이번 여름은 유난히도 바쁘게 지났습니다. ‘비전과 리더십 축제’를 참석하고 토요일 오전 울산으로 내려오면서 마지막으로 필리핀 일을 점검했더니 여러 가지 상황으로 인해 모두 13명의 독신 (여)선교사들이 참석한다는 소식을 듣는 순간 실망스런 느낌을 지울 수가 없었습니다. 다 참석할 것은 기대하지는 않았지만 총회원이 50명에 이른다는 말을 들었기에 그래도 어느 정도는 참석하리라는 생각을 가지고 내가 가질 수 있는 유일한 여름 휴가기간을 포기하고 필리핀에서 사역하는 한국 독신 선교사 수련회를 섬기기로 맘을 먹었는데 13명이라니 시작하기 전에 힘이 빠지는 순간이었습니다.
그러나 그 순간 이번 여름에 몽골에 다녀온 2지구 김동선 집사님이 떠올 랐습니다. 김 집사님은 동생인 김동진 선교사 한 사람을 위해서 그 먼 길을 다녀왔다는 생각을 하자 13명은 결코 작은 숫자가 아니라는 생각을 하게 되었습니다. 문제는 그들 한 사람 한 사람을 어떻게 여기느냐에 달려있다는 생각을 하고 마음을 고쳐먹으니 12명을 위해 3년을 보내신 주님이 생각났고 나도 13명을 위해 한 주간을 기꺼이 드리기로 했습니다.
수련회는 필리핀 팔라완이란 곳에서 18일(화)부터 22일(토) 오전까지 계획되어 있었고 매일 한 차례 이상 말씀을 듣는 시간이 있었습니다. 하지만 24일(월)까지 연장되어서 꼬박 한 주간 수련회를 인도하고 돌아왔습니다. 시간이 지날수록 표정이 밝아오는 선교사님들을 보면서 정말 보람 있는 사역이라는 생각을 했습니다. 특히 우리가 돕고 있는 김자선 선교사님의 경우는 말씀을 이와같이 집중적으로 듣는 기회는 거의 십년이 넘도록 없었다며 기뻐했습니다. 선교지에서 주기만 하는 사역 가운데 말씀을 받을 수 있는 기회가 없으므로 설교테이프 등을 보내주었으면 하는 부탁을 받아 돌아왔습니다. 가면서도 물론 요한계시록 설교 집 첫 권 “일곱교회” 그리고 야고보서 첫 권 “흩어진 열두지파”를 선물로 가지고 갔지만 계속적인 말씀의 공급을 원하고 있었습니다.
독신 선교사님들도 여름휴가를 겸한 수련회였기에 한 두 차례 바다에 나갈 기회가 있었습니다. 특히 혼다 만이라는 곳에서 수경을 끼고 살펴본 산호초 사이의 열대어들은 쉽게 잊힐 수 없는 아름다운 창조의 걸작이었습니다. 놀라운 것은 선교사님들의 뛰어난 적응력입니다. 구명복을 입고도 물에 내려오기를 겁내던 사람들이 나중에는 모두 다 바다 속 구경을 하느라고 돌아갈 생각을 하지 않고 ‘현지적응’에 성공했다는 사실입니다. 이틀밖에 수영할 기회는 없었는데 아열대의 햇살을 따가워 제 피부색갈은 검게 타서 김영철 목사님이 얼마나 기뻐하는지요. 또 하나 기억에 남는 것은 기후 탓인지 아니면 스트레스 때문인지는 모르지만 선교사님들은 위대(?)했습니다. 얼마나 줄기차게 먹어대는지요? 하지만 잘 먹는 사람은 일도 잘한다는 옛말을 떠올리며 든든한 마음으로 귀국했습니다. 여러분도 선교지 가운데 가장 오지에서 열심히 일하는 독신 여선교사님들을 위해서 기도에 힘을 합해 주시기를 바랍니다.
This summer has passed by exceptionally busy. Returning to Ulsan on Saturday morning after attending the 'Vision and Leadership Festival,' I made a final check on the arrangements for the Philippines. When I heard that, due to various circumstances, only thirteen single (women) missionaries would be attending, I could not hide my initial disappointment. While I hadn't expected everyone to make it, knowing that the fellowship had around fifty members led me to hope for a fairly good turnout. I had given up my only summer vacation window to serve at this retreat for Korean single missionaries laboring in the Philippines; hearing the number thirteen felt rather disheartening before we had even begun.
Yet at that very moment, Deacon Dong-seon Kim of District 2, who recently visited Mongolia this summer, came to mind. When I realized that Deacon Kim had traveled all that distance solely for the sake of one person—his younger brother, Missionary Dong-jin Kim—it struck me that thirteen was by no means a small number. Realizing that the real issue lay in how I valued each individual soul, my perspective shifted. I remembered our Lord, who dedicated three whole years to just twelve disciples, and I resolved to gladly offer an entire week for these thirteen.
The retreat was scheduled in Palawan, Philippines, from Tuesday the 18th until Saturday morning the 22nd, with daily sessions to sit under the Word of God. The retreat ended up being extended until Monday the 24th, so I led the retreat for a full week before returning home. Seeing the missionaries' faces brighten as the days went by, I knew deep down that this was truly a worthwhile ministry. Missionary Ja-seon Kim, whom our church supports, was especially delighted, sharing that she had not had an opportunity to listen to the Word so intensively in over a decade. In the mission field, where ministry constantly demands giving out without many chances to receive spiritual nourishment, she requested that we send sermon tapes and materials. Though I had brought along copies of my sermon collections—the first volume on Revelation, The Seven Churches, and the first volume on James, The Twelve Scattered Tribes—as gifts, she deeply yearned for a continual supply of the Word.
