On July 13, a group of 23 people, 18 women and 5 men left South Korea bound for Afghanistan on a humanitarian medical aid mission. The group was sent out from the Saemmul Community Church in Bundang, just south of the South Korean capital of Seoul. They were led by 42 year old Rev. Bae Hyung-kyu, the Youth Pastor at Saemmul.
The group was kidnapped last week by members of the Taliban, the radical Islamic fundamentalist group that ruled Afghanistan with an iron fist before they were toppled in the early days of the War on Terror. For the last six days, the Taliban, through their "press spokesman" has issued threats to kill the hostages if the Afghan government did not release 23 Taliban prisoners currently being held. Three deadlines have come and gone and negotiations were characterized as "positive." Thousands of people have taken to the streets in South Korea joining together in massive candlelight prayer vigils.
Today Rev. Hyung-kyu's bullet-riddled body was found in the Ghazni province south of Kabul. He had been shot ten times in the head, chest and stomach.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Kyu's family, the church family at Saemmul Church and all our brothers and sisters in South Korea. We are praying for the safety of the remaining 22 hostages.
We've grown accustomed to stories of unspeakable cruelty done nominally in the name of God - beheadings, bombings, maimings, so-called "honor killings." The cold-blooded murder of a man who came halfway around the world solely to provide food and medical attention to the Afghan people who are caught in the crossfire of the war is an unspeakable act of barbarism.
The first reaction is anger, closely followed by a burning desire for retribution. Then comes the realization that Bae Hyung-kyu gave his life being Jesus to the Afghan people. He died serving, in some cases, the very people who pumped ten bullets into his body. He knew the dangers of going to Afghanistan but he went anyway. He counted the cost and followed the leading of the Holy Spirit to bring light to a very dark place.
In the years to come, the story of Bae Hyung-kyu should be told along with that of Jim Elliot, Ed McCully, Roger Youderian, Peter Fleming, Nate Saint, and thousands of others who have lost their lives while attempting to serve others in the name of Jesus.
"He is not a fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." Jim Elliot, 1949
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