7일부터 열흘 동안 캐나다 록키 캠핑투어는 여러분의 관심과 기도 덕분에 참으로 감사했습니다. 7일 캘거리 국제공항에서 만나서 일단 캘거리에서 사역을 하는 김필립 선교사님 댁에서 다시 짐을 꾸리는 일로서 캠핑 일정은 시작되었습니다. 캠핑투어, 말하자면 매일 캠핑장에서 텐트를 치고 지내야하는 여행이라고 미리 말해주어도 경험이 없는 분들로서 는 일반 관광 여행 수준으로 짐을 가지고 왔기에, 캠핑투어를 시작하기 전에 꼭 필요한 짐만 선별하는 작업이 시작되었습니다. 그러다보니 순식간에 선교사님의 마당 잔디밭은 난민촌이 되고 말았습니다. 각자의 개인 짐을 줄여도, 스무 명이 지낼 텐트와 텐트 깔개 그리고 열흘간 먹을 음식짐도 만만찮았습니다.
일어나면 먼저 창세기를 돌아가며 몇 장을 읽고 나서 아침을 준비해서 먹고, (같은 캠핑장에 머물지 않는 경우에는) 다시금 텐트를 걷어서 짐을 차에 싣고 하나님이 지으신 록키의 아름다운 자연을 둘러보는 것이 주요 일정이었습니다. 그러다가 저녁이 되면 새로운 캠핑장을 찾아 가서 다시 텐트를 치고 식사당번이 준비한 저녁을 먹고 나면, 모닥불을 피워놓고 둘러앉아서 그날 선정된 사람들이 그들의 삶에 개입하고 역사하신 하나님을 중심으로 라이프 스토리를 나누고, 한 사람 한 사람 차례로 하루를 돌아보며 감사를 나누고 기도하는 것이 캠핑투어의 주요 일과입니다.
그동안 단체관광을 하던 경험이 전부인 대부분의 멤버들로서는 첫 날 캠핑장은 상상을 초월하는 열악한 곳처럼 다가왔습니다. 그러나 예약이 아니라 선착순으로 접수를 하는 로키의 캠핑장들이었기에, 주말이 시작되는 금요일 날은 오후 6시가 되기 전에 캠핑장에 도착했는데도 자리가 없어서 향방 없이 차를 돌려야 했습니다. 그 순간은 오직 하나님의 선하신 인도를 더욱 바랄 뿐이었습니다. 그래서 늦은 시간에 한 오십 킬로 가까이를 달려 요호공원으로 가서 결국 샤워조차 할 수 없는 열악한 무인 캠핑장 신세를 졌습니다. 그러나 그보다 힘들었던 것은 깎아지른 절벽 같은 양쪽 산 사이에 있던 캠핑장이라 계속 달리는 차량의 끈임 없는 소음과 자주 들리는 기차의 소음으로 거의 고문에 가까운 힘든 하룻밤을 보냈습니다.
그런 경험을 하고나니 첫 날 묵었던 캠핑장으로 토요일에 다시 돌아왔을 때에는 모두들 얼마나 반가워하고 감사했는지 모릅니다. 그렇게 조금씩 캠핑문화에 익숙해 가면서 서로를 조금씩 더 알아가는 복된 기회였습니다. 오늘(15일)은 이번 캠프의 마지막 모닥불을 피우고 있습니다. 밴프에서 거의 종일 차로 달려 대평원을 지나 메디슨 햇이란 곳에 도착해서 캐나다의 또 다른 체험을 하고 있습니다. 마지막 시간에 서로 나눈 격려의 글 가운데 하나를 인용합니다. “진짜 여행이 무엇인지, 자연을 사랑하는 것이 무엇인지, 사람을 사랑하는 것이 무엇인지 깨닫게 해 주셔서 감사드립니다.” 캐나다 캠핑 여행, 소름끼치도록 장엄한 대자연의 위용뿐만 아니라, 모닥불을 피워두고 둘러앉아 나눈 각자가 살아온 이야기는 오랫동안 기억될 것입니다.
Thanks to your warm care and prayers, our ten-day camping tour through the Canadian Rockies, which began on the 7th, was truly filled with deep gratitude. We gathered at Calgary International Airport on the 7th and commenced our journey by repacking our luggage at the home of Missionary Philip Kim, who ministers in Calgary. Even though we had explained in advance that this was a camping tour—meaning we would pitch tents and sleep at campgrounds each night—those without camping experience brought enough luggage for an ordinary sightseeing vacation. Thus, before setting off, we had to carefully sort out and keep only the bare essentials. In an instant, the missionary’s lawn was transformed into what looked like a refugee camp. Even after paring down everyone's personal belongings, the tents and sleeping pads needed for twenty people, along with food provisions for ten days, were quite formidable.
Our daily rhythm began each morning with taking turns reading a few chapters of Genesis, followed by preparing and sharing breakfast. Then (unless we were staying at the same campsite for another night), we struck our tents, packed everything into the vehicles, and set out to explore the breathtaking beauty of God's creation in the Rockies. As evening approached, we would find a new campground, pitch our tents once again, and enjoy dinner prepared by the designated cooking team. Afterward, gathering around a crackling campfire, selected members would share their life stories—focusing on how God had intervened and worked in their lives. We then went around one by one, reflecting on the day with thanksgiving and prayer. This was the heart of our camping days.
