이번 여름은 더워도 너무 더웠습니다.웬일인지 올해는 짧은 장마가 그치고 나서, 8월 한 달 울산의 기온이 전국에서 최고를 기록하며 섭씨 40도를 육박했지요. 제일 더운 주간에 미국에서 큰며느리와 손주들이 왔습니다. 그러니 여간해서는 켜지 않는 에어컨을 오후 시간에 잠깐 켜기도 했지요. 증손들을 핑계한 어머님의 요구를 따라 올 여름 들어 처음으로 가동한 것입니다. 뿐만 아니라 막내 재영이의 아토피 때문에도 켜야 했습니다. 그동안 살던 샌프란시스코와는 다른 한국 여름의 덥고 습한 기후 때문에 좀 고생을 하기도 했고요. 다행히 그리 심하지는 않았고, 손으로 온 몸을 긁긴 했지만 성격이 무던한 녀석이라 잘 견뎠습니다.
그 더운 날들을 이제 두 돌이 막 지난 재영이의 재롱 덕분에 견딜 만 했습니다. 할아버지를 닮았는지 아주 장난꾸러기지만 다른 사람을 배려할 줄 아는 아이지요. 증조할머니가 방에서 나오신다 싶으면 보행기며 지팡이를 챙겨드리느라 바쁘기도 하고, 할머니의 얼굴에 뽀뽀를 감당할 수 없을 만큼 서슴없이 퍼붓는 녀석입니다. 하긴 미국에서도 길거리에서나 마트에서 지나가는 사람들에게 무차별하게 손 뽀뽀를 날리는 녀석이니까요. 처음에는 나에게 ‘이모’라고 불러서 당황스럽게 하기도 했지만 곧 바로 ‘할머니’라며 따라주었지요. 아침에 일어나서 할아버지 서재로 가서는 “어, 없다.”라며 할아버지부터 챙기기도 하고 말입니다. 위로 누나들도 착하고 예쁘게 자라서 케이크를 굽는 일도 도와주고 동생을 잘 돌봐주더라고요. 어머님도 그동안 좀 적적해 하시다가 오랜만에 아이들이 와서 집이 북적거리니 좋아하셨습니다.
가장 더운 날 오후에 손님들이 오셨습니다. 네팔에 계시던 선교사님은 혼자 오셨고 중앙아시아에서 선교하시다가 최근에는 국내사역을 하고 계시는 선교사님 가정은 다섯 식구가 모두 오셨지요. 마당 한편에 있는 벚나무 그늘 아래에 둘러앉았습니다. 워낙 더운 날씨라 그 곳도 별로 시원할 리 없었지만 그래도 함께 얘기를 듣고 웃다보면 더위도 잊을 만 했지요. 서울에, 포항에, 그리고 대전에 흩어져있는 자녀들이 방학이라 잠깐 짬을 내어 부모님과 후원교회며 친지들을 방문하는 중이라고 했습니다.
훌쩍 자란 세 자녀는 이제 청년들이었습니다. 부모님의 헌신을 따라 중앙아시아에서 자랐고 또 지금은 한국에 와 있지만 하나님의 은혜로 신앙 가운데 잘 자라 멋있는 모습을 갖추어가고 있었습니다. 첫째인 에스더는 사회복지학을 공부하는 중인데 다문화가정들에 대한 관심이 많았고 도움이 필요한 사람들을 돕는 일을 하고 싶어 합니다. 둘째는 한동대에, 막내인 셋째는 고등학생이었습니다.
어느 정도 이야기가 마무리 되어갈 때 쯤 우리를 위해 찬양을 하고 싶다고 사모님이 제안을 하셨습니다. 다섯 식구가 함께 너무도 아름다운 찬양을 하시는 것입니다. 더위 정도는 얼마든지 잊어버릴 수 있는 하모니였습니다. 우리는 또 앙코르를 외쳤고 한 곡을 더 들을 수 있었습니다. 가족이 하나 되어 부르는 찬양이어서 더욱 감동적이었습니다. 또 진해 쪽에 있는 다른 교회를 방문해야 한다고 길 떠나는 에스더에게 “방학이라 가족이 이렇게 함께 할 수 있어서 참 좋겠다.”고 말했더니 웃으며 고개를 끄덕여주었습니다.
