월요일 오후 두 시경 인천공항에서 둘째 아들네를 만났습니다. 둘째 아들은 2년 전인가 늦게 결혼을 해서 감사하게도 딸을 하나 낳아서 딸바보가 되었기에 세 식구가 우리하고 함께 미국 샌프란시스코로 가기 위해서 입니다. 1년 2개월인 딸 소은이를 데리고 10시간이 더 걸리는 태평양을 건넌다는 것은 쉬운 일이 아닙니다만 기도를 들으신 좋으신 하나님의 은혜로 바로 잘 잠들어 주어서 큰 어려움이 없었던 것은 되돌아보아도 감사할 만한 것입니다. 시차 때문에 미국에 도착했을 때 오히려 월요일 오전 11시 10분이었습니다. 공항 입국수속은 ‘방문객’과 ‘미국시민환영’이라는 두 가지 전광판의 구분에 따라서 모든 사람을 세웠습니다. 환영이란 문구가 없는 방문객으로 두 시간 넘게 줄을 서서 기다릴 뻔 했는데 소은이가 지루함에 못 이겨 우는 바람에 빨리 수속을 끝내었습니다.
하지만 벌써 두 시간 가까이 기다리고 있는 큰 며느리를 만나서 집에 도착하니 2시가 넘었습니다. 큰 아들도 한 주간 휴가를 내고 기다리고 있었습니다.
그러다 보니 우리 부부와 두 아들네 식구들이 모두 다 모인 셈이고 네 명의 손녀 손자가 함께해서 모두 열 명의 식구들이 지금 한 주간을 보내고 있습니다. 둘째 며느리는 처음으로 미국을 방문해서 오늘(목) 처음으로 시내구경을 다녀왔습니다. 우리 부부는, 특히 저는 문화관광에 취미가 없다보니 계속 아들네 집에서 책을 읽거나 심방결재를 하거나 하면서 소일하고 있습니다. 혈당조절 때문에 가끔씩 동네 산책을 하기도 하고 집안에 있는 작은 수영장에서 수영을 하면서 운동을 하고 있습니다. 그래서 오늘도 아침 식전 혈당 86, 식후 128이니 미국체질인지 휴가체질인지 감사할 따름입니다.
다음 주 월요일에는 캐나다로 넘어가서 캐나다 로키 국립공원에서 제일 가까운 캘거리 공항에서 팀들을 만나기로 되어 있습니다. 이번 여름에 로키투어는 모두 12가정 26명이 참여합니다. 대구 대현교회 정 목사님 가정은 아들 둘이 모두 참석하게 되었고 나머지는 모두 부부로 참석합니다. 우리 교회에서도 김홍주, 송병호 장로님 두 가정, 박주헌 집사님 가정이 참석하며 나머지는 전국구로 참여하고 해외대표로는 캘거리에 살고 계신 김필립 선교사님 부부가 참석합니다. 도착하는 시간들이 서로 달라서 첫날밤은 캘거리 김선교사님 댁에서 남탕 여탕으로 나누어 일박을 하고 그 다음 나흘은 레벨스톡이라는 곳에서 4박을 하고 나머지 5박은 밴프에서 가까운 캔모어에서 하게 됩니다. 그리고 모든 일정은 캐나다 로키 국립공원 주변에서 보내는 것이 특징입니다.
세상에 캐나다 로키산맥이 유일한 휴가 장소인 것처럼 줄기차게 몇 년간 올 수 있었던 것은 특권이라고 개인적으로 생각합니다. 그러나 “더 이상 로키는 안 간다.”는 내부의 압력으로 앞으로 언제쯤 가능할지 기약할 수 없습니다. 오직 하나의 방법은 내년이라도 장로님들이 가자고 제게 압력을 행사하시면 길이 있질 않을까 합니다만… 어쨌거나 내일부터 주어진 열흘간은 낮으로는 창조의 아름다움을 즐기고, 밤으로는 모닥불 가에서 우리 한 사람 한 사람을 빚으신 재창조의 은혜를 나누길 원합니다. “목사님, 다시 한 번 기회를 만들어 주세요.” “여름을 보내며 캐나다 생각이 자주 나네요. 작년이 아닌 오래 전 추억 같아요. 함께 여행할 수 있는 기회가 다시 주어진다면 저희한테는 영광이죠.” “로키에서 다시 함께 할 날도 기도해 봅니다.” 작년에 함께 한 팀들의 멘트입니다.
