나미비아의 대부분 땅은 비가 내리지 않는 사막지대입니다. 그래서 나미비아라는 말의 어원인 “나미브”라는 말은 “아무 것도 없다”는 뜻이라고 합니다. 난파선의 잔해들만 널린 특정 해안뿐 아니라 그 어느 곳에도 정말 제대로 된 생명체라고는 아무 것도 보이지 않았습니다. 그래서 역설적으로 더 많은 감사를 할 수 있었습니다. 사막 가운데 서 있는 푸른 나무 한 그루에도 감탄하고, 어쩌다가 보이는 노루 한 마리에도 감격하고, 예약도 없이 다니다가 해 질녘에 만나는 숙소에도 세심하신 하나님의 인도를 찬양할 수밖에 없었던 한 주간이었습니다.
선교사님과 한 달이 넘도록 우릴 기다리고 있던 한 가정과 모두 다섯 사람이 남아공 서북쪽의 나미비아 여행을 6박 7일 다녀왔습니다. 그 넓은 땅에 사는 사람들이 적어서인지 “나미비아의 친절”을 맛볼 수 있는 숙소라는 말이 있을 정도로 사람들은 친절했습니다. 차가 도로변의 모래 속에 빠졌을 때도, 카드로 결재한 숙박비 지불에 착오가 생겼을 때도, 시골 마을 구멍가게 주인들도, 해질녘에 숙소를 찾아 해매는 나그네를 도우려고 하던 농장주인도, 사흘을 머문 남샙(Namseb)이라는 숙소의 젊은 부부도 참 친절한 분들이었습니다.
나미비아에 들어선 이틀째 저녁, 우여곡절 끝에 남샙(Namseb)이란 숙소에 도착했을 때는 땅거미가 짙은 시간이었습니다. 짐승을 관찰하기 위해서 의도적으로 마련한 인공샘터에서 목을 축이던 사슴 몇 마리가 방문객의 차량소리에 놀라 도망을 했지만 주인은 환영의 주스를 준비하고 우리를 기다리고 있었습니다. 지평선으로 넘어간 아름다운 석양의 흔적은 숙소에 도착한 우리를 환영하는 하늘의 현수막처럼 보였습니다. “너희는 나의 사랑하는 자녀, 내가 너희를 기뻐하노라”
우리 숙소는 분지로 형성된 엄청 넓은 농장이었고 우리가 바라보는 방향으로는 75킬로에 아무런 불빛도 보이지 않는 곳이었습니다. 어둠이 내린 밤하늘에 쏟아지는 별들을 보면서 우리와 함께 간 선교사님께서 별자리 강의를 시작했습니다. 초승달 아래 보이는 화성, 그리고 달 주위를 둘러싸고 있는 전갈자리, 북반구에서는 볼 수 없는 남십자성, 새벽 한 두 시가 되면 북반구에서도 나타나는 오리온좌, 큰 개, 작은 개, 황소자리 별들을 설명하셨습니다. 우리가 지금 보는 별빛들은 수십억 년 전에 비친 것이라고 하니 하나님의 불변하심이 참으로 놀랍습니다. 태양계, 은하계뿐만 아니라 수천만 개의 은하계와 같은 우주가 펼쳐져 있는 생각하게 하는 밤하늘은 창조주 하나님을 찬양하지 않을 수 없습니다.
Most of Namibia's land is a rainless desert. The root word "Namib," from which Namibia takes its name, is said to mean "nothing." Far beyond specific coastlines strewn only with the wreckage of sunken ships, nowhere could one spot any sign of flourishing life. Paradoxically, this awakened an even deeper sense of gratitude within our hearts. It was a week in which we could not help but marvel at a single green tree enduring in the heart of the desert, be moved to tears by the occasional sight of a solitary deer, and praise God's meticulous guidance whenever we found lodging at dusk without any advance reservations.
Together with a missionary and a family who had been waiting for us for over a month—a group of five in all—we set out on a seven-day, six-night journey through Namibia, located to the northwest of South Africa. Perhaps because so few people dwell in such a vast land, the locals were exceptionally kind, so much so that travelers often speak of experiencing "Namibian hospitality" at every lodge. When our car became bogged down in the roadside sand, when an error arose while settling our lodging bill by credit card, among the shopkeepers of small village stores, from the farmer who went out of his way at dusk to help weary travelers find a place to rest, and in the young couple at the lodge named Namseb where we stayed for three days—everyone we met was truly gracious.
