In Memory of Van Duh

Mr. Van Duh, the oldest son of Mr. Ram Ling le Mrs. Phir Zing of Thau village, Chin State, Myanmar passed away on September 13, 2014 at 7:00 Pm local time at the Waxner Medical Center at the Ohio State University. He was the first Chin who died in Ohio and in Columbus. He was also the first Thau villager who died the USA. He was a member of Emmanuel Chin Baptist Church, Columbus, Ohio where I am a church pastor.


          Van Duh

Van Duh suffered a lot. He had a very difficult life. His life had been up and down for years. I sincerely believe that his death is a relief from the suffering of his body and mind. Now he is free from pain and worry. He should not be afraid any more to go to hospital or clinic. He is in peace now. I sincerely believe that he is saved through the grace of God because God is a gracious God and God can forgive all our sins whether small or large. Grace is always greater than our sin (Roman 5:20-21).

This is why the believer Daniel B. Towner composed the song, "Grace Greater than our sin" since Grace is always Greater than our Sin (ZBC No. 209). Grace of God is my only hope for salvation through faith in Christ.

Van Duh was born at Thau village, near the border of India and Burma. They moved to Haikhawl village, Kalaymyo township, when he was young. He grew up in that village. He has (5) siblings and one of them, Mrs. Tin Hawi, lives in Columbus, Ohio. She is also a refugee. She just arrived in Columbus last month and lost a brother. It is very hard for her in a new country. Our condolences, sympathy and prayer go with her, her parents, siblings and all relatives abroad and in Myanmar.


    The beautiful chapel where we had a funeral service

Van Duh was buried at Sunset Cemetery, 6959 W, Broad St, Columbus, Oh 43119. The cemetery is very beautiful. The landscaping is very nice. The surrounding areas of the cemetery is superb. It is near the famous Old National Rd (40). Road 40 is one of the most beautiful roads I have ever found in the USA. It is a very straight road. It looks like drawing a straight line on the paper.

There are several cemeteries to choose for the grave site for Van Duh but we chose Sunset Cemetery because the location is perfect for our community for burial. Death comes earlier or later in any times and any places. I wish to bury all of my community here in Sunset Cemetery because I wish my community to be together when we are alive and to be buried in the same place when we died. This is why we chose this location for our eternal resting place for our physical body.


       Van Duh was buried in this beautiful cemetery

I want myself to be buried here too no matter wherever I died in the USA since I am their first pastor of the Emmanuel Chin Baptist Church here in Columbus. This is my final wish. I also wish all of my children to live in Columbus, Ohio and lead and help our Chin people in Columbus for many more years to come.

Around 350 people attended the funeral service of Van Duh and it was a bitter-sweet day for us. God glorified him in many ways because many people from Dallas, North Carolina, Washington D.C, Buffalo,  Indianapolis, Cincinnati-Kentucky areas, Grand Rapids, Battle Creek, Atlanta and Kansas City came to his funeral service.

I performed the final grave side service for the body of Van Duh with tears with my good fried Rev. Hrang Kap, Rev. Dr. Tung Za Pau and Rev. Thang Pau. It was a sad day but we have a great joy in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, it is a glorification day for Van Duh because it was more than a funeral service and was a celebration of his life, death and his glorification by many relatives and friends in the name of our Lord who promised us to be with him in heaven.


                      Beautiful Cemetery

Yes, my dear church member, Van Duh, was gone but I will always remember him as a person who could always smiles even with all the pains that he bore. He is in fact a very lovely person. He has a very good heart. We brought him to ER and clinics many places and he had so many unpleasant situations in his life time. He is in peace now because this world is not his permanent home. He is now in his permanent home that Jesus promised us. Now, he was finally brought to his eternal home by the grace of God.

In fact, our faith is not only for this world but for our eternal home. I hope and believe that we will meet him again in when we get to our eternal home some day. This is my faith and hope as a minister. Grace will save us and bring us to our eternal home.

"Here we do not have enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come" (Heb.13:14)