3월 학기 초에 최성봉 선교사님이 사역하는 몽골 장로교 신학교에서 개강집회를 인도해 달라는 부탁을 받았었습니다. 하지만 여러 가지 상황으로 가질 못했는데 이번에 선교부에서 몽골을 가게 되어 함께 다녀왔습니다. 월요일 밤에 몽골에 들어가서 목요일 밤에 떠나왔습니다. 화, 수요일에는 하루에 네 차례, 모두 여덟 번의 강의를 하고 왔습니다. 그리고 강의가 끝나면 곧바로 오후 3시부터는 이틀 동안 우리 선교부팀과 합류해서 몽골선교에 대한 보고를 접하는 자리였습니다.
오전에는 강의자로서 오후에는 수강생으로서 모드를 바꾸어가면서 몽골교회를 섬기고 몽골선교에 대한 이해를 넓히는 좋은 기회였습니다. 백은찬 집사님이 선교위원회 방문목적을 소개하고 울산교회 몽골선교 약사(최복만 선교사), 재정지출로 본 울산교회 몽골선교(김순예 선교사), 몽골선교의 동향과 한국인선교사의 역할변화에 대해서(이대학 선교사/몽골장로교신학교장), 몽골현지인 선교사 사역현황과 한국교회의 역할에 대해서(이애리 선교사/성서유니온), 세계선교에 있어서 몽골 교회(이용규/몽골국제대학교 부총장) 등의 좋은 강의가 있었습니다. ‘도대체 울산교회가 어떤 교회며 누가 오길래 이와 같은 쟁쟁한 강사들이 섭외되었는지 궁금하다.’고 할 정도로 좋은 분들이 참여해 주었습니다.
무엇보다도 몽골 고신선교사회가 조직되어서 기뻤습니다. 지도자 훈련은 몽골 YMCA 사역을 하고 있는 오성학 목사님이 맡고, 교회 사역은 최성봉 목사님이 총괄하고 학생신앙운동에서 파송된 차상훈 목사님은 학생신앙운동과 협력선교를 담당하고 각자의 사역에 집중함과 동시에 다른 사람의 사역을 협력하는 아름다움을 보았기 때문입니다. 다른 지역에서는 쉽게 보기 어려운 협력사역의 장은 성령사역의 증거이기 때문에 마음에 큰 감사와 내일에 대한 기대가 큽니다. (김순예 권사님 칠순식사도 수요일저녁에는 가졌고, 최장로님의 안부도 전합니다.)
5월 초순이었는데 몽골은 이제 봄기운이 돌고 싹이 피어나고 있었습니다. 돌아오는 날인 목요일에는 ‘테를지’라는 공원을 다녀왔습니다. 흔치 않는 비가 내리는 가운데 일정대로 ‘테를지’에 가서 점심을 먹고 나니 바람이 불긴 했지만 밝은 햇빛이 내리 비취는 날이기에 그 지역을 잠간 돌아볼 수 있었습니다. 시냇가에는 이제 버들강아지가 물이 오르고 있었고 간간히 땅에는 이름 모를 작은 노란 꽃이 피어 있고, 제비꽃처럼 보라색 꽃이 가끔 보이기도 했지만 여름에 보던 야생화와 에델바이스로 덮인 기억과는 거리가 멀었습니다. 그러나 거기 봄이 오고 있다는 사실이 마치 선교지 몽골의 영적인 상황을 보여주는 것 같았습니다.
At the beginning of the semester in March, I was invited by Missionary Seong-bong Choi to lead the opening revival services at the Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Mongolia. However, due to various circumstances, I was unable to make the trip at that time; but this time, as our mission department was traveling to Mongolia, I went along with them. We arrived in Mongolia on Monday night and departed on Thursday night. On Tuesday and Wednesday, I delivered four lectures each day, making a total of eight lectures. As soon as the lectures concluded, from 3:00 PM onwards over those two days, I joined our mission department team to receive reports on the Mongolian mission field.
Shifting roles—serving as a lecturer in the morning and as an eager student in the afternoon—it was a precious opportunity to serve the Mongolian church and broaden my understanding of missions in Mongolia. Deacon Eun-chan Baek introduced the purpose of the mission committee's visit, followed by enriching presentations: a brief history of Ulsan Church's Mongolian missions (Missionary Bok-man Choi); Ulsan Church's Mongolian missions viewed through financial expenditures (Missionary Soon-ye Kim); current trends in Mongolian missions and the shifting role of Korean missionaries (Missionary Dae-hak Lee, President of the Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Mongolia); the current status of native Mongolian missionaries and the role of the Korean church (Missionary Ae-ri Lee, Scripture Union); and the Mongolian church in world missions (Yong-gyu Lee, Vice President of Mongolia International University). Such distinguished speakers gathered that some even wondered, "What kind of church is Ulsan Church, and who is visiting, that such an eminent lineup of lecturers has been assembled?"
Above all, I was deeply delighted to see the formal organization of the Kosin Mission Fellowship in Mongolia. Pastor Seong-hak Oh, serving with the Mongolia YMCA, oversees leadership training; Pastor Seong-bong Choi directs church ministries; and Pastor Sang-hoon Cha, sent by the Student Christian Movement (SFC), oversees campus ministry and cooperative mission efforts. It was truly beautiful to witness each one focusing on their own calling while harmoniously assisting in one another’s work. Such genuine ministry partnership, so rare in many other places, is unmistakable evidence of the Holy Spirit at work, filling my heart with immense gratitude and high expectations for tomorrow. (We also celebrated Senior Deaconess Soon-ye Kim's 70th birthday dinner on Wednesday evening, and I convey Elder Choi's warm regards as well.)
