Recently, I attended a funeral with a few others from the hangar. The daughter of a long time friend of MAF, Pak Coa, was tragically killed in a motorcycle accident the day before. We left the hangar mid-morning and met at the family's home.
Dealing with death here is certainly different than back home. The body is usually kept in the home before the ceremony and burial.
Below, the procession to the grave side starts as they cary the body from the home to a waiting vehicle. According to their beliefs & customs, the body is only wrapped; no box or coffin is used. The body also has to buried within 24 hours of the time of death.
Below, the family helps with the burial.
After the burial, a ceremony is performed. Pak Coa is the older man (below) in the centre foreground. For 30 plus years he has worked on and off for MAF on a contract basis - fixing homes, building projects at MAF hangars, acting as a night guard, etc. He has personally worked for Amy & I helping fix up our home here and is greatly appreciated by all of us here! Last year, another daughter of his passed away from cancer, leaving a husband and children. Now, he has lost two daughters in a seven month period. I ask that you pray for both Pak Coa and the two family's that have experienced this loss.