For most of our members whose prior travel was limited to standard package tours, the first night’s campsite felt unimaginably rustic and harsh. Yet, because campsites in the Rockies often operate on a first-come, first-served basis rather than reservations, when Friday arrived and the weekend began, we reached a campground before 6:00 PM only to find no spots left, forcing us to turn our vehicles around without a clear destination. In that moment, we could do nothing but yearn even more earnestly for God's gracious guidance. Driving nearly fifty kilometers late into the evening, we eventually ended up at a primitive, unstaffed campground in Yoho National Park with no shower facilities. What proved even more grueling than the lack of amenities was that the campsite sat nestled between sheer, cliff-like mountains; the ceaseless roar of passing vehicles and the frequent din of trains made that night feel almost like torture.
Having endured such a hardship, you can imagine how overjoyed and grateful everyone was when we returned on Saturday to the campsite from our very first night. In this way, gradually growing accustomed to the camping culture, it became a blessed opportunity to know one another more deeply. Today (the 15th), we are lighting our final campfire of this journey. After driving nearly all day from Banff across the vast Great Plains, we arrived at a place called Medicine Hat, experiencing yet another distinct facet of Canada. Let me quote one of the words of encouragement shared during our closing time: “Thank you for opening our eyes to what true travel is, what it means to love nature, and what it truly means to love people.” This Canadian camping tour will long be remembered—not only for the breathtaking, majestic grandeur of wilderness nature, but even more for the heartfelt life stories shared as we sat huddled together around the campfire.
Danksy u getroue omgee en gebede was ons tiendaagse kampeertoer deur die Kanadese Rotsgebergte, wat op die 7de begin het, waarlik 'n tyd van diepe dankbaarheid. Ons het mekaar op die 7de by Calgary Internasionale Lughawe ontmoet en ons reis begin deur ons bagasie te herpak by die huis van sendeling Philip Kim, wat in Calgary arbei. Al het ons vooraf verduidelik dat dit 'n ware kampeertoer sou wees—waar ons elke aand tente moes opslaan en op kampeerterreine sou oornag—het diegene sonder kampeerervaring bagasie saamgebring soos vir 'n gewone vakansietoer. Voordat ons die pad kon aandurf, moes ons noodgedwonge kies en keur om slegs die allerbelangrikste saam te neem. Binne 'n oogwink het die sendeling se grasperk soos 'n vlugtelingkamp gelyk. Selfs nadat almal se persoonlike besittings drasties verminder is, was die tente en slaapmatte vir twintig mense, tesame met tien dae se proviand, 'n tamaai vrag.
Ons daaglikse roetine het soggens begin deur beurte te maak om 'n paar hoofstukke uit Genesis te lees, waarna ons ontbyt voorberei en geniet het. Daarna (tensy ons nog 'n nag op dieselfde terrein sou deurbring), het ons die tente afgeslaan, die voertuie gelaai en vertrek om die asemrowende prag van God se skepping in die Rotsgebergte te verken. Teen die aand het ons 'n nuwe kampeerterrein gesoek, weer die tente opgeslaan en aangesit vir 'n aandete wat deur die aangewese kookspan voorberei is. Daarna het ons om 'n knetterende kampvuur gesit terwyl aangewese lede hul lewensverhale gedeel het—met die fokus op hoe God in hul lewens ingegryp en gewerk het. Elkeen het dan om die beurt met dankbaarheid op die dag teruggekyk en saam gebid. Dit was die hartklop van ons daaglikse kampeerlewe.
Vir die meeste van ons lede, wie se vorige reiservaring tot gerieflike toergroepe beperk was, het die eerste aand se kampeerterrein onvoorstelbaar primitief en uitdagend gevoel. Maar aangesien die kampeerplekke in die Rotsgebergte volgens die 'wie eerste kom, wie eerste maai'-beginsel werk eerder as met besprekings, het ons op die Vrydag voor die naweek reeds voor sesuur die middag by 'n kampeerterrein aangekom, net om te vind dat daar geen oop plekke was nie en ons koersloos moes omdraai. Op daardie oomblik kon ons slegs des te vuriger op God se genadige leiding vertrou. Laat in die aand het ons byna vyftig kilometer verder na die Yoho Nasionale Park gery en uiteindelik beland by 'n onbemande, ruwe kampeerterrein waar daar nie eens stortgeriewe was nie. Wat egter nog moeiliker was as die gebrek aan geriewe, was dat die terrein tussen steil kransagtige berge geleë was; die aanhoudende geraas van verbygaande voertuie en die gereelde dreuning van treine het daardie nag byna soos 'n foltering laat voel.
Na so 'n beproewing kan u dink hoe verheug en dankbaar almal was toe ons die Saterdag terugkeer na die kampeerplek van ons heel eerste aand. Soos ons gaandeweg aan die kampeerkultuur gewoond geraak het, het dit 'n geseënde geleentheid geword om mekaar werklik dieper te leer ken. Vandag (die 15de) steek ons die laaste kampvuur van hierdie reis aan. Nadat ons byna die hele dag vanaf Banff oor die uitgestrekte Groot Vlaktes gery het, het ons by 'n plek genaamd Medicine Hat aangekom, waar ons nog 'n ander faset van Kanada beleef. Ek wil graag een van die bemoedigende woorde aanhaal wat tydens ons laaste samesyn gedeel is: “Dankie dat u ons oë oopgemaak het vir wat ware reis beteken, wat dit behels om die natuur lief te hê, en wat dit werklik beteken om jou medemens lief te hê.” Hierdie Kanadese kampeeravontuur sal lank onthou word—nie net vir die ontsagwekkende, majestueuse grootsheid van die ongerepte natuur nie, maar veral vir die kosbare lewensverhale wat ons om die warmte van die kampvuur met mekaar gedeel het.