여름이 무척 더웠지만 방학이고 휴가라는 이름으로 가족이 함께 할 수 있다는 것이 참 아름다운 일이라는 생각이 들었습니다. 우리 아이들도 어린 시절이 엊그제 같은데 큰아이는 벌써 세 아이들의 아버지가 되어 있고, 며칠 있으면 둘째도 자기 가정을 꾸려 독립을 하겠지만 하나님께서 우리에게 ‘가족’이라는 끈으로 만나게 하신 것을 생각하면 얼마나 감사한 일인지요. 각자 삶의 터전에서 부르심을 따라 살아가면서도 서로를 끝까지 사랑할 수 있는 가족이 있다는 것이 말입니다. 병원을 가보면 거의 예외 없이 병상을 끝까지 지키는 사람은 가족이거든요. 변함없는 하나님의 사랑을 조금은 닮은 것 같은, 그 사랑을 나눌 수 있는 마지막 대상이 가족이라는 생각이 듭니다.
This summer was truly sweltering. For some reason, after a brief rainy season this year, temperatures in Ulsan topped the nation throughout August, hovering near 40 degrees Celsius. In the middle of that hottest week, our eldest daughter-in-law and grandchildren arrived from the United States. And so, we briefly turned on the air conditioner in the afternoon—something we rarely ever do. We ran it for the first time this summer, yielding to Mother's request on behalf of her great-grandchildren. Besides, we also needed it for little Jaeyoung Jung's atopic eczema. Having lived in San Francisco, he struggled a bit with the hot, humid summer climate in Korea, which was so different from what he was used to. Fortunately, it was not too severe, and although he scratched all over his body, he was such an easygoing little boy that he bore it patiently.
Those scorching days were made bearable thanks to the adorable antics of Jaeyoung Jung, who had just turned two. Taking after his grandfather, Rev. Keun-Doo Jung, he is quite the rascal, yet wonderfully considerate of others. Whenever he notices his great-grandmother stepping out of her room, he busies himself fetching her walker or walking cane, and he showers his grandmother with so many kisses that it is almost overwhelming. In fact, even in America, he would blow kisses without hesitation to passersby on the street or in the supermarket. At first, he bewildered me by calling me "Auntie," but soon enough he was following me around calling me "Grandmother." Waking up in the morning, he would head straight to his grandfather's study, check on him first, and say, "Oh, not here!" His older sisters have also grown up kind and lovely; they helped bake cakes and took gentle care of their little brother. Mother, who had been feeling a bit lonely, was delighted to have the house bustling with children after such a long time.
On the hottest afternoon, guests arrived. A missionary who had been serving in Nepal came alone, while another missionary family of five, who had served in Central Asia and recently transitioned to domestic ministry, visited together. We sat around beneath the shade of the cherry tree in a corner of the yard. Because the weather was so stifling, it was hardly cool even there, but as we listened to one another's stories and laughed together, the heat was easily forgotten. Their children, scattered across Seoul, Pohang, and Daejeon, had taken advantage of their summer break to spend time visiting their parents, supporting churches, and relatives.
The three children had grown so much; they were now young adults. Having grown up in Central Asia following their parents' dedication, and now living in Korea, they were maturing gracefully in faith by God's grace. Esther, the eldest, is studying social welfare; she holds a deep interest in multicultural families and aspires to support those in need. The second child is attending Handong Global University, and the youngest is in high school.
As our conversation drew to a close, the missionary's wife offered to sing a hymn for us. All five members of the family joined together in the most beautiful praise. It was a harmony so sweet that one could entirely forget the heat. We called for an encore and were blessed with another song. Sung by a family united in heart, the praise was all the more moving. As Esther was preparing to leave to visit another church near Jinhae, I told her, "How wonderful it is that your family can be together like this during vacation." She smiled and nodded in agreement.
Though this summer has been extraordinarily hot, it struck me as profoundly beautiful that families could gather in the name of vacation and holidays. It feels like only yesterday that our own children were little, yet our eldest is already a father of three, and in just a few days, our second son will start his own family and establish his independence. How thankful I am when I reflect on how God has bound us together with the cord of 'family.' What a gift it is to have a family with whom we can love one another to the very end, even as we each live out our callings in our respective walks of life. When you visit a hospital, almost without exception, the ones keeping vigil by the bedside until the end are family. I am reminded that family is that ultimate haven where we can share a love that mirrors, in some small measure, the unchanging love of God.
Hierdie somer was werklik verskriklik warm. Om die een of ander rede, ná 'n kort reënseisoen vanjaar, het die temperatuur in Ulsan regdeur Augustus die land se hoogste rekords gebreek en bykans 40 grade Celsius bereik. Gedurende die heel warmste week het ons oudste skoondogter en kleinkinders uit die Verenigde State aangekom. Daarom het ons die lugversorger—wat ons andersins beswaarlik aanskakel—gedurende die middag 'n rukkie laat loop. Dit was die eerste keer hierdie somer dat ons dit aangeskakel het, ter wille van Moeder se versoek namens haar agterkleinkinders. Buitendien moes ons dit ook aanskakel weens die jongste, Jaeyoung Jung, se atopiese ekseem. Omdat hy gewoond was aan San Francisco, het hy ietwat swaargekry in die warm, vogtige Koreaanse somerklimaat. Gelukkig was dit nie te ernstig nie; hoewel hy hom oral oor sy lyfie gekrap het, is hy 'n goedaardige knaap wat dit geduldig verduur het.
