Bodies of Myles Munroe, Wife and Crash Victims Returned Home; Family, Friends Get Ready for Burial
The bodies of renowned evangelical pastor and motivational speaker, Myles Munroe, his wife, Ruth, and three of seven other persons who died with them in a fiery jet crash in Freeport, Bahamas, two Sundays ago were returned home to family and friends in the island's capital of New Providence Monday in preparation for multiple memorials in upcoming weeks.
Since his untimely death on Sunday, Nov. 9, the life of Munroe, a globally recognized Christian leader, has been celebrated in memorial services across the world.
The biggest memorial, however, will take place in the place where Munroe's life began — the Bahamas.
The life of Munroe and his wife are scheduled to be celebrated at a national memorial planned for Wednesday, Dec. 3 at the 15,000-seat Thomas Robinson Stadium in the Bahamas. Munroe's Bahamas Faith Ministries will then hold an official funeral service for the couple a day later on Thursday, Dec. 4 at the church's International Diplomat Center on Carmichael Road in Nassau, Bahamas.
Getting their bodies back from Freeport where they perished, was the first step in getting the memorial started, explained Bahamas Faith Ministries spokesman Kevin Harris in an interview with The Christian Post Wednesday.
The bodies of senior vice president and fellowship pastor of Bahamas Faith Ministries Richard Pinder, and pilots Captain Stanley Thurston and First Officer Frahkan Cooper were also returned Monday, according to a press statement issued by the church.
"The families were present, we had a service, a small service under the airport hangar. There was no viewing of the bodies, they came draped in the Bahamian flag colors … they were loaded into hearses and transported to funeral homes," said Harris of the reception.
A photo from the reception of the bodies shows three hearses caught in procession as supporters raised Bahamian flags and gawked with somber expressions.
Harris explained that a team from the church and other national officials will be meeting late Wednesday night to determine how long the national memorial for Munroe and his wife will last and what format it will take.
As for how Munroe's children are doing in the aftermath of the tragedy, Harris said: "I can say from having to be with them, they are very strong. Of course it's a difficult period for them having lost both parents. Their faith is unmoved. ... [They are trusting] "God will reveal himself."