Prayer Vigil at West Valley Christian School Honors Victims of Asiana Plane Crash

Text and video by Natalie Rivera

Update: Third Victim Dies From Crash Injuries

West Valley Christian School held a prayer vigil Thursday in memory of the victims of the Asiana flight 214 crash that injured more than 100 people and killed two 16-year-old girls.

Thirty seven of the victims, including the two girls who died, were on their way to a summer program for foreign exchange students at the West Hills school.

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 the two 16-year-old girls that were killed, Ye Mingyuan and Wang Linjia.

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.