Around two o'clock on Monday afternoon, we met our second son's family at Incheon Airport. Having married late about two years ago, he was graciously blessed with a daughter and has become a completely doting father; thus, their family of three joined us on our journey to San Francisco, USA. Crossing the Pacific on a flight exceeding ten hours with fourteen-month-old So-eun was by no means an easy task. Yet, by the grace of our good God who hears our prayers, she fell soundly asleep right away, sparing us any major distress—a blessing that fills my heart with thanksgiving even in retrospect. Because of the time difference, when we landed in the United States, it was still Monday morning at 11:10 a.m. At immigration, travelers were divided between two overhead signs: "Visitors" and "Welcome U.S. Citizens." We almost faced a wait of over two hours in the queue for visitors—conspicuously lacking the word "Welcome"—but because little So-eun grew restless and began to cry, our processing was expedited.
Even so, by the time we met our eldest daughter-in-law, who had already been waiting for nearly two hours, and arrived at their home, it was past two o'clock. Our eldest son had taken a week of leave from work and was eagerly awaiting our arrival.
As a result, my wife and I, together with both our sons' families, have all gathered under one roof. With four grandchildren joining us, our family of ten is currently spending this week together. Visiting the United States for the first time, our second daughter-in-law went into the city for sightseeing today (Thursday). For our part, since my wife and I—particularly myself—have little penchant for cultural sightseeing, I have been passing the quiet hours at our son's house, reading books or approving church pastoral visitation reports. To manage my blood sugar, I occasionally stroll through the neighborhood or exercise by swimming in the small backyard pool. Even today, my blood sugar measured 86 before breakfast and 128 after, leading me to wonder gratefully whether my constitution simply thrives in America or on vacation.
Next Monday, we are scheduled to cross into Canada and meet our tour group at Calgary Airport, the closest gateway to the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks. A total of twenty-six participants from twelve families are joining this summer's Rocky Mountain tour. Pastor Jung and his family from Daehyeon Church in Daegu are joining with both of their sons, while the remaining participants are attending as couples. From our own congregation, Elder Hong-joo Kim and Elder Byung-ho Song are joining with their spouses, along with Deacon Joo-heon Park's family; others have gathered from across the nation, and our overseas delegation includes Missionary Philip Kim and his wife, who reside in Calgary. Because everyone arrives at different times, we will spend our first night separated into men's and women's quarters at Missionary Kim's home in Calgary. Following that, we will spend four nights in Revelstoke and the remaining five nights in Canmore, near Banff. The defining hallmark of our itinerary is that our entire stay will unfold amidst the surrounding beauty of the Canadian Rocky Mountain National Parks.
I personally regard it as an immense privilege to have visited the Canadian Rockies for several consecutive years, almost as though they were the only vacation destination in the world. However, due to domestic pressures insisting, "No more trips to the Rockies," I cannot promise when another opportunity will arise. The only foreseeable hope might be if our elders were to "exert pressure" on me to return next year... Regardless, during the ten days ahead starting tomorrow, I hope we will revel in the beauty of creation by day, and gather around the campfire by night to share in the grace of re-creation that has shaped each and every one of us.
"Pastor, please create another opportunity for us."
"As summer passes, I find myself thinking of Canada so often. It feels like an ancient, cherished memory rather than just last year. If we were ever given the opportunity to travel together again, it would be our utmost honor."
"I am praying for the day when we will stand together again in the Rockies."
These were the heartfelt reflections shared by the team who journeyed with us last year.
Maandagmiddag omstreeks twee-uur het ons ons tweede seun se gesin by Incheon Lughawe ontmoet. Ons tweede seun is sowat twee jaar gelede taamlik laat getroud en is genadiglik met 'n dogtertjie geseën. Hy het 'n heeltemal versotste pa geword, en hul gesin van drie het saam met ons vertrek op reis na San Francisco in die VSA. Om met 'n kleindogter van een jaar en twee maande, So-eun, die Stille Oseaan op 'n vlug van meer as tien uur oor te steek, is beslis geen geringe saak nie. Tog het ons goeie God na ons gebede geluister, en deur Sy genade het sy dadelik rustig aan die slaap geraak sodat ons sonder groot ontwrigting kon reis—iets waarvoor ek selfs terugskouend innig dankbaar bly. Weens die tydsverskil was dit trouens nog Maandagoggend om 11:10 toe ons in die Verenigde State land. By immigrasiebeheer is alle reisigers verdeel volgens twee groot aanwysingsborde: "Besoekers" en "Welkom Amerikaanse Burgers." Ons sou byna langer as twee uur in die tou vir besoekers—wat natuurlik die woordjie "Welkom" ontbeer het—moes deurbring, maar omdat klein So-eun rusteloos geraak en begin huil het, is ons vinnig deurgehelp.