Although it was early May, Mongolia was only just beginning to feel the warmth of spring, with fresh sprouts timidly breaking through. On Thursday, the day of our return, we visited a national park called 'Terelj.' Despite an unusual rain, we went to Terelj according to schedule. After lunch, though the wind was brisk, the bright sunlight broke through, allowing us to take a short stroll around the area. Along the stream, pussy willows were beginning to swell with fresh sap, and here and there nameless little yellow flowers dotted the ground, alongside occasional violet blooms resembling wild pansies; yet it was still a far cry from my memories of summer, when the fields are carpeted with wild blossoms and edelweiss. Nevertheless, the quiet arrival of spring in that rugged land seemed to vividly reflect the spiritual season of the mission field in Mongolia.
Aan die begin van die semester in Maart is ek deur sendeling Seong-bong Choi gevra om die openingsdienste by die Presbiteriaanse Teologiese Kweekskool in Mongolië te lei. Weens verskeie omstandighede kon ek toe egter nie gaan nie, maar aangesien ons sendingafdeling nou 'n besoek aan Mongolië gebring het, kon ek saam met hulle reis. Ons het Maandagaand in Mongolië aangekom en Donderdagaand weer vertrek. Op Dinsdag en Woensdag het ek vier lesings per dag aangebied—al te saam agt lesings. Sodra die lesings afgehandel was, het ek vanaf 15:00 vir twee dae lank by ons sendingkomitee aangesluit om verslae oor die sendingwerk in Mongolië aan te hoor.
Deur soggens as dosent op te tree en middae as leerder in te skakel, was dit 'n wonderlike geleentheid om die plaaslike Mongoolse kerk te dien en my insig in die Mongoolse sendingveld te verdiep. Diaken Eun-chan Baek het die doel van die sendingkomitee se besoek bekendgestel, waarna verskeie waardevolle lesings gevolg het: 'n kort oorsig van Ulsan Gemeente se sendinggeskiedenis in Mongolië (sendeling Bok-man Choi); Ulsan Gemeente se Mongoolse sending gesien deur finansiële uitgawes (sendeling Soon-ye Kim); die nuutste neigings in die Mongoolse sending en die veranderende rol van Koreaanse sendelinge (sendeling Dae-hak Lee, Rektor van die Presbiteriaanse Teologiese Kweekskool in Mongolië); die huidige stand van inheemse Mongoolse sendelinge en die rol van die Koreaanse kerk (sendeling Ae-ri Lee, Skrifunie); en die rol van die Mongoolse kerk in wêreldwye sending (Yong-gyu Lee, Viserektor van die Internasionale Universiteit van Mongolië). Dit was sprekers van so 'n hoë kaliber dat mense selfs gevra het: "Watse gemeente is Ulsan Gemeente tog, en wie kom kuier dat sulke vooraanstaande sprekers byeengebring kon word?"
Bowenal was ek baie verheug oor die amptelike stigting van die Kosin-sendelinggenootskap in Mongolië. Ds. Seong-hak Oh, wat by die Mongoolse YMCA betrokke is, behartig leierskapsopleiding; ds. Seong-bong Choi koördineer die gemeentelike bediening; en ds. Sang-hoon Cha, wat deur die Studente-Christenbeweging (SFC) uitgestuur is, sien om na kampusbediening en samewerkende sendinginisiatiewe. Dit was waarlik pragtig om te sien hoe elkeen op sy eie roeping fokus en terselfdertyd mekaar se hande met toewyding sterk maak. Hierdie vennootskap in die bediening—iets wat 'n mens nie maklik op ander plekke teëkom nie—is 'n duidelike bewys van die Heilige Gees se werk, en dit vul my hart met groot dankbaarheid en lewendige verwagting vir die toekoms. (Ons het ook Woensdagaand 'n feestelike ete geniet ter viering van senior diakones Soon-ye Kim se sewentigste verjaarsdag, en ek dra graag ouderling Choi se hartlike groete oor.)
Alhoewel dit reeds vroeg in Mei was, het die eerste tekens van die lente skaars in Mongolië begin ontwaak en het die nuwe groen lote pas begin uitspruit. Op Donderdag, die dag van ons vertrek, het ons 'n nasionale park genaamd 'Terelj' besoek. Ten spyte van 'n seldsame reënbui het ons volgens plan na Terelj gegaan, en ná middagete het die helder sonskyn deurgebreek, al was daar 'n fris windjie, sodat ons die omgewing vir 'n wyle kon verken. Langs die stroompie het die wilgerkatjies reeds vol sap begin swel, en hier en daar het klein, naamlose geel blommetjies op die grond verskyn, met enkele pers blomme soos viooltjies wat af en toe hul verskyning gemaak het; tog was dit nog ver verwyder van my somerherinneringe, toe die hele landskap met veldblomme en edelweiss oortrek was. Nietemin het die stil koms van die lente in daardie ruwe landskap soos 'n getroue spieëlbeeld gelyk van die geestelike toestand op die Mongoolse sendingveld.