive this incident has added to the reputation of the Koreans. Why let me say a few things, based on my readings. 

1. Humanitarian Work: All the Koreans were sent to this war torned country to show the love in action. Jesus Christ showes us love, so his followers went there to show the love, by helping those in need, providing them medicines, food, care, and training. Repeatedly these young people have been called by the media and their Church, "the aid workers".* If they could not preach that's fine, they showed it in actions. Who would not be proud of their courage and helping nature.

2. Volunteers of Love: All the young people including old want to go to peaceful, beautiful lands for enjoying, mission activities, and sight seeing but these young poeple chose/volunteered to go to Afganistan is itself a great work. It was not the church that sent them forcibiliy to Afganistan but it was their love of the people and for God which took them even to a nation like Afganistan. The media says, "The suburban Seoul church that sent the 23 volunteers to Afghanistan and the hostages' relatives have said the group was working on humanitarian projects and not evangelizing."*

3. Witnessing unto death: The media says, "Since the July 19 abduction – the largest abduction of foreigners in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001 – two male hostages have been killed. The leader of the group, Bae Hyung-kyu, was found dead on July 25, and the body of 29-year-old Shim Sung-min was found July 30."

Two pastors honored their Lord by giving their lives for the great work. These Koreans, showed what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ to the world. Their lives as leaders of the team and as true belivers of Christ, will inspire the sleeping Christians throught the history of humankind.

These were the great shephereds of the follower of Chief Shpeherd, the Lord Jesus Christ, who laid down his life for his sheep. Same can be seen in the group. If the leader was not killed may be another one would go in his place. What a great example of Christian leadership.

4. Personal example of a girl: Two girls were seriously sick among the group. When the time came for the sick girl to be freed, she allowed another friend to be freed instead of her. She chose to be in the captive group. Who does not love his/her life? But notice the christian love in this particular girl. She proved to be entirely different in her group. Who would not be proud of such living example?

5. Feeding the hungry: These volunteers went with many resouces with them. They helped to feed the hungry children, gave medicines and care for the sick. When they were there, they were not enjoying the hiking and sight seeing but were there to feed and help. Their help went to the hungry and sick families.

The media says, "A Japanese newspaper reported Friday that South Korea paid two million dollars to the hardliners ..."

If it is true, for this also praise God, for this money will bring food, medicines, clothes, and shelters for the hungry and needy Taliban families. If Korea has paid it, it is because, Korea had/s money. A hungry people can not do that. So I see it positively. What is wrong with the reputation if you helped a hungry people with your God given resources. It will be the Militia fault if they misuse it.

Was it an easy event which made people sleepness, crying, sick, and took two precious lives? NO, It was not a good easy but hard time for all the people including Talibans who had to escape everyday to new places to hide.

6. Asian Christian on fire: But after all, I belive it brought glory and honor to Lord Jesus Christ in many ways. And Thanks to the young missionaries and their leader and families who set good examples to follow to share the love of God even in the hardshiops and difficult situations.There were many people who did not know What Korean Christians are upto? The event made it known. They are on fire for Jesus and for his mission. And it also declared that Christianity is not mere a 'white people religion.' We Asian also can show our love for our brothers and sisters in our neighborhood and the Koreans are leader in that. 

So my Korean brothers and sisters you have done it. Your love for Christ has been proved. There is nothing to worry about the 'bad reputation.' Let's not look for the worldly credit and achiements, which are not wrong but let's look to Lord, the King of all Creation, the Lover of His people in all the world, who would say, to you, "well done" my servants.

I also rejoice with you as I read, "Thank God. They are all freed now," said Je Mi-Sook after her brother Je Chang-Hee was release".

* excerpts christianpost.com and yahoonews.com


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## JonathanHunt (Sep 1, 2007)

Amen Raj. Well said.


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## sotzo (Sep 1, 2007)

Raj:

Keep posting! You are an encouragement to Christ's church!

Joel


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## turmeric (Sep 1, 2007)

Praise God they have been freed. May the Talibs who held them be drawn to Christ by their example and the Gospel, which I'm sure they heard.


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## Raj (Sep 2, 2007)

Yes, brother. those youth's very presence must have made, the Afgns to think about Christ and his message. The seed has been sowen. And for my friends knowledge, the work still continues.

Thankyou for the encouragement.


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## Pergamum (Sep 23, 2007)

A negative sidenote:

The Koreans promised, after bowing to terrorist demands, to recalll all missionaries and not to send any more to Ashcanistan.

This sets a precedent and encourages terrorist hostage taking in all Islmc countries where missionaries exist. 

A possible future scenario: Branches of Al Qaeda kidnap missionaries in the Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia, Malaysia and all other SE Asia countires with high proportions of Korean missionaries. 

Soon, the entire sending force of Korea is sent packing home because of their gov'ts cowardice before a terrorist mob.

So, these terrorists orgs next turn to US Missionary orgs.

This cannot have long term beneficial effects.




Amen for the Koreans. A swift kick in the rear to the Korean gov't.


