It’s day 43 and the last of the remaining South Korean hostages are free. I’m thankful but still conflicted.
At what cost is this freedom? Is this what these brave volunteers had in mind?
I’m sure these relief volunteer workers like many who go in the name of Christ go knowing the danger and the consequences. Criticism of recklessness is unfair. They were there to help the poor and the helpless as Christians ought with reckless abandonment. They were there to build a hospital as Christians had done historically. This takes time and careful planning. Then it takes people who are willing to go in sacrificial love. They’re not suicide bombers on a mission to pursue personal significance and glory.
Now, all current Korean missionaries will have to pull out of Afghanistan and cease any future endeavors. What does this mean for other missionaries? Will this embolden the Taliban? Is this their new tactic? What does this mean for Germany? It’s been reported that there was money exchanged as well. So who wins? The Taliban for now.
And the church that commissioned these workers will be charged by the South Korean government for the expense of transporting them home and other related costs. hmmmm. sigh.
I’m left feeling very dissatisfied with these developments. So many questions on my mind. Where’s the US in this? Evangelicals?
According to the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade,
The government will first request compensation for the cost of airfare, the transfer of dead bodies, and expenses for the transportation and medical treatment of the captives.”
And get this…from the Taliban,
The men accompanying the last hostages freed gave an unsigned note to journalists accusing the South Koreans of coming to Afghanistan on a mission to convert the staunchly Islamic country to Christianity.
“They came to our nation to change our faith,” the handwritten note read. “The Afghan people have given their lives for their faith. This is the reason we arrested them.”
abcpastor 
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