이번에 33명의 성도들이 기독교 유적지 터키를 잘 다녀왔습니다. 지난 16일(월) 밤에 출국해서 26일(목) 오후에 귀국했습니다. 사실 우리는 터키와의 인연이 깊습니다. 터키하면 ‘형제의 나라’라고 알려져 있는데, 왜 그렇게 불리냐고 하면 많은 사람들은 6.25 동란에 참전해서 피를 흘린 것을 떠올립니다. 하지만 잘 생각해 보면 참전 16개국 가운데 어떤 나라도 참전으로 인해서 그렇게 부르진 않는다는 사실이 우리의 생각이 잘못된 것임을 입증합니다. 그보다는 훨씬 이전에 실제로 피가 섞인 적이 있는 역사적 사실에 기인한다는 것을 이번에 알게 되었습니다. 그래서 2002년에 터키 응원을 그처럼 열심히 했나 봅니다.
개인적으로는 첫 번째 방문은 10여 년 전에 터키에 큰 지진이 났을 때 한국교회가 이재민을 위해서 104채의 집을 지어주고 전달식을 할 때였습니다. 남서울 은혜교회 홍정길 목사님과 함께 그 행사에 참여하러 갔다가 건물 준공식이 미뤄지는 바람에 뜻하지 않은 한 주간의 터키여행을 하게 되었습니다. 이스탄불에서 보스포러스 해협을 건너 트로이, 드로 와, 앗소, 에베소를 비롯한 일곱 교회가 있던 지역들, 그리고 멀리 바울의 고향 다소에까지 다녀오면서 터키에 있는 기독교 유적의 소중함을 알게 되었습니다.
두 번째는 오래전부터 복음주의 목회연구원이란 이름으로 사귀어온 친구 목회자들과 함께 다녀왔습니다. 그 가운데 고신에 속한 목사들은 대구 명덕교회 장희종, 분당샘물교회 박은조, 향상교회 정주채 목사 등이 있고, 일산은혜교회 강경민, 한우리교회 이문식, 요즈음 텔레비전을 통해 만날 수 있는 우리들교회 김양재 목사님 등이 그때 함께 다녀왔습니다. 그때는 트로이나 드로아, 다소 등지는 다녀오지 못했지만 대신 요한이 유배되었던 밧모섬과 그리스의 아테네 등지를 다녀왔습니다. 물론 그때는 어디로 가느냐 보다 누구와 함께 가느냐 하는 것이 더 중요했습니다.
이번 여행도 어디냐 보다 누구와 함께 가느냐가 더 중요한 주제였습니다. 울산교회 성도들과 함께 하는 여행이었기에 특별한 의미가 있었습니다. 물론 지난 번 이스라엘 여행을 할 때 의논했던 분들이 3명 말고는 다 함께 갈 수 없어서 아쉽긴 했지만 제게는 약속을 지킨 여행이었습니다. 터키 기독교 유적지 여행은 언제나 옛 콘스탄티노플, 지금의 이스탄불에서 시작하는 것은 변하지 아니했습니다. 달라진 것은 비행기로 산 우르파로 날아가서 독신으로 사역을 하는 강현아 님을 만나고 아브라함이 잠깐 머문 땅 하란이 여정에 포함된 것입니다. 다채롭고 이채로운 나라이기도 하고, 정말 기묘한 갑바도기아 지형도 기억에 남지만, 신앙을 지키기 위해 지하 동굴 수 백 미터를 파고 살았던 분들의 흔적은 항상 감동이었습니다.
Thirty-three members of our congregation recently completed a meaningful journey through the Christian heritage sites of Turkey. We departed on the night of Monday the 16th and safely returned on the afternoon of Thursday the 26th. In truth, our bond with Turkey runs deep. When people think of Turkey, they often call it a 'brother nation,' and many assume this title stems from the blood shed when Turkish soldiers fought in the Korean War. Yet upon closer reflection, none of the other fifteen nations that sent troops to defend us are addressed in this way, which suggests our assumption is mistaken. On this journey, I learned that the bond traces back to historical connections from far earlier times, when our ancestors actually shared blood ties. Perhaps that explains why we cheered with such genuine fervor for Turkey during the 2002 World Cup.
Personally, my very first visit took place about a decade ago, after a devastating earthquake struck Turkey. The Korean church had built 104 houses for the displaced victims, and I attended the handover ceremony alongside Pastor Jung-Gil Hong of Namseoul Grace Church. Because the completion ceremony was unexpectedly postponed, we found ourselves embarking on an unplanned, week-long journey across Turkey. Crossing the Bosphorus Strait from Istanbul, we traveled through Troy, Troas, Assos, the regions where the seven churches of Revelation once stood—including Ephesus—and even all the way to Tarsus, the birthplace of the Apostle Paul. It was then that I first realized just how precious Turkey’s Christian heritage truly is.
My second visit was alongside fellow pastors with whom I had shared fellowship for years through the Institute of Evangelical Pastoral Ministry. Among our Kosin denomination were Pastor Hee-Jong Jang of Daegu Myeongdeok Church, Pastor Eun-Jo Park of Bundang Saemmul Church, and Pastor Joo-Chae Jung of Hyang-sang Church. They were joined by Pastor Kyung-Min Kang of Ilsan Grace Church, Pastor Moon-Sik Lee of Hanwoori Church, and Pastor Yang-Jae Kim of Wooridle Church, whom many now recognize from television. Although we did not visit Troy, Troas, or Tarsus on that occasion, we traveled instead to the Isle of Patmos, where John was exiled, and to Athens in Greece. On that trip, of course, the journey was defined far less by where we went than by whom we were traveling with.
