Family Members Pray for Korean Hostages' Release
Tearful family members of South Korean volunteers held hostage by Afghan Taliban rebels prayed for their safe release at their church on Sunday.
Posted: Sunday, July 22, 2007, 10:58 (BST)
Tearful family members of South Korean volunteers held hostage by Afghan Taliban rebels prayed for their safe release at their church on Sunday.
Dozens of people cried as they anxiously watched television at a cafeteria of the Saemmul Church on the outskirts of Seoul for any news of relatives, kidnapped while on an aid mission to Afghanistan.
"My kids went to the war-ravaged country to do volunteer work, carrying love," Seo Jung-bae, 57, whose son and daughter were both taken hostage, told reporters.
"I feel like chopping off my foot for letting you go. I hope you will return to us and the country without a single hair damaged," he said, weeping.
Twenty of the hostages were from the Presbyterian church, mostly in their 20s and 30s and include nurses and English teachers.
Afghan and international forces had launched a joint operation to rescue the 23 Koreans seized by the Taliban on Thursday, the Afghan defence ministry said. It gave no other details.
A Taliban spokesman told Reuters the militants would start killing them if Seoul did not agree to pull its 200 engineers and medics from by 1430 GMT on Sunday and the Afghan government did not release all Taliban prisoners.
The Taliban said on Saturday it killed two German hostages after Berlin refused to yield to demands for it to pull its troops out Afghanistan.
South Korea's Yonhap News Agency said the Korean group had left for Afghanistan on July 13 and were joined by three other South Koreans before being seized in a bus in Ghazni. They had been scheduled to return home on July 27, Yonhap said.
Established in 1998, the church has about 3,800 members. It sends members on short-term aid missions worldwide every summer.
South Korea has an estimated 12,000 Christian missionaries abroad, the second largest after the United States, and who are known for their aggressive evangelistic activities in Muslim countries.
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The comments below are readers' personal opinions and are in no way intended to reflect the editorial opinion of Christian Today.
Added: Thursday, August 2, 2007, 2:15 (BST)
Our Father in Heaven, please bring the korean hostages home and bring them peace and hope. Amen!
Dan, China
Added: Wednesday, August 1, 2007, 22:45 (BST)
I'm praying for them too. Yes, indeed they went on to a risky and dangerous place and many others might ask why they are doing this to land themselves in such situation. But look, these are our courageous brothers and sisters out there carrying the love and sharing it to a country, which is crying out for love. Hence, we should start to pray for their safety, for God's peace to come, for a change in the current situation. I believe our Almighty God will never forsake them, as He promised. I believe the Korean volunteers out there will be protected by the hands of God. Let's just continue to pray for them.
Angelin, Singapore
Added: Wednesday, August 1, 2007, 8:41 (BST)
Dear Heavenly Father just give peace and comfort to them and their families, bring glory to the earth! let everyone see ur love throuh it! i am praying! Jesus make them strong through it, cause u went through it! AMEN.
Nadia, almaty, Kazakhstan
Added: Wednesday, August 1, 2007, 7:23 (BST)
Poland prays for them too.... <><
maya, Poland
Added: Tuesday, July 31, 2007, 16:37 (BST)
It's heartbreaking to see our b/s suffering there. God knows. Let's put our faith in Him.
May the Words of Jesus from Revelation give you comfort:
"I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know..Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life... He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death. "
My deepest prayer & consolation with our b/s in hostage & with their family.
denise, HK
Added: Tuesday, July 31, 2007, 8:57 (BST)
We pray:
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
garbaroli, Manila
Added: Tuesday, July 31, 2007, 6:22 (BST)
Heavenly Father, I pray for the release of the Korean hostages' in Afgan. Even though they walk through the valley of shadow of death, they will fear no evil because you are with them; your rod and your staff comfort them. God, protect them, amen.
ShareGodLove.com, Malaysia
Added: Friday, July 27, 2007, 18:38 (BST)
While I really hope that everyone makes it out, there has to be a point where we ask ourselves if we should think about what we do before we do it. This is a very dangerous place, and the people there have very big problems to deal with, many of which were brought on by events outside their control. To walk into a place like that and not understand it is inviting trouble.
God truly loves us, but he gave us a brain that could give us discernemnt and good judgement. May all come out well and may we then consider our plans and their consequences before we enact them.
Inseob, Seoul
Added: Friday, July 27, 2007, 6:08 (BST)
Father, we pray for the hostages safe return
In Your guiding arms for their spirits to burn
Help themto know that they are not alone
In worship and prayer,please bring them home
May our anger subside and try to understand
Their persecution is under Your mighty plan
We also pray for the hostages' families
That You will bring comfort for such a tragedy
Lord, only You can provide their safe release
Comfort and assurance; Hope and peace!
Argao, Canada
Added: Thursday, July 26, 2007, 8:18 (BST)
Our Father in heaven, please have mercy for our Korean sisters in Afgan, and console members of their families in Korea. Amen. To the families: Though we are apart on earth, our hearts are together in prayers. Many brothers and sisters are praying for you worldwide. You are not alone. Our God is a God of mercy. Have faith in Him!
Eliza, Malaysia
Added: Wednesday, July 25, 2007, 19:35 (BST)
We in malaysia here are praying for them too. May Lord's strength and peace be with their family members at this moment.
lai, rawang, malaysia
Added: Tuesday, July 24, 2007, 1:11 (BST)
I will pray for my brothers and sisters!
they are golifying Father already!
billy, china
Added: Sunday, July 22, 2007, 14:29 (BST)
i pray for them too
robert, america, usa