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## kvanlaan (Sep 23, 2007)

Thankfully, the faithlessness of the Korean government has no bearing on His will for Afghanistan. However, the Taliban have been shown that it will work for one government, and been given the hope that it will work for others. 

Hopefully, this will not stem the flow of Korean missionaries into the coutry - those who do now go know that they have no advocate but God.


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## Pergamum (Sep 23, 2007)

P.S. The Koreans are now the number 2 sending force in the world for missionaries.....gettng ready to overtake the US.

And the story of the entrance of Christianity (by Presbyterians....yay, go Presbyterians) is one of of mission histories greatest stories. 

The missionary was killed on a boat going upriver. BUt he gave the killers his BIble. The Bible was used as wallpaper, people kept coming to the house and reading the wall and God used this to save many. Does someone have a link of this story...it is great!


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## Ginny Dohms (Sep 23, 2007)

Pergamum, is this the story you were looking for?

"Robert Thomas was a young missionary from Scotland. After he was ordained on June 4, 1863, the London Missionary Society sent him to Shanghai, China where he remained for several years. After his wife died in Shanghai in 1866, the Reverend Thomas heard about the upcoming voyage of the General Sherman, which laden with a cargo of European merchandise, would seek to establish trade relations between Korea and the United States.

Thomas secured free passage in return for his services as an interpreter. In August 1866, as the General Sherman proceeded upriver toward Pyongyang, Thomas tossed gospel tracts to Koreans along the riverbank. Despite official warnings to immediately depart, the American schooner continued upriver until she ran aground on a shoal and stuck fast in the muddy river bottom. The situation went from bad to worse. 

Local Koreans appeared along the river bank waving long machete-like knives at the strange looking foreign vessel. Then, Pak Kyu Su, the Governor of Pyongyang, initiated attacks against the grounded ship. As the Koreans attempted to board the ship, Americans opened fire. Over the next two weeks, the Americans held off repeated attacks killing twenty Koreans and wounding many others. The Koreans finally succeeded in setting fire to the ship and killed the crew as they came ashore. 

Among the knife wielding Koreans who attacked the General Sherman was a plain peasant named Kim Ung U. He was the father of Kim Bo Hyon, who later had a son named Kim Hyong Jik.He, in turn, was the father of Kim Il Sung. 

Since no crew member survived, the historical account of the General Sherman's fate is incomplete. Accounts vary. One account alleges that the American crew had intended to pillage the tombs of Koryo dynasty kings. Another recounts that the local Koreans allegedly cut up the corpses, pickled them, took them in the interior and set them up as curiosities!

However, Harry Rhodes, the first American missionary to Korea, gave one of the more believable versions of the incident: 

"At Sook-Syum, Preston, the owner of the ship and his Chinese interpreter went ashore and met the governor of Pyongyang and the commander of the garrison. The commander and three of his men went out to visit the ship. The ship's crew asked to see his insignia of office, which had been given to him by the King, and refused to give it back. Then the four men were forced into the ship's long boat and taken up the river. The Koreans on the shore offered a large reward to anyone who would rescue their comrades." 

"A man by the name of Pak Choon Kwun rowed out in a scull to the "long boat" which was having difficulty getting up the rapids . . . The Koreans attempted to jump into the scull. The general and one of his men were saved but the other two were drowned . . . Firing from the ship continued off and on for two weeks, during which time twenty Koreans were killed and a large number wounded." 

"Meanwhile the ship was hopelessly grounded in the mire and the crew began to sue for peace. They sent a man and an interpreter to make apologies to the governor. The men were bound and ordered to send for the rest of the crew if apologies were really meant. But this order was suspected to be a ruse and as soon as a note on paper was sent back, firing from the ship resumed. The Koreans now determined to burn the General Sherman and sent down against the ship a large scow loaded with pine branches of fire, on September 3, 1866. The crew in attempting to escape, jumped into the water and were killed as they came ashore." 

Once ashore, the Reverend Thomas exclaimed “Jesus, Jesus” in Korean and offered his Korean Bible to a Korean man. The man refused. When Thomas knelt to pray, the man cut off Thomas’ head and threw it into the river. The young missionary’s life had been cut short and to what end? 

Thomas’ legacy was not over. The Korean man who killed him was quite convicted in his spirit that he had killed a good man. So, he took the Bible home. The man used the pages of the book to wallpaper his guest house and later became a Christian. In 1891, a full quarter century later, an American visited the area and asked the proprietor about the unique wallpaper in the guest house. The owner told of how, over the years, people had come from far and wide to “read the walls.” In the years that followed, the killer’s nephew graduated from Pyongyang’s Union Christian College and served as part of a team that revised the Korean Bible. The Word had come to Korea at the price of martyr’s blood."

Juche: A Christian Study of North Korea's State Religion


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## Raj (Sep 24, 2007)

This is our Hope and history:

The blood of the martyers.....

Unless a seed dies......


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## Pergamum (Sep 24, 2007)

Thanks Ginny, this was EXACTLY what I was looking for...


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