On this latest pilgrimage, the theme remained unchanged: whom we journey with matters more than the destination itself. Traveling hand in hand with the beloved saints of Ulsan Church gave this pilgrimage its deepest meaning. Although I felt a pang of regret that, apart from three individuals, most of the members who had spoken of this trip during our previous journey to Israel could not join us, for me it was the fulfillment of a long-held promise. A pilgrimage through Turkey's Christian history invariably begins in ancient Constantinople, today’s Istanbul. What was new this time was flying to Şanlıurfa to visit Hyun-ah Kang, who serves faithfully in single ministry, and including Haran—the land where Abraham once dwelt—in our itinerary. Turkey is a land rich in vibrant colors and astonishing diversity; the wondrous landscapes of Cappadocia leave an indelible impression. Yet what touched our hearts most profoundly was the enduring testimony of those faithful souls who carved their homes hundreds of meters deep into underground caves, all to preserve their faith in Christ.
Drie-en-dertig lidmate van ons gemeente het onlangs ’n geseënde reis na die Christelike erfenisterreine van Turkye voltooi. Ons het op die aand van Maandag die 16de vertrek en op die middag van Donderdag die 26ste behoue tuisgekom. In werklikheid lê ons verbintenis met Turkye baie diep. Wanneer mense aan Turkye dink, praat hulle dikwels van ’n 'broedernasie,' en baie meen dat hierdie benaming spruit uit die bloed wat gevloei het toe Turkse soldate tydens die Koreaanse Oorlog saam met ons geveg het. As ’n mens egter mooi daaroor nadink, noem ons nie een van die ander vyftien deelnemende lande so nie, wat bewys dat ons aanname nie heeltemal korrek is nie. Tydens hierdie reis het ek geleer dat dit eintlik berus op ’n historiese feit uit ’n veel vroeëre tydperk, toe ons voorouers werklik bloedbande gedeel het. Miskien is dit waarom ons in 2002 tydens die Wêreldbeker so hartstogtelik vir Turkye gejuig het.
Persoonlik was my eerste besoek sowat tien jaar gelede, toe ’n verwoestende aardbewing Turkye getref het. Die Koreaanse kerk het 104 huise vir die haweloses gebou, en ek het die oorhandigingseremonie saam met ds. Jung-Gil Hong van Namseoul Grace-gemeente bygewoon. Omdat die inwydingsplegtigheid van die geboue uitgestel is, het ons onverwags op ’n weeklange reis deur Turkye vertrek. Ons het vanaf Istanboel oor die Bosporus-seestraat gereis na Troje, Troas, Assos, en die gebiede waar die sewe gemeentes van Openbaring geleë was—insluitend Efese—en selfs tot by Tarsus, die geboorteplek van die apostel Paulus. Dit was daar waar ek die kosbaarheid van die Christelike erfenis in Turkye werklik leer waardeer het.
My tweede besoek was saam met kollegas in die bediening met wie ek reeds jare lank ’n hegte band gedeel het deur die Evangeliese Instituut vir Pastorale Navorsing. Onder die Kosin-leraars was ds. Hee-Jong Jang van die Daegu Myeongdeok-gemeente, ds. Eun-Jo Park van die Bundang Saemmul-gemeente, en ds. Joo-Chae Jung van die Hyang-sang-gemeente. Saam met hulle was ook ds. Kyung-Min Kang van die Ilsan Grace-gemeente, ds. Moon-Sik Lee van die Hanwoori-gemeente, en ds. Yang-Jae Kim van die Wooridle-gemeente, wat ’n mens deesdae op televisie sien. Hoewel ons daardie keer nie by plekke soos Troje, Troas of Tarsus kon uitkom nie, het ons die eiland Patmos besoek waar Johannes verban was, asook Athene in Griekeland. Op daardie reis was die belangrikste natuurlik nie wáárheen ons gegaan het nie, maar saam met wie ons gereis het.
Ook op hierdie reis was die kern nie die bestemming self nie, maar die gemeenskap van mekaar. Aangesien dit ’n reis saam met die gelowiges van Ulsan Gemeente was, het dit ’n baie besondere betekenis gedra. Dit was wel jammer dat slegs drie van diegene met wie ons tydens die vorige reis na Israel gepraat het, uiteindelik kon saamgaan; tog was dit vir my die vervulling van ’n kosbare belofte. ’n Pelgrimstog na die Christelike erfenis van Turkye begin sonder uitsondering in die antieke Konstantinopel, vandag se Istanboel. Wat hierdie keer anders was, was dat ons na Şanlıurfa gevlieg het om vir Hyun-ah Kang te besoek, wat daar as enkellopende in die bediening staan, en dat Haran—die land waar Abraham ’n tyd lank vertoef het—by ons reisplan ingesluit is. Dit is ’n land vol ryk skakerings en fassinerende kontraste; die merkwaardige landskap van Kappadosië bly ’n mens lank by. Tog was dit die blywende spore van die gelowiges wat honderde meters diep in ondergrondse grotte gegrawe en gewoon het om hul geloof te bewaar, wat ons harte die diepste aangeraak het.