Mennonite World Review

When the first Christian crematorium is finished in Borabu, Thailand, it will bring peace of mind to members of Living Water Church, who have been concerned about how they will honor their loved ones.

A new crematorium meets a need at Living Water Church in Thailand, where cremation is preferred to honor the dead. — Photo by Mennonite Mission Network

Christians in Thailand, a majority Buddhist nation where cremation is the preferred method of honoring the dead, have had to use Buddhist crematoriums for services.

With financial help from Mennonite Church Canada and Bethesda Mennonite Church in Henderson, Neb., the crematorium, on the grounds of Living Water Church, will enable Christians there to perform those ceremonies for fellow Christians.

Not having a crematorium at the church has prevented believers from performing Christian funeral ceremonies and may even repel potential converts, said Pat Houmphan, whose wife, Rad, is a mission worker jointly supported by MC Canada and Mennonite Mission Network.

Pat Houmphan was also supported by both agencies until recently, when he resigned to focus on a new business ministry initiative in the area. He continues to work closely with Living Water Church.

“If you want to become a Christian, then you get threats and mocking that ‘you won’t be allowed to use our [Buddhist] crematorium,’ ” Houmphan said. “Maybe this is a silly issue for the Westerner to understand, but it has a psychological impact when they hear that. It discourages them from wanting to become Christians.”

Houmphan said that several years ago, a woman who was a member of Living Water Church made it clear that upon her death she wanted a Christian service. However, her relative had to take her body to a crematorium at a Buddhist temple because the church lacked one.

“We didn’t have a chance to do a Christian service in our church,” Houmphan said. “We were able to do a very limited service in her village.”

Building of the crematorium began in February and was expected to be finished by early June, Houmphan said. The final stages involve the construction of a wall with individual compartments for urns. There will be an area to leave flowers.

Living Water Church contributed about 25 percent of the costs and the majority of the labor, but financial and labor support from Mennonites in North America was essential, Houmphan said.

The crematorium will be available to non-Christians as well, Houmphan said.

“We also want to use it for witnessing,” he said. “In the village where we are, they don’t have a Buddhist temple there. We want them to know that they can use our crematorium without problems. We want to show love and care and that we respect the Buddhist faith. We want to have friends and have harmony in the community.”