Korean Missionary Family Killed in Cambodian Car Accident (a reflection)

I happened to pass by the First Methodist Church in Phnom Penh while scouting for a house yesterday afternoon. The parking is filled with cars and one of the cars belongs to someone I know. Earlier in the afternoon, just after lunch, I read email from Hope International School about the tragic accident where a Korean missionary family got killed. I thought, there must be a funeral or wake service for the family in this church. Without hesitation I entered the church and stood by the door since the church is fully packed.  I stood beside one of the teachers at Hope. The service was in Korean language and I understood nothing, but the language of tears is clear and I could have not understood it better. It wasn't tears of joy but tears of sorrows and grief.  The atmosphere was filled with sorrow and sadness. I don't know the family personally, but I've seen them many times at Hope International School, where my daughter also attends. My daughter is actually a friend to the two children that have been killed. Not one, not two but four funeral flowers lined up at the stage. I couldn't see whether or not there are coffins lined up. Both father and mother and two of their children got killed. The other two survived, the eldest and the youngest, but severely wounded. 

Bang Family Photo posted on the gate of Hope International School. The two girls on dad's lap survive

In reflection of the family's tragic deaths, I can't help but think about heaven, eternity, and God's existence.  The reality of mortality has caught my imagination instantly. As I stood there, my mind was busy working. I thought there was a special protection for Christians, especially missionaries who obeyed the call to take the gospel to foreign land, but I guess none. I can't help but wonder how to answer the "Why" question. Is this really their time to go? Is this how they will go to heaven--a tragic death? But wait, how can I say it's their time to go since the family were on their way to Siemreap to set up a new home and ministry? They spent two and a half years in Phnom penh studying the Khmer language so that they can share the gospel effectively to the Cambodian people. What will happen to the two children left behind? Who will take care of them? These missionaries are full of hope, dreams, ministry plans, and vigor yet in just a split second, they slipped into eternity, with their two children.  I'm pretty sure, not one of them planned to die this way. At that moment, I thought about stories of people miraculously escaping death. Then I thought about angelic beings who could have provided protection. 

One thing is certain, no one knows when death calls home. Christians and non-Christians alike, death may happens at any moment. Every time I heard a tragic death of people in ministry I can't help but tell myself, I don't know how to explain this. As I think about myself and my future death, I thought of George Whitefield famous quote, "We are immortal until our work on earth is done." 

It's pretty easy to say, "God is sovereign; He never makes mistakes." It's also easy to blame and question God when tragedy strikes. We may also blame ourselves and others. We may even try to find answers or resign to oblivion. Yet, no matter how one may tries to explain the tragic death of those in ministry, no one can  explain it adequately and satisfactorily. 

Relate Link Korean Missionary Family Killed in Car Crash
Related Post Will God Make a Way Where there Seems to be No Way?

Belief in the Existence of God and/or the Existence of the Afterlife

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It is one thing to believe in the existence of God and it is another to believe in the reality of the afterlife. Not because one believes in God doesn't mean that his belief automatically translate to a belief in the existence of the afterlife-heaven and hell. One should think that there should never be a polarization of a belief in God's existence and a belief in heaven or hell. Yet, a notorious atheist who claimed he believed in God’s existence made the distinction clear. 

As I was reading a book There is a God: How the world’s most notorious atheist changed his mind by Antony Flew, I was shocked by the claimed he made. Flew was 81 years old when he accepted the belief in the existence of God. He was a philosopher and a professional atheist. In fact, his works have been reprinted, and his teachings have dominated the 21^st century atheism. For him to declare that he now believed in God is a big blow to atheism. Nevertheless, many atheists do not believe that Flew truly changed his mind about God's existence. Those in the atheism camp criticized Flew’s confession merely the result of an old age or the inevitable effect of senility. Others think that this nearing death scenario and the anticipation that he will eventually meet his Creator made him change his thoughts. 

Although Flew confessed that there must be an intelligent designer of the universe, he denied the existence of the afterlife, the Bible-special revelation, and the other arguments on the existence of God. In short, he is not a Christian according to our definition of the term. He does not believe that God intervenes in the affair of people, and that he believes only in God's existence based on the argument that there must be intelligent designer of the universe, but does not believe the Bible and other doctrine we Christians believe. 

Not because you believe that there is God doesn't mean you also believe that there is heaven and hell. Is there really heaven and hell? What if there is no heaven and there’s no hell? But what if there is really a hell?

Those who believe in the Bible should also believe that there is life after death; not everyone does. Even evangelical Christians who believe the Bible define hell differently. The traditional teaching that hell is a literal and an everlasting fire of torment is being challenged by younger thinkers, even in the evangelical camp. 

Does it matter if one believes in hell or not? For others, it does matter. As a matter of fact, many people became Christians as a result of selfish desire to escape hell and gain the eternal bliss of heaven. It does matter to those who are passionate about evangelism and soul-winning; the thought about eternal fire in hell fuels their passion reach one more for Jesus.   

Fortunately, many of those who believe in God and the afterlife live their life day-after-day as if God and afterlife do not exist!