blogger erased my entry AGAIN. but i was smart this time. hehe... i copied it on word before i posted it. ;-) so here is the entry i wrote last night:
i'm back. d'ya miss me? :-)
what to write what to write... should i write about the retreat and how it led me to change my perspective on building community through strong relationships? or about the 11911 fellowship and how the faithful brothers amazingly recited scripture passages? hmm... or the delicious dinner that pastor iggi treated the worship team to (thank you pastor iggi and samonim!)? oh and how jordan's dancing in his pj's brightened my day!
nah... i'll just write about whatever. tonight, i had a nice long talk with makster, R.N. (hehe) i haven't talked to her in so long, i feel like i did all the talking. thanks maks, you're a blessing, but next time, let me do the listening, ok?
yesterday, i saw a chilling documentary video on the recent subway incident in daegu, korea. i feel as if i held my breath during the entire documentary. for those of you who don't know, several months ago, during a normal morning when most people were on their way to work, a subway train full of almost 200 people caught on fire. some people were able to escape when the doors opened at a stop, but due to the doors that closed shortly after and never opened again, most were left to burn to ashes.
i heard the voice of the girl who called 119 on her cell phone inside the train while the black smoke from the fire was starting to choke her. there was an indescribable horror in her voice that cried out for them to hurry because the doors aren't opening. one man who survived took a couple pictures inside the train where the smoke was starting to fill the air. yet surprisingly, the passengers were sitting calmly in their seats, just watching the smoke. when questioned about this, the man answered that there was an announcement through the intercom that the train will soon operate as planned. while they could've escaped when the doors opened, assured by this announcement, passengers sat and waited even after the smoke was visible. of course, the train did not start its operation again.
there are two questions: what caused the fire, and why didn't the doors open for the passengers to escape? after much investigation, it was found that a severely depressed man who has attempted suicide in the past intentionally lit with a lighter a small fuel box that he hid in his bag. the most viable explanation to this cruel act was said to be that this crazy man wanted to die, but he didn't want to die alone. about why the doors didn't open, it was a simple mistake of the driver of the train. he must've thought he had opened all the doors before he ran out, but he didn't even look behind to see that there were people trapped and screaming inside. when the destroyed train was later showed inside and out, i felt tears streaming down my face at the horrifying picture of people screaming and using all their strength to open the closed doors while their bodies were burning away.
the documentary went on to show the footage of the rescuing of the people out of the underground and the families that were nervously and frantically looking for their loved ones. it later became known that many who were trapped inside the train in the fire made their last phone calls to their families screaming that they can't get out. i can't even imagine the trauma that this would've caused those family members who heard their daughters, sons, wives, husbands, mothers, and fathers cry out for help. it went on to show those were taken to the hospitals to check the identities of those who died (those who were lucky enough to be identified). one girl, as soon as she walked in the room, immediately identified her dead mother laying under white sheets and fell to the ground screaming and crying uncontrollably. one father, silently crying, stood next to his dead daughter who was on her way to work that morning. it was her first day, he said. he told the camera how happy he was to see his daughter so excited about her first job. one mother tried continuously to breathe life into her daughter's cold mouth in disbelief of her death. one mother, in her weakened mental health, even believed that her son would come back to her.
after the documentary was over, i started to worry because it was almost 9 o'clock at night, and my mom still hadn't come home. i was worried that i would never have the chance to see or talk to her ever again. believe me, i was the happiest kid when my mom walked in half an hour later. then i had the scariest realization that really, i never know if and when this will happen to me. if i saw my mom lying dead under white sheets, i knew i would be just like the girl who screamed and cried like there was no tomorrow. but i thought to myself, no. because i have this faith in eternal life, this gift of God, i can rest assured and let my mom go. why should i be so scared? i felt sympathy for those individuals who never got the chance to establish this assurance and peace that come only from God.
then i thought about my dad. who does not yet know the grace of the almighty God and has not yet experienced the love of Christ Jesus, the Son of the living God. he will be my prayer forever if that is what it takes for him to be changed. i believe firmly with all my heart that the day will come. i know it. can you pray with me so that that day worthy of endless celebration will come sooner?
