에드먼턴 심방과 집회사역 한 주간 후에는 그동안 몇 차례 캐나다 로키를 다녀오면서도 늘 아쉬워했던 것은 시간에 쫓기지 않고 느긋하게 캠핑을 하면서 긴 코스의 산행을 본래는 하고 싶었습니다. 하지만 여러분이 아시는 대로 제 건강 상, 올해는 긴 코스의 산행은 불가능했고 왕복 너댓 시간정도, 칠팔 킬로를 매일 천천히 걷는 것에 만족했어야 했습니다. 첫 번째 로키공원을 방문했던 2002년 이후, 15년만에 모처럼 주어진 한 주간이었는데 하나님이 허락하신 만큼만 만족하는 것을 배워야 했습니다.
이번에 휴가를 함께 보낸 두 가정은 캐나다 캘거리에서 25년 넘게 선교사역을 한 김필립 선교사님 부부입니다. 몇 년 전에 우리 울산교회를 방문해서 주일오후 설교를 섬긴 적도 있는데 주로 와이엠 제자훈련학교를 하고 있으며, 목회자훈련, 노숙자 사역도 한 때는 하신 분입니다. 또 한 분은 울산극동방송 개국에 수고를 했고 그 뒤에도 지사장으로 사역을 한 정찬덕 장로님 부부입니다. 2년 전에 건강이 좋지 못했을 때 우리 울산 사람들과 함께 로키를 여행하며 놀라운 치유를 경험하고 새로운 삶의 반전이 있었던 분이기에 연이어 3년째 로키 사랑에 빠진 분입니다.
월요일 오후 늦게 서로 만나 첫 날 저녁을 보내고 매일 아침 커피를 마시고 돌아가며 잠깐 기도를 하고 하루의 일정을 따라서 여행을 하고 돌아오면 하루의 감사제목을 나누고 또 한 번의 돌림기도를 하는 시간이 우리 모두에게 소중하게 다가온 휴가입니다. 그리고 날마다 목적지를 정해서 현장에 도착하면 아름다운 경치를 휴대폰 카메라에 담는다고 바쁩니다. 선교사님과 장로님 두 분 다 카메라에 조예가 깊은 분이라 제가 사진 찍는 일에 밀릴 정도입니다. 특히 장로님은 젊은 시절 25년간 사진에 빠져 살았던 분이시라 밤중이고 새벽이고 그 무거운 카메라를 지고 산행을 마다하지 않았던 분이고 올림픽이고 아시안 게임이고 사진기자의 자격으로 뛰었던 과거를 가진 분입니다.
아름다운 자연을 앞에 두고 어디만큼 어떻게 담는가에 따라서, 그리고 어떤 각도로 피사체를 바라보는가에 따라서, 그 순간의 빛에 따라서 사진의 아름다움이 결정된다는 것을 실감한 이번 기회였습니다. 하지만 때론 우리의 지식이나 기교가 아니라 뜻밖의 순간 포착이 지극한 예술 작품을 만들기도 합니다. 그럴 때는 다만 그분이 주시는 선물을 받은 것처럼 우리는 감탄할 따름입니다. 사실 우리의 삶도 비슷해 보입니다. 현실을 바라보는 각도, 그것들 가운데서 무엇을 주시하며 묵상하는 것에 따라서 우리도 기쁨 기도 감사의 삶을 살 수 있습니다. 기적과 같은 한 장의 사진처럼 우리의 삶도 하나님의 손에 붙잡힌 주도적인 작품이길 이 가을에는 기도하고 싶습니다.
Following a week of visitation and conference ministry in Edmonton, I reflected on my previous visits to the Canadian Rockies. What I had always longed for was to go camping without being chased by time and embark on lengthy mountain hikes. However, as you know, my current health made long hikes impossible this year, and I had to be content with walking slowly for about four to five hours round-trip, covering seven to eight kilometers each day. It was a week granted after fifteen years since my very first visit to the Rocky Mountain parks in 2002, and I had to learn the grace of being content with only as much as God permits.
The two families who joined me on this vacation were Missionary Philip Kim and his wife, who have served in mission ministry in Calgary, Canada, for more than 25 years. A few years ago, he visited Ulsan Church and preached during our Sunday afternoon service. He is primarily involved in YWAM Discipleship Training Schools, and previously engaged in pastor training and homeless outreach. The other couple was Elder Chan-Deok Jung and his wife, who labored during the founding of FEBC Ulsan (Far East Broadcasting Company) and later served as station director. Two years ago, when his health was failing, he traveled through the Rockies with members from Ulsan, where he experienced remarkable healing and a fresh turning point in life; since then, he has been deeply in love with the Rockies for three consecutive years.