Nogtans was dit reeds na twee-uur toe ons my oudste skoondogter ontmoet, wat toe al byna twee uur lank gewag het, en by hul huis aangekom het. Ons oudste seun het ook 'n week verlof geneem en het ons gretig ingewag.
Sodoende is ek en my vrou, tesame met albei ons seuns se gesinne, voltallig bymekaar. Met vier kleinkinders daarby bring altesaam tien gesinslede tans hierdie week saam deur. Aangesien ons tweede skoondogter die VSA vir die eerste keer besoek, het sy vandag (Donderdag) vir die eerste keer die middestad gaan verken. Wat my en my vrou betref—veral myself—het ons min belangstelling in kulturele besienswaardighede; daarom slyt ek my tyd rustig in ons seun se huis deur boeke te lees of pastorale huisbesoekverslae goed te keur. Ter wille van my bloedsuikerbeheer stap ek af en toe in die buurt rond of oefen ek deur in die klein swembadjie agter die huis te swem. Vandag was my bloedsuiker voor ontbyt 86 en na ontbyt 128; ek kan maar net dankbaar wonder of my gestel dalk besonder geskik is vir Amerika of bloot floreer op vakansie.
Volgende week Maandag steek ons die grens na Kanada oor om by Calgary Lughawe, die naaste lughawe aan die Kanadese Rotsgebergte Nasionale Parke, met ons toergroep te vergader. Altesaam ses-en-twintig persone uit twaalf gesinne neem vanjaar aan die Rotsgebergte-toer deel. Ds. Jung en sy gesin van die Daehyeon-gemeente in Daegu bring albei hul seuns saam, terwyl die res almal as egpare deelneem. Uit ons eie gemeente sluit ouderling Hong-joo Kim en ouderling Byung-ho Song met hul eggenotes aan, asook diaken Joo-heon Park se gesin; die orige lede kom van regoor die land, en as buitelandse verteenwoordigers sluit sendeling Philip Kim en sy vrou, wat in Calgary woon, by ons aan. Omdat almal op verskillende tye arriveer, sal ons die eerste nag verdeel in manskamers en vrouekamers by sendeling Kim se huis in Calgary oornag. Daarna bring ons vier nagte in 'n plek genaamd Revelstoke deur, en die oorblywende vyf nagte in Canmore, naby Banff. Die kenmerk van ons hele reisplan is dat elke dag in die omgewing van die Kanadese Rotsgebergte Nasionale Parke deurgebring sal word.
Ek beskou dit persoonlik as 'n reuse-voorreg om vir etlike agtereenvolgende jare hierheen te kon kom, asof die Kanadese Rotsgebergte die enigste vakansieplek op aarde is. Weens plaaslike druk wat egter volhou dat "ons nie weer na die Rotsgebergte gaan nie," kan niemand voorspel wanneer so 'n geleentheid hom weer sal voordoen nie. Die enigste denkbare uitweg sou wees as die ouderlinge my dalk aanstaande jaar sou "oorreed" om weer te gaan...
Hoe dit ook al sy, vir die tien dae wat môre voorlê, hoop ek dat ons bedags die skoonheid van die skepping sal geniet, en saans om die kampvuur die genade van herskepping sal deel waardeur elkeen van ons gevorm is.
"Dominee, skep asseblief weer vir ons so 'n geleentheid."
"Noudat die somer verbygaan, dink ek so dikwels aan Kanada. Dit voel soos 'n kosbare herinnering van lank gelede, nie net van verlede jaar nie. As ons weer die voorreg gegun word om saam te reis, sal dit vir ons 'n groot eer wees."
"Ek bid vir die dag wanneer ons weer saam in die Rotsgebergte kan staan."
Dit was die opregte woorde van die groep wat verlede jaar saam met ons gereis het.