이곳 웨일즈에 온지도 벌써 3주가 지났습니다. 갑자기 요청된 집필휴가로 두 달을 내었습니다. 어딘가 짱박혀서 글쓰는 일을 할거라고 궁리하던 끝에 정말 하나님의 은혜로 이곳으로 오게 된 것입니다. 우리 둘 다 맥북과 아이패드로 하루 종일 남편은 글을 쓰고 저는 교정하는 일에 시간을 보내고 있지만 좋은 자연환경과 좋은 거처를 마련해주신 은혜에 감사할 뿐입니다. 물론 울산교회 성도님들의 배려와 기도에 힘입은 것은 말할 것도 없습니다. 지금까지 예상보다 빠른 진도를 내고 있어서 정말 성도들의 기도 덕분이라는 생각이듭니다.
하지만 혈당 조절을 위해 식후 바닷가 산책은 뺄 수 없는 일과입니다. 뿐만 아니라 틈틈이 새로운 자료들을 읽고, 예전에 썼던 논문을 다시 읽으며 남편은 참 즐거워 합니다. 더욱이 집주인이 두 주 전에 깔아 놓은 와이파이 덕분에 언제든지 급한 연락이나 저희 목사님들과의 교신이 가능한 것도 감사한 일입니다. 웨일즈 북쪽 조그만 섬의 작은 마을이지만 걸어서 갈 수 있는 슈퍼마켓도 있어서 밥 먹고 사는 일에 어려움은 없습니다. 주일이 오면 우리 집에서 멀지 않는 곳에 사시는 이곳 성도님께서 저희를 방거에 있는 교회까지 태워다 주십니다. 그분 말마따나 교회 가면서 섬에서 육지로 들어가야 하니 바다를 건너가야 하지만 말입니다.
이곳의 부활절 휴가는 참 길기도 합니다. 한 3주쯤 되는 것 같습니다. 그러거나 말거나 휴가는 우리와는 상관없는 일이다 싶어 열심히 일만 하고 있는데 몇곳에서 연락이 왔습니다. 우리가 여기 온 것을 알아버린 사람들로부터입니다. 가까이 계시는 것도 아니고 이곳 웨일즈의 수도인 카디프나 런던만 해도 4시간 반이 걸리고 아니면 6시간 혹은 9시간 운전해야 하는 거리인데도 찾아오시겠다는 것입니다. “길이 장난이 아닌 것 같은데 오시지 마세요. 절대로 괘씸죄에 해당되지 않으니 오시지 마십시오.^^”라고 카톡을 보내도 “목사님 방해되지 않도록 하겠 습니다. 그냥 뵙기만 하겠습니다.”라고들 하십니다.
어쨌거나 말릴 수도 없는 일이었습니다. 하지만 한편으로는 사람을 만나고 교제하는 일이 주님 안에서 우리가 무엇인가 서로에게 나눌 수 있다는 것도 감사한 일이라는 생각도 합니다. 아니나 다를까 지난 주말에는 카디프에 계시는 김경량 선교사님 부부가 오셨는데 차에 한가득 한국식품을 싣고 오셨습니다. 이런 곳에는 살 수 없는 것들이지요. 저희는 김치며 고추장 없이도 그런대로 잘 지내고 있었는데 말입니다. 액젓, 간장, 무, 두부, 국수, 야채, 과일뿐만 아니라 똑순이 사모님께서 손수 담근 김치며 고등어조림, 갈치조림까지 해서 오신 것입니다. 거기다가 이곳 한국 분들이 즐겨먹는 명이나물을 한 보따리나 따서 오셨습니다. 저녁 내내 사모님과 제가 다듬어야 할 만큼 양이 많았습니다. 선교사님의 살아온 이야기, 공부하고 선교하는 이야기며, 남자분들이 하시는 얘기를 들으면서 말입니다.
