지난 해 연말부터 피택자들을 위한 ‘부부성장학교’를 부지런히 했습니다. 세 번의 주말에는 거제도를 일박 이일로, 또 한 주말에는 일박 이일이 어려운 분들을 위해 이틀 저녁 교회에서 했지요. 그러다가 결국 일본 동경 희망 그리스도 교회의 마리아 여전도회에서 부부성장학교를 요청해 왔습니다. 그동안 교회에서 후원을 해 왔고, 복음 전하기가 힘든 동경 땅에서 사역을 잘 하고 계시는 선교사님의 부탁이라 거절하기 힘들었던 모양입니다. 어쨌거나 동경으로 가게 되니 아오모리에 계시는 김수정 목사님께도 들르게 되었습니다.
3월말이면 사임을 하게 되는 김 목사님은 삼십 년 전쯤에 저희가 서울에서 섬겼던 교회에 출석하던 청년이었습니다. 이십대 초반에 만난 김 목사님은 앳되고 순진하게만 보였습니다. 그렇게 수년 함께 했었고, 저희가 울산에 온 후로 는 별로 연락은 없었지만, 인편으로 소식은 듣고 있었습니다. 일본의 어린 영혼들에게 복음을 전하고자 하는 열정 하나만으로 일본에 건너가 신학을 공부하고 결국 목사님이 되셨지요. 3년 전에 아오모리 도야마교회의 담임목사로 가면서 한국에 들러 저희 집을 방문하면서부터는 매주 기도 제목을 보내와 기도하며 교제하게 되었습니다.
예전에는 그렇게 소녀 같았던 분이 벌써 오십이 되어 든든한 지도자로서 한 교회를 담임하고 계셨습니다. 일본인 교회다 보니 교인도 한 이십 명쯤 되고 평균 연령이 80세쯤 되는 할아버지, 할머니들이었습니다. 하지만 목사님의 복음에 대한 열정은 변함없이 불타올라 그 분들을 어떻게 하면 말씀으로 바로 서도록 할 수 있을지 애를 쓰고 계셨습니다. 뿐만 아니라 주위의 아이들을 불러와서 말씀을 가르치며 암송하도록 하는가 하면 일박 이일의 캠프를 하며 접촉한 아이들이 이백육십 명쯤 되었습니다. 인근의 초등학교 전교생이 사백 명쯤이니 반이상을 만난 셈입니다. 물론 아직 주일에 교회에 오지는 않고 있지만 말입니다.
“김 목사님은 먹는 일도, 입는 일도, 결혼에도 관심이 없고, 오로지 복음 전하는 일에만 관심이 있으시네요.”라고 김 목사님께 말했더니 그렇다고 수긍하네요. 그 모습이 참 아름답기도 하고 감사하기도 했습니다. 우리 하나님께서 기뻐하시겠다는 생각이 들었지요. 벽에다 ‘야망이 아니라 버티기다’라며 누군가 가 했다는 말을 써놓고 힘든 시간들을 잘 버티셨더라고요. 그 와중에도 우리 목사님 좋아하시는 아보카도도 사놓으셨습니다. 그런데 아쉽게도 깜빡 잊고 드리지 못했다고 카톡이 왔었지요. 하지만 굶지는 않았습니다. 바로 집 뒤에 있는 경양식 식당에서 만 삼천 원짜리 스테이크도 사먹고 인근의 선교사님께서 스시(초밥)도 사주셨고 ‘라멘’도 맛보았습니다.
수요일 아침에는 교회 마당에 쌓인 눈을 좀 치워야 했습니다. 어디든지 높게 쌓인 눈을 볼 수 있는 곳이었습니다. 그리고 오전에는 정 목사님께서 설교하시고 제가 간증을 나누었습니다. 마침 김 목사님 49번째 생일이라고 성도님들이 케이크를 구워오셨는데, 서로 의논하지 않았는지, 네 분이 네 가지 종류의 케이크를 갖고 오셔서 아예 점심 식사가 되었습니다. 모임을 마치고 나서는 몇몇 분들이 저더러“처음 만난 사람 같지 않아요. 예전부터 잘 알던 친구 같거든요.”라며 반겨주셨습니다. 아마도 아오모리 분들이 키가 작고 눈이 큰 편이어서 친근감을 느꼈을 것 같기도 하고, 간증 가운데 나눈 교제 때문인 것 같기도 했습니다. 김 목사님이 청년 시절 때 담임목사님이라고 하니까 성도들이 아주 반갑게 맞아 주시며 김 목사님께서 말씀을 잘 가르쳐 주셔서 하나님을 알게 되었다고도 하시고, 말씀을 더 잘 깨닫게 되었다고도 하시며 공부하러 가신다니까 말릴 수는 없지만 정말 섭섭하다고들 하셨습니다.
금요일 아침에는 부부성장학교를 위해 일찌감치 ‘닛꼬’행 신깐센 기차를 탔습니다. 고속철인데도 불구하고 세 시간쯤 타고 가야하고 또 도중에 갈아타야 해서, 우리가 길을 잃어버릴까봐 김 목사님이 ‘우쯔노미아’까지 동행을 해 주었습니다. 물론 김 목사님도 동경에 있는 병원에 친구가 입원을 해서 들를 겸해서 말입니다. ‘우쯔노미아’에서는 손만석 목사님이 우리를 마중 나와 주셨습니다. 함께 점심식사를 하고 김 목사님은 동경으로 갔는데, 그 날도 병원에서 친구를 심방하시고는 곁에 있던 ‘오구마상’이라는 분을 전도하고, 그 다음날 다시 들러서 결국 예수님 믿겠다는 고백을 받아내고서야‘아오모리’로 가셨다고, 계속 기도 부탁을 해 오셨습니다. 하나님께서 일본 영혼들을 위해 김 목사님을 특별히 사용하고 계심에 감사했습니다.
