I went to a Korean funeral today. The grandmother of a girl at my church passed away from cancer yesterday.
Korean funeral homes are different from American ones in perhaps a similar way to how Korean wedding halls are a different wedding experience than a church wedding.
The funeral home offers black 한복 (hanbok, Korean traditional clothing) so you can purchase mourning clothes there. They also have a bunch of low tables where you're served food prepared by the funeral home workers. There are easels with black signs and flowers everywhere. The sons of the deceased wear a special band around their arm.
My church went together and we sang two hymns out of a hymnal, prayed, and listened to the pastor speak briefly.
It reminded me a lot of when my grandmother passed away last year, although the similarities were actually quite small. Even so, I felt a little sad.
On the ride back my cell group leader asked if I had plans for Chuseok, which is like Korean Thanksgiving. He said that if I didn't have plans, I could celebrate Chuseok with his family - which would involve going to his mother's rice paddy and eating with them. I would really like to go, and I appreciate that he invited me. It's not the same as going to my mother's family's Homestead for Thanksgiving, but it's closer than I could have hoped for. I'm really grateful for the people in this church.
Korean funeral homes are different from American ones in perhaps a similar way to how Korean wedding halls are a different wedding experience than a church wedding.
The funeral home offers black 한복 (hanbok, Korean traditional clothing) so you can purchase mourning clothes there. They also have a bunch of low tables where you're served food prepared by the funeral home workers. There are easels with black signs and flowers everywhere. The sons of the deceased wear a special band around their arm.
My church went together and we sang two hymns out of a hymnal, prayed, and listened to the pastor speak briefly.
It reminded me a lot of when my grandmother passed away last year, although the similarities were actually quite small. Even so, I felt a little sad.
On the ride back my cell group leader asked if I had plans for Chuseok, which is like Korean Thanksgiving. He said that if I didn't have plans, I could celebrate Chuseok with his family - which would involve going to his mother's rice paddy and eating with them. I would really like to go, and I appreciate that he invited me. It's not the same as going to my mother's family's Homestead for Thanksgiving, but it's closer than I could have hoped for. I'm really grateful for the people in this church.