그리고 이번 주 초에는 남쪽 본머스에서 오신 양 목사님 내외분, 그리고 스코틀랜드에서 공부하시는 김민철 목사님 식구들이 오셨습니다. 그래서 엊저녁에는 밤이 늦도록 논문에 관한 얘기며 고생하는 이야기도 들었습니다. 그러다 보니 지난 주말에 가져다주신 음식들이 인기가 대단했지요. 특별히 김 목사님댁 막내, 초등학교 1학년인 종우는 밥과 김치만 줄기차게 먹으면서 “할머니, 우리 갈 때 김치 좀 싸주실 거지요?”라고 합니다. 내가 준비할 수 있는 음식이 아니었는데 선교사님을 통해서 미리 공급해 주신 분께 감사하게 되었습니다.
음식뿐이 아니겠지요. 서로 무언가 위로가 되고 따뜻한 마음들을 나눌 수 있었습니다. 오신 사모님들 중 한 분이 “사모님은 우리를 딸들 챙겨주듯이 챙겨 주시네요.”라고 하셨습니다. 그러고 보니 우리가 이젠 소위 ‘어르신’이라는 칭호를 들을 만큼 나이가 든 것입니다. 그러면 당연히 친정엄마처럼 챙겨줘야 맞지요. 물론 먼저 주님께서 정말 자상하게 챙겨주셔서 가능한 일이지만 말입니다. 남편은 그래도 짬짬이 책을 쓰는 일에 진도를 내고 계시지만 저는 도무지 다시 한 번 그것을 교정하는 일에는 진도를 낼 수가 없습니다. 식구들 세끼 밥해 먹이는 일도 꽤 시간을 요하는 일이거든요. 그래저래 시간을 좀 쓰긴 했지만 남편도 일만 하시다가 오랜만에 사람들과 교제하는 시간을 갖게 되어 좋고 무엇보다 주님께서 원하시는 일이라고 생각하니 참 감사했습니다.
Three weeks have already passed since we arrived here in Wales. We set aside two months for a suddenly requested writing sabbatical. After wondering where we could tuck ourselves away to focus on writing, by God's wonderful grace, we ended up here. With our MacBooks and iPads, my husband spends the entire day writing while I proofread, and we can only give thanks for the grace of such a beautiful natural setting and wonderful accommodation. Needless to say, this has all been made possible by the thoughtful care and prayers of the congregation at Ulsan Church. Seeing that we are making faster progress than expected, I truly feel it is thanks to their faithful prayers.
Even so, a post-meal walk along the seashore is an essential routine to manage blood sugar levels. Not only that, but my husband finds immense joy in reading new materials whenever time permits, as well as revisiting his previously written dissertations and papers. Moreover, thanks to the Wi-Fi our landlord installed two weeks ago, we are grateful to be able to handle urgent correspondence or keep in touch with our associate pastors whenever needed. Though we are in a tiny village on a small island in North Wales, there is a supermarket within walking distance, so daily living and putting meals together pose no hardship. When Sunday comes, a local believer who lives nearby kindly drives us to church in Bangor. As that person put it, attending church literally means leaving the island and crossing over the sea to reach the mainland.
The Easter holiday season here is quite long—about three weeks, it seems. Thinking that holidays had nothing to do with us, we were simply pressing on with our work when messages began arriving from several quarters. People had discovered that we were here. They weren't living close by either; coming from Cardiff, the capital of Wales, or London takes at least four and a half hours, and others faced a drive of six or even nine hours. Yet they all insisted on visiting. I sent KakaoTalk messages saying, “The road is terribly long and difficult, so please don't come! You will never be held in disfavor for not visiting, so please stay home. ^^” But their replies were steadfast: “We won't disturb Pastor Jung at all. We just want to greet you briefly.”
