Crime & Safety

Church Honors Plane Crash Victims Bound For Its Summer Program

The Southern California church held a ceremony in memory of the victims of the crash that injured more than 100 people and killed two 16-year-old girls.

Text and video by Natalie Rivera

On Thursday night, a Southern California church school paid tribute to the plane crash victims, including the two who died, who had been passengers on Asiana Flight 214 as they made their way to West Valley Christian School's summer program for foreign exchange students.

In a prayer vigil, West Valley Christian School honored the memory of the two 16-year-old girls who died and recognized the more than 100 people who were injured in the crash. Thirty seven of the victims, including Ye Mingyuan and Wang Linjia, who died, were on their way to a summer program for foreign exchange students at the West Hills school.

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According to Chuck Carter, a church staff member, the ceremony has been in the works since Sunday. When asked whether the school knew any updates on the surviving victims of the crash, Carter said that, “We don’t. Hopefully we will find out tonight, I know that they are going to go back to China.

There were, however, no actual updates on the surviving victims, but the event still had these victims in mind, especially Ye Mingyuan and Wang Linjia.

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According to WVCS, the two girls were best friends and studied music and gymnastics. The stage had two empty school desks in memory of Mingyuan and Linjia, both desks displayed roses that were later passed out to women in the audience.

Jennifer Snyder, mother of a WVCS middle school student, attended out of respect for the victims and their families. Her daughter assisted by passing out brochures.

“She was really looking forward to meeting the students, the 35 that were coming,” said Snyder. “They were so young; they’ve had exchange students before and they were excited to experience another culture and have them here.”

WVCS teacher Shiela Lampechkun, said that she was on vacation when she learned of the crash and that she thinks the incident was “surreal” and “devastating.”

The hour-long ceremony included performances by the Community/Chinese Christian Alliance and Church and singer Bobbie Candler-Buyalos. Pastor Jim Bell and Father Jeff Fischer led prayers, and a poem was read by WVCS student Abby Salas.

The event also included speakers Eliu Elisara, chairman of West Valley Christian School, Derek Swales, and a message from Congressman Brad Sherman read by John Alford.

The Asiana flight 214 crash occurred Saturday at San Francisco International Airport. There were 300 passengers on board the flight.

WVCS is accepting donations to replace the lost luggage of the surviving passengers. Donations can be made on the school’s website at www.wvcch.org or in person in the front office, 22450 Sherman Way.


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