What is your Hope?

Touched down in YG on Sunday. Immediately went to my lawyer friend's house. I learned that a friend of ours father had passed away the day before. My friend is a new believer and this past Christmas was his families first ever celebration of this Christian Holiday. We had met his father only a few times but never really got to share the beautiful news with him. He died without knowing Christ.
This was my first Buddhist funeral. After some time at the home we walked in a procession of mourners while someone struck a bell. When we arrived at the crematorium I was amazed at the lack of ceremony. There was a monk present but no ceremony! The body was laid for display with much weeping and crying. However there was absolutely no words of hope or songs sung in remembrance of this poor man's acheivements or anything about his life.

It is amazing to note that in funerals in "Christian" countries where the attendees are obviously not believers in Christ there STILL is a mentioning of some hope in the afterlife. Songs are sung with the hope that the loved ones will be seen again. Words of encouragement are spoken over the deceased. But not in a Buddhist Funeral in Buddhist countries. "Work while there still is daylight, for night is coming when no man can work" "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Beg the Lord of the Harvest to thrust forth laborers into the Harvest field!" Matt 9:38