Meeting late Monday afternoon, we spent our first evening together. Every morning, we shared coffee, took turns offering brief prayers, and set out according to the day's itinerary. Returning in the evening, we shared our prayer points of thanksgiving and joined in another round of prayer—moments that made this vacation truly precious to all of us. Each day, once we reached our destination, we were busy capturing the breathtaking scenery with our smartphone cameras. Both the missionary and the elder possess a discerning eye for photography, so much so that I felt completely outmatched behind the lens. In particular, the elder had been passionate about photography for 25 years in his youth—carrying heavy camera gear up mountains whether in the dead of night or at daybreak, and serving as an accredited photojournalist covering major events like the Olympics and Asian Games.
Standing before magnificent nature, this journey reminded me vividly that the beauty of a photograph is determined by how much and how one frames it, the perspective from which one beholds the subject, and the interplay of light at that precise moment. Yet at times, it is neither our knowledge nor our technical skill, but the serendipitous capture of an unexpected moment that brings forth an exquisite masterpiece. In such moments, we can only marvel, as though receiving a gracious gift from His hand. In truth, our lives seem very much the same. Depending on the perspective from which we view our reality, and what we choose to fix our eyes upon and meditate on within it, we too can live a life overflowing with joy, prayer, and thanksgiving. This autumn, I pray that our lives—like a wondrous, miraculous photograph—may be masterworks sovereignly held and crafted by the hands of God.
Ná 'n week van huisbesoek en konferensiebediening in Edmonton, het ek teruggedink aan my vorige besoeke aan die Kanadese Rotsgebergte. Waarvoor ek nog altyd gewens het, was om sonder tydsdruk rustig te kampeer en lang bergstaptogte aan te pak. Soos u egter weet, het my gesondheidstoestand vanjaar lang staptogte onmoontlik gemaak, en moes ek tevrede wees om daagliks stadig sowat sewe tot agt kilometer te stap—'n heen-en-weer-roete van vier tot vyf uur. Dit was 'n week wat my gegun is ná vyftien jaar sedert my heel eerste besoek aan die Rotsgebergte-parke in 2002, en ek moes leer om tevrede te wees met presies soveel as wat God toelaat.
Die twee gesinne wat hierdie vakansie saam met my deurgebring het, was sendeling Philip Kim en sy vrou, wat al meer as 25 jaar lank sendingwerk in Calgary, Kanada, doen. 'n Paar jaar gelede het hy Ulsan Gemeente besoek en tydens 'n Sondagmiddagdiens die Woord bedien. Hy is hoofsaaklik betrokke by YWAM se dissipelskapopleidingskole, en het voorheen ook leraarsopleiding en hawelose bediening gedoen. Die ander egpaar was ouderling Chan-Deok Jung en sy eggenote, wat hard gewerk het met die stigting van FEBC Ulsan (Far East Broadcasting Company) en later as takbestuurder gedien het. Twee jaar gelede, toe sy gesondheid swak was, het hy saam met vriende van Ulsan deur die Rotsgebergte gereis, waar hy 'n merkwaardige genesing en 'n nuwe lewenswendepunt beleef het; sedertdien is hy reeds vir die derde agtereenvolgende jaar verlief op hierdie berge.
Ons het Maandag laatmiddag ontmoet en ons eerste aand saam deurgebring. Elke oggend het ons koffie gedrink, beurte gemaak om kortliks te bid en volgens die dag se reisplan vertrek. Wanneer ons saans teruggekeer het, het ons ons dankpunte gedeel en weer 'n kringgebed gedoen—oomblikke wat hierdie vakansie vir ons almal besonder kosbaar gemaak het. Elke dag, sodra ons by die bestemming aangekom het, was ons besig om die asemrowende natuurskoon met ons selfoonkameras vas te vang. Sowel die sendeling as die ouderling het 'n fyn oog vir fotografie, soveel so dat my eie fotonemery heeltemal in die skadu gestel is. Veral die ouderling was in sy jeug 25 jaar lank passioneel oor fotografie—hy het nie geskroom om snags of douvoordag swaar kameratoerusting teen die berge op te dra nie, en het vroeër as geakkrediteerde fotojoernalis by geleenthede soos die Olimpiese en Asiatiese Spele gewerk.
Voor hierdie manjifieke natuur het hierdie geleentheid my laat besef dat die skoonheid van 'n foto bepaal word deur hoeveel en hoe 'n mens dit vaslê, vanuit watter hoek jy die onderwerp aanskou, en die ligspel van daardie presiese oomblik. Tog is dit soms nie ons kennis of tegniese vaardigheid nie, maar die onverwagte vasvang van 'n spesifieke oomblik wat 'n buitengewone kunswerk voortbring. In sulke oomblikke kan ons slegs in verwondering staan, asof ons 'n genadegawe uit Sy hand ontvang het. Eintlik lyk ons lewens net so. Na gelang van die hoek waaruit ons die werklikheid beskou, en dit waarop ons binne daardie werklikheid ons oë vestig en oordink, kan ook ons 'n lewe van vreugde, gebed en dankbaarheid lei. Hierdie herfs wil ek bid dat ons lewens—soos 'n wonderbaarlike foto—'n meesterstuk mag wees wat stewig deur God se soewereine hand gelei en gevorm word.