On the evening of our second day in Namibia, after many twists and turns, we arrived at the lodge named Namseb just as deep twilight was falling. A few deer, having quenched their thirst at an artificial watering hole thoughtfully created for watching wildlife, were startled by the sound of our approaching vehicle and darted away; yet the hosts stood waiting for us with glasses of welcoming juice. The lingering glow of the magnificent sunset dipping below the horizon looked just like heaven's banner unfurled to welcome our arrival: "You are my beloved children, in whom I am well pleased."
Our lodge was set on an immense basin farm, where for seventy-five kilometers in the direction we faced, not a single speck of artificial light could be seen. Gazing up at the stars pouring across the darkened night sky, the missionary who accompanied us began an impromptu lecture on the constellations. He pointed out Mars glowing just beneath the crescent moon, Scorpius embracing the moon, the Southern Cross invisible from the northern hemisphere, and Orion, Canis Major, Canis Minor, and Taurus, which would appear in the northern sky around one or two in the morning. Hearing that the starlight we were gazing upon had begun its journey billions of years ago, we were awestruck by God's unchanging faithfulness. Looking up into a night sky that calls to mind not merely the solar system and our Milky Way, but an expanse of tens of millions of galaxies, one cannot help but sing praises to God the Creator.
Die grootste deel van Namibië se grond is 'n reënlose woestyngebied. Die woord "Namib," waaruit die naam Namibië spruit, beteken glo "niks." Nie net langs bepaalde kusgebiede wat slegs met skeepswrakke besaai is nie, maar werklik nêrens was daar enige noemenswaardige tekens van lewe te sien nie. Paradoksaal genoeg het dit ons harte met des te meer dankbaarheid vervul. Dit was 'n week waarin ons eenvoudig moes verwonder oor 'n enkele groen boom wat midde-in die woestyn staan, diep geraak moes wees deur 'n enkele bokkie wat toevallig verskyn, en God se fynste leiding moes loof wanneer ons teen skemertyd sonder enige bespreking 'n heenkome gevind het.
Saam met 'n sendeling en 'n gesin wat al meer as 'n maand op ons gewag het—'n groepie van altesaam vyf mense—het ons 'n reis van sewe dae en ses nagte na Namibië, noordwes van Suid-Afrika, onderneem. Moontlik omdat daar so min mense in daardie onmeetlike land woon, was die mense buitengewoon vriendelik—soveel so dat reisigers gereeld praat van die gasvrye "Namibiese vriendelikheid" wat mens by die blyplekke ervaar. Toe ons motor in die sand langs die pad vasgeval het, toe daar 'n fout met 'n kredietkaartbetaling vir ons verblyf ontstaan het, by die eienaars van klein plattelandse winkeltjies, by die boer wat teen skemertyd sy bes gedoen het om vreemdelinge op soek na verblyf by te staan, en by die jong egpaar van die lodge genaamd Namseb waar ons drie dae vertoef het—almal was waarlik hartlike mense.
Op die aand van ons tweede dag in Namibië, na baie ompaaie en wedervaringe, het ons by die herberg Namseb aangekom net toe die skemerte dig begin toevou. 'n Paar wildsbokke, wat hul dors geles het by 'n kunsmatige watergat wat doelbewus aangelê is om wild te besigtig, het geskrik vir die klank van ons voertuig en weggehardloop, maar die eienaar het reeds met 'n verwelkomingsdrankie op ons gewag. Die laaste gloed van die asemrowende sonsondergang wat agter die horison weggesak het, het gelyk soos 'n hemelse banier wat ons by ons aankoms verwelkom: "Julle is my geliefde kinders, in wie Ek 'n welbehae het."
Ons verblyf was op 'n ontsaglike komvormige plaas geleë, en in die rigting waarin ons gekyk het, was daar vir vyf-en-sewentig kilometer nie 'n enkele liggie te bespeur nie. Terwyl ons opgekyk het na die magdom sterre wat oor die donker naghemel uitgestort was, het die sendeling wat saam met ons gereis het, 'n lesing oor die sterrebeelde begin gee. Hy het gewys op Mars wat onder die sekelmaan skitter, die Skerpioen wat om die maan draai, die Suiderkruis wat onsigbaar is vanaf die noordelike halfrond, en Orion, die Groot Hond, die Klein Hond en die Bul wat eers teen een- of twee-uur die nag in die noordelike hemel sou verskyn. Toe ons hoor dat die sterrelig wat ons nou sien al miljarde jare gelede begin skyn het, het die onveranderlikheid van God ons diep met ontsag vervul. 'n Naghemel wat 'n mens laat nadink oor nie net ons sonnestelsel en Melkweg nie, maar oor 'n heelal met tienmiljoene galaktiese stelsels, kan 'n mens eenvoudig nie anders as om God die Skepper te loof en te prys nie.