In the end, there was no stopping them. On reflection, however, I thought how precious it is to meet people and share Christian fellowship, offering something meaningful to one another in the Lord. Sure enough, last weekend Missionary Kyoung-Ryang Kim and his wife came up from Cardiff, their car brimming with Korean groceries—items impossible to purchase in a place like this. We had been managing reasonably well even without kimchi or red pepper paste, yet they brought fish sauce, soy sauce, Korean radishes, tofu, noodles, vegetables, and fruit. Even more, his capable wife had personally prepared and brought homemade kimchi, braised mackerel, and braised cutlassfish. On top of that, they picked a whole bundle of wild garlic leaves, a favorite among Koreans living here. It was such a bountiful harvest that she and I spent the entire evening trimming them, all while listening to stories of their life, studies, mission work, and the lively conversations of the men.
Then, early this week, Pastor Yang and his wife came up from Bournemouth in the south, followed by Pastor Min-Chul Kim and his family, who are studying in Scotland. So last night, we stayed up late into the night talking about dissertation work and sharing stories of our respective hardships. Naturally, the food brought to us last weekend was a tremendous hit. In particular, Pastor Kim's youngest child, a first-grader named Jong-woo, devoured bowl after bowl of rice with nothing but kimchi, asking, “Grandma, you'll pack some kimchi for us when we leave, won't you?” It wasn't food I could have provided on my own, and my heart overflowed with gratitude toward the One who provided it all in advance through the missionary.
It was certainly about more than just food. We were able to comfort one another and share warm, tender hearts. One of the pastors' wives remarked, “You care for us just like a mother looking after her own daughters.” Looking back, it dawned on me that we have indeed reached an age where people address us as ‘elders.’ If so, it is only right to care for them with the warmth of a maternal home. Of course, this was only possible because the Lord first cared for us with such tender love. My husband continues to make steady progress on his book whenever he finds time, but I have hardly managed to advance with the proofreading. Cooking three meals a day for everyone requires quite a bit of time! Although our hours were occupied in various ways, it was wonderful for my husband to enjoy fellowship with people after so much solitary writing. Above all, knowing that this is what the Lord desired made our hearts profoundly grateful.
Drie weke het alreeds verloop vandat ons hier in Wallis aangekom het. Ons het twee maande opsygesit vir ’n skielik versoekte skryfverlof. Nadat ons gewonder het waar ons ons kon afsonder om te skryf, het ons werklik deur God se genade hier beland. Met ons MacBooks en iPads bring my man die hele dag deur met skryfwerk terwyl ek die proefleeswerk doen, en ons kan maar net dankbaar wees vir die genade van so ’n pragtige natuurskoon en gerieflike heenkome. Dit spreek vanself dat dit alles moontlik gemaak is deur die bedagsame sorg en gebede van die lidmate van Ulsan Gemeente. Aangesien ons vinniger vorder as wat verwag is, voel ek waarlik dat dit te danke is aan die lidmate se getroue voorbidding.
Nogtans is ’n wandeling langs die see ná etes ’n onontbeerlike roetine om bloedsuikervlakke te beheer. Nie net dit nie, maar my man put groot vreugde daaruit om nuwe studiemateriaal te lees en sy vroeëre verhandelings en artikels weer deur te gaan wanneer tyd dit toelaat. Boonop is ons dankbaar vir die Wi-Fi wat die huiseienaar twee weke gelede aangelê het, waardeur ons te eniger tyd dringende boodskappe kan hanteer of met ons medeleraars in verbinding kan bly. Al is ons in ’n piepklein dorpie op ’n eilandjie in Noord-Wallis, is daar ’n supermark binne stapafstand, sodat die daaglikse lewe en etes geen moeite oplewer nie. Wanneer Sondag aanbreek, laai ’n plaaslike gelowige wat naby woon ons goedhartig op om ons na die kerk in Bangor te neem. Soos daardie persoon tereg opgemerk het, beteken kerk toe gaan letterlik om die eiland te verlaat en oor die see na die vasteland te reis.