Daardie snikhete dae was heeltemal draaglik danksy die oulike kaperjolle van Jaeyoung Jung, wat pas twee geword het. Hy aard blykbaar na sy oupa, Ds. Keun-Doo Jung—'n regte karnallie, maar tog 'n kind wat baie bedagsaam teenoor ander is. Wanneer hy sien sy oumagrootjie kom uit haar kamer, is hy dadelik besig om haar loopraam of kierie te gaan haal, en hy oorval sy ouma sonder skroom met meer soentjies as wat 'n mens kan hanteer. Trouens, selfs in Amerika het hy sonder skroom vir verbygangers op straat of in die supermark handsoentjies gewaai. Aanvanklik het hy my verleë gemaak deur my "Tannie" te noem, maar gou-gou het hy my oral gevolg en "Ouma" gesê. Wanneer hy soggens wakker word, stap hy reguit na sy oupa se studeerkamer om eerste na hom te soek, en sê dan: "O, hy's nie hier nie!" Sy ouer sussies het ook so soet en mooi grootgeword; hulle het gehelp om koek te bak en het mooi na hul boetie omgesien. Moeder, wat die laaste tyd nogal eensaam gevoel het, was baie bly om die huis ná 'n lang tyd weer vol kinderstemme en bedrywigheid te hê.
Op die warmste middag het daar besoekers opgedaag. 'n Sendeling wat in Nepal gearbei het, het alleen gekom, terwyl 'n ander sendelinggesin van vyf, wat vroeër in Sentraal-Asië gedien het en onlangs met binnelandse bediening begin het, almal saam gekom het. Ons het in die skaduwee van die kersieboom in 'n hoek van die agterplaas gesit. Omdat dit so verskriklik warm was, was dit selfs daar beswaarlik koel, maar terwyl ons na mekaar se stories geluister en saam gelag het, het ons die hitte heeltemal vergeet. Hul kinders, wat onderskeidelik in Seoel, Pohang en Daejeon woon, het die vakansie benut om bietjie tyd saam met hul ouers deur te bring en ondersteunende gemeentes en familie te besoek.
Die drie kinders het reeds grootgeword en is nou jong volwassenes. Hulle het hul ouers se toewyding in Sentraal-Asië gedeel terwyl hulle daar grootgeword het, en hoewel hulle nou in Korea is, het hulle deur God se genade pragtig in geloof opgegroei tot indrukwekkende jongmense. Die oudste, Esther, studeer maatskaplike werk; sy het 'n groot belangstelling in multikulturele gesinne en wil graag mense in nood bystaan. Die tweede kind studeer aan Handong Global Universiteit, en die jongste is nog op hoërskool.
Teen die tyd dat die geselskap ten einde geloop het, het die sendeling se vrou voorgestel dat hulle 'n lofsang vir ons sing. Die hele gesin van vyf het saam 'n asemrowende loflied gesing. Dit was 'n harmonie wat 'n mens die somerhitte heeltemal laat vergeet het. Ons het vir 'n encore gevra en kon nog 'n lied geniet. Omdat die gesin as eenstemmige eenheid gesing het, was dit des te meer roerend. Toe Esther gereedgemaak het om te vertrek om 'n ander gemeente naby Jinhae te besoek, het ek vir haar gesê: "Dis darem wonderlik dat die gesin so in die vakansie bymekaar kan wees." Sy het geglimlag en instemmend geknik.
Al was die somer uiters warm, het ek besef hoe kosbaar dit is dat 'n gesin onder die vaandel van vakansie en verlof so kan saamwees. Dit voel soos gister toe ons eie kinders nog klein was, maar ons oudste is reeds 'n pa van drie, en oor 'n paar dae sal ons tweede seun sy eie gesin begin en selfstandig wees. Tog, as 'n mens dink aan hoe God ons met die band van 'gesin' aan mekaar geskenk het, kan 'n mens net diep dankbaar wees. Wat 'n voorreg is dit nie om 'n gesin te hê wat mekaar tot die einde toe liefhet, terwyl elkeen sy eie roeping in die lewe uitleef. As 'n mens 'n hospitaal besoek, is dit byna sonder uitsondering die gesin wat tot die heel einde langs die siekbed waak. Dit laat my besef dat die gesin daardie laaste hawe is waar 'n mens 'n liefde kan deel wat 'n mens ietsie laat ervaar van God se onveranderlike liefde.