Since this retreat also served as a summer break for these single missionaries, we had one or two opportunities to go out to the sea. In particular, snorkeling with goggles at Honda Bay among the coral reefs and tropical fish was an unforgettable encounter with the beauty of God's masterpiece of creation. What amazed me was their remarkable adaptability. At first, even while wearing life vests, they were terrified of stepping into the water; yet soon enough, everyone was so captivated by the underwater scenery that no one wanted to head back—they had successfully 'adapted to the field.' We only had two days to swim, but under the blazing subtropical sun, my skin turned quite dark, to the great amusement and delight of Pastor Young-chul Kim. Another memorable impression—whether due to the tropical climate or lingering stress—was their truly 'formidable' appetite! How heartily and steadily they ate! Still, recalling the old saying that those who eat well also work well, I returned home with a warm and encouraged heart. I sincerely ask you all to join your hearts in prayer for these single women missionaries who labor so faithfully in the most remote corners of the mission field.
Hierdie somer het buitengewoon besig verloop. Nadat ek die 'Visie- en Leierskapfees' bygewoon het en Saterdagoggend na Ulsan teruggery het, het ek die laaste reëlings vir die Filippyne nagegaan. Toe ek verneem dat daar weens verskeie omstandighede altesaam slegs dertien enkellopende (vroue)sendelinge sou wees, kon ek 'n gevoel van teleurstelling skaars verberg. Ek het weliswaar nie verwag dat almal sou opdaag nie, maar aangesien die vereniging sowat vyftig lede tel, het ek darem op 'n goeie opkoms gehoop. Ek het immers my enigste somervakansie prysgegee om hierdie kamp vir Koreaanse enkellopende sendelinge in die Filippyne te gaan bedien; om te hoor dat daar net dertien sou wees, was 'n demper voordat ons eers begin het.
Maar presies op daardie oomblik het diaken Dong-seon Kim van Wyk 2, wat vroeër die somer Mongolië besoek het, by my opgekom. Toe ek besef dat diaken Kim daardie verre reis onderneem het vir net een enkele mens—sy jonger broer, sendeling Dong-jin Kim—het ek besef dat dertien geensins 'n klein getal is nie. Dit gaan immers daaroor hoe kosbaar jy elke individuele siel ag. Met hierdie nuwe gesindheid het ek gedink aan ons Here, wat drie jaar lank aan net twaalf manne gewy het, en ek het besluit om met 'n gewillige hart 'n hele week vir hierdie dertien af te sonder.
Die kamp was beplan op 'n plek genaamd Palawan in die Filippyne, vanaf Dinsdag die 18de tot Saterdagoggend die 22ste, met daaglikse geleenthede om onder die Woord van God te sit. Dit is egter verleng tot Maandag die 24ste, en so het ek 'n volle week lank die kamp gelei voordat ek teruggekeer het. Namate die dae verbygegaan het en die sendelinge se gesigte al hoe helderder geword het, het ek diep besef hoe kosbaar en sinvol hierdie bediening was. Veral sendeling Ja-seon Kim, wat deur ons gemeente ondersteun word, was oorstelp van vreugde; sy het genoem dat sy in meer as tien jaar nie die geleentheid gehad het om die Woord so intensief in te neem nie. Aangesien 'n mens op die sendingveld voortdurend net uitdeel sonder om baie geleenthede te hê om geestelik gevoed te word, het sy gevra of ons vir haar preekbande en materiaal kan stuur. Al het ek preekbundels saamgeneem as geskenke—die eerste deel oor Openbaring, Die Sewe Gemeentes, en die eerste deel oor Jakobus, Die Twaalf Verspreide Stamme—het sy bly smag na 'n volgehoue toevoer van God se Woord.
Aangesien die kamp vir hierdie enkellopende sendelinge ook as somervakansie gedien het, was daar een of twee geleenthede om na die see toe te gaan. Veral toe ons met duikbrille by Hondabaai tussen die koraalriwwe en tropiese visse geswem het, was dit 'n onvergeetlike aanskouing van God se manjifieke skepping. Wat my werklik verstom het, was die sendelinge se uitsonderlike aanpassingsvermoë. Aanvanklik was hulle selfs met reddingsbaadjies aan te bang om in die water te klim, maar naderhand was almal so meegevoer deur die onderwaterwêreld dat niemand wou terugkeer nie—hulle het waarlik 'suksesvol by die veld aangepas.' Ons het net twee dae gehad om te swem, maar die subtropiese son het so fel gebrand dat my vel heeltemal donker gebrand het, tot groot vermaak en vreugde van pastoor Young-chul Kim. Nog iets wat my bybly—of dit nou aan die klimaat of die spanning te wyte was—is dat hierdie sendelinge werklik 'n 'gedugte' eetlus gehad het! Hoe heerlik en aanhoudend het hulle nie geëet nie! Tog, met die ou spreekwoord in gedagte dat iemand wat goed eet ook hard werk, het ek met 'n geruste en bemoedigde hart huis toe gekeer. Mag elkeen van u ook getrou saamstaan in gebed vir hierdie enkellopende vrouesendelinge wat met soveel toewyding in die mees afgeleë uithoeke van die sendingveld arbei.