i'm back. d'ya miss me? :-)
what to write what to write... should i write about the retreat and how it led me to change my perspective on building community through strong relationships? or about the 11911 fellowship and how the faithful brothers amazingly recited scripture passages? hmm... or the delicious dinner that pastor iggi treated the worship team to (thank you pastor iggi and samonim!)? oh and how jordan's dancing in his pj's brightened my day!
nah... i'll just write about whatever. tonight, i had a nice long talk with makster, R.N. (hehe) i haven't talked to her in so long, i feel like i did all the talking. thanks maks, you're a blessing, but next time, let me do the listening, ok?
yesterday, i saw a chilling documentary video on the recent subway incident in daegu, korea. i feel as if i held my breath during the entire documentary. for those of you who don't know, several months ago, during a normal morning when most people were on their way to work, a subway train full of almost 200 people caught on fire. some people were able to escape when the doors opened at a stop, but due to the doors that closed shortly after and never opened again, most were left to burn to ashes.
i heard the voice of the girl who called 119 on her cell phone inside the train while the black smoke from the fire was starting to choke her. there was an indescribable horror in her voice that cried out for them to hurry because the doors aren't opening. one man who survived took a couple pictures inside the train where the smoke was starting to fill the air. yet surprisingly, the passengers were sitting calmly in their seats, just watching the smoke. when questioned about this, the man answered that there was an announcement through the intercom that the train will soon operate as planned. while they could've escaped when the doors opened, assured by this announcement, passengers sat and waited even after the smoke was visible. of course, the train did not start its operation again.
there are two questions: what caused the fire, and why didn't the doors open for the passengers to escape? after much investigation, it was found that a severely depressed man who has attempted suicide in the past intentionally lit with a lighter a small fuel box that he hid in his bag. the most viable explanation to this cruel act was said to be that this crazy man wanted to die, but he didn't want to die alone. about why the doors didn't open, it was a simple mistake of the driver of the train. he must've thought he had opened all the doors before he ran out, but he didn't even look behind to see that there were people trapped and screaming inside. when the destroyed train was later showed inside and out, i felt tears streaming down my face at the horrifying picture of people screaming and using all their strength to open the closed doors while their bodies were burning away.
the documentary went on to show the footage of the rescuing of the people out of the underground and the families that were nervously and frantically looking for their loved ones. it later became known that many who were trapped inside the train in the fire made their last phone calls to their families screaming that they can't get out. i can't even imagine the trauma that this would've caused those family members who heard their daughters, sons, wives, husbands, mothers, and fathers cry out for help. it went on to show those were taken to the hospitals to check the identities of those who died (those who were lucky enough to be identified). one girl, as soon as she walked in the room, immediately identified her dead mother laying under white sheets and fell to the ground screaming and crying uncontrollably. one father, silently crying, stood next to his dead daughter who was on her way to work that morning. it was her first day, he said. he told the camera how happy he was to see his daughter so excited about her first job. one mother tried continuously to breathe life into her daughter's cold mouth in disbelief of her death. one mother, in her weakened mental health, even believed that her son would come back to her.
after the documentary was over, i started to worry because it was almost 9 o'clock at night, and my mom still hadn't come home. i was worried that i would never have the chance to see or talk to her ever again. believe me, i was the happiest kid when my mom walked in half an hour later. then i had the scariest realization that really, i never know if and when this will happen to me. if i saw my mom lying dead under white sheets, i knew i would be just like the girl who screamed and cried like there was no tomorrow. but i thought to myself, no. because i have this faith in eternal life, this gift of God, i can rest assured and let my mom go. why should i be so scared? i felt sympathy for those individuals who never got the chance to establish this assurance and peace that come only from God.
then i thought about my dad. who does not yet know the grace of the almighty God and has not yet experienced the love of Christ Jesus, the Son of the living God. he will be my prayer forever if that is what it takes for him to be changed. i believe firmly with all my heart that the day will come. i know it. can you pray with me so that that day worthy of endless celebration will come sooner?
posted by Jung Eun Son at 12:08 PM
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