Die Paasvakansie hier is besonder lank—byna drie weke, lyk dit my. In die gedagte dat vakansies niks met ons te doen het nie, het ons eenvoudig vlytig voortgewerk toe daar boodskappe uit verskeie oorde begin kom het. Mense het te hore gekom dat ons hier is. Hulle woon ook nie naby nie; om vanaf Cardiff, die hoofstad van Wallis, of Londen te kom, neem minstens vier en ’n half uur, en ander moes ses of selfs nege uur lank bestuur. Tog het hulle aangedring om te kom kuier. Ek het KakaoTalk-boodskappe gestuur waarin ek gesê het: “Die pad is vreeslik ver en uitputtend, moet asseblief nie kom nie! Ons sal dit julle glad nie kwalik neem nie, so bly liewer tuis. ^^” Maar hulle het bly antwoord: “Ons sal glad nie vir ds. Jung steur nie. Ons wil net vlugtig kom groet.”
Uiteindelik kon ons dit eenvoudig nie keer nie. Aan die ander kant het ek ook gedink hoe kosbaar dit is om mense te ontmoet en gemeenskap te geniet, en om in die Here iets met mekaar te kan deel. En waarlik, verlede naweek het sendeling Kyoung-Ryang Kim en sy eggenote uit Cardiff opgedaag, met ’n motor wat stampvol Koreaanse kos gepak was—dinge wat ’n mens nêrens hier kan koop nie. Ons het tot dusver heel goed klaargekom sonder kimchi of soetrissiepasta, maar hulle het vissous, sojasous, radyse, tofoe, noedels, groente en vrugte gebring. Wat meer is, sy flukse vrou het selfgemaakte kimchi, gesmoorde makriel en gesmoorde haarstertvis saamgebring. Boonop het hulle ’n stewige bondel wilde knoffelblare gepluk en gebring, ’n groot gunsteling onder die Koreane hier. Dit was so ’n oorvloed dat sy en ek die hele aand lank besig was om dit skoon te maak, terwyl ons geluister het na stories oor hul lewe, studies en sendingwerk, asook die geselskap van die mans.
En vroeër vandeesweek het ds. Yang en sy vrou van Bournemouth in die suide gekom, asook ds. Min-Chul Kim se gesin wat in Skotland studeer. Gisteraand het ons dus tot laatnag gesit en luister na gesprekke oor verhandelings en die ontberings van die studietyd. Die kos wat verlede naweek gebring is, was natuurlik geweldig gewild. Veral ds. Kim se jongste seuntjie, Jong-woo, ’n eerstegrader, het bakke vol rys met net kimchi verorber en gevra: “Ouma, gaan ouma vir ons ’n bietjie kimchi inpak wanneer ons vertrek?” Dit was geensins kos wat ek self kon voorsien het nie, en my hart was vol dankbaarheid teenoor Hom wat dit vooraf deur die sendelingpaar voorsien het.
Dit het natuurlik oor veel meer as net kos gegaan. Ons kon mekaar bemoedig en warm, opregte liefde deel. Een van die leraarsvroue het gesê: “Mevrou kyk na ons net soos ’n ma na haar eie dogters omsien.” As ek daaroor nadink, het ons inderdaad die ouderdom bereik waar mense ons as ‘seniors’ aanspreek. Dan is dit immers gepas om met die hart van ’n eie ma na hulle om te sien. Natuurlik was dit slegs moontlik omdat die Here ons eers met sulke tere liefde versorg het. My man maak darem tussendeur goeie vordering met sy boek, maar ek kon glad nie daarin slaag om weer by die proefleeswerk uit te kom nie. Om drie etes per dag vir die hele huisgesin voor te berei, neem immers heelwat tyd in beslag! Al het dit ons tyd ietwat in beslag geneem, was dit vir my man heerlik om ná soveel eensame skryfwerk weer met mense te kon kuier, en bowenal was ons innig dankbaar in die wete dat dit is wat die Here wou hê.