Since late last year, we have been diligently running the 'Couples' Growth School' for our church's newly elected officers. Over three weekends, we held overnight trips to Geoje Island, and over another weekend, we held evening sessions for two nights at church for those unable to stay overnight. Eventually, a request came from the Mary Women's Missionary Society of Tokyo Hope Christ Church in Japan asking for the Couples' Growth School. Since our church had been supporting them and the missionary had been faithfully ministering in Tokyo—a land where sharing the gospel is notoriously difficult—it seemed hard to decline. In any case, since our journey took us toward Tokyo, we decided to pay a visit to Pastor Soo-jung Kim in Aomori as well.
Pastor Kim, who is set to step down at the end of March, was once a young adult attending the church we served in Seoul about thirty years ago. When we first met her in her early twenties, she appeared youthful and purely innocent. We spent several years together back then, and after we moved to Ulsan, we did not have much direct contact, though we occasionally heard news of her through acquaintances. Driven purely by a single passion to preach the gospel to the young souls of Japan, she went over to Japan, studied theology, and eventually became an ordained pastor. Three years ago, when she became the senior pastor of Aomori Toyama Church, she stopped by Korea and visited our home; ever since, she has sent weekly prayer requests, allowing us to pray and share fellowship together.
That person who once seemed so girl-like had already reached the age of fifty, standing as a dependable leader guiding a local church. Because it is a Japanese congregation, there were only about twenty members, mostly elderly grandfathers and grandmothers with an average age around eighty. Yet Pastor Kim's passion for the gospel burned as brightly as ever as she poured out her heart to help them stand firm upon the Word. Furthermore, she gathered neighborhood children to teach them scripture and lead them in memorizing verses; through an overnight camp, she reached about 260 children. Considering the nearby elementary school has a total student body of about four hundred, she has reached more than half of them. Of course, they do not yet attend church on Sundays, but seeds are being sown.
“Pastor Kim, you don't seem interested in what to eat, what to wear, or even in getting married—your heart is solely set on preaching the gospel,” I remarked to her, and she smiled and agreed. Seeing her like that was genuinely beautiful and deeply moving. I felt confident that our God would be so pleased. On her wall, she had written down a quote she had heard somewhere: “It is not about ambition; it is about persevering.” Seeing that, I could tell how faithfully she had held on through hard times. Amidst it all, she had even bought avocados, which Rev. Jung loves so much. Sadly, she forgot to bring them out, and later texted us through KakaoTalk with an apology. Even so, we certainly did not go hungry. We enjoyed a 13,000-won steak at a cozy Western-style eatery right behind her home, and a neighboring missionary treated us to sushi, along with a taste of local ramen.
On Wednesday morning, we had to shovel some snow piled high in the church courtyard. Wherever we looked, mountains of snow greeted our eyes. In the morning, Rev. Jung delivered the sermon and I shared my testimony. It happened to be Pastor Kim's forty-ninth birthday, so the congregants baked cakes for her. Perhaps because they had not coordinated with one another beforehand, four people brought four different kinds of cakes, which ended up becoming our entire lunch! When the gathering concluded, several members warmly welcomed me, saying, “You don’t feel like someone we just met. It feels as if we’ve been dear old friends for a very long time.” Perhaps it was because the people of Aomori tend to be petite with large, expressive eyes that brought a natural closeness, or perhaps it was through the heartfelt fellowship shared during the testimony. When they learned that Rev. Jung had been Pastor Kim's senior pastor during her youth, the members welcomed us with open arms. They shared how Pastor Kim's faithful teaching of the Word had helped them come to know God and understand scripture more deeply, adding that although they could not stop her from leaving to pursue further studies, they felt truly sorrowful to see her go.
On Friday morning, we boarded an early Shinkansen bullet train bound for Nikko for the Couples' Growth School. Even on a high-speed train, the journey took around three hours with a transfer required along the way. Worried that we might lose our way, Pastor Kim graciously accompanied us as far as Utsunomiya. Of course, she was also taking the opportunity to visit a friend hospitalized in Tokyo. In Utsunomiya, Pastor Man-seok Son was there to greet us warmly. After having lunch together, Pastor Kim continued on to Tokyo. We later heard that on that very day, after visiting her friend in the hospital, she shared the gospel with a neighboring patient named 'Oguma-san,' visited again the next morning, and only departed for Aomori after receiving that person's confession of faith in Jesus, asking us to keep praying. My heart overflowed with thanksgiving seeing how uniquely and faithfully God is using Pastor Kim for the precious souls of Japan.
Sedert die einde van verlede jaar het ons ywerig die 'Huweliksverrykingskool' vir die nuutverkose ampsdraers van ons gemeente aangebied. Oor drie naweke het ons oornaguitstappies na Geoje-eiland gehou, en nog 'n naweek het ons twee aande lank by die kerk bymekaargekom vir diegene wat nie kon oornag nie. Uiteindelik het die Maria Vrouesendingvereniging van die Hope Christ Church in Tokio, Japan, ons versoek om die Huweliksverrykingskool ook daar aan te bied. Aangesien ons gemeente hulle al geruime tyd ondersteun en die sendeling getrou diens doen in Tokio—'n plek waar evangelisering besonder moeilik is—was dit moeilik om nee te sê. Hoe dit ook al sy, aangesien ons reis ons in die rigting van Tokio geneem het, het ons besluit om ook by Pastoor Soo-jung Kim in Aomori aan te gaan.
Pastoor Kim, wat aan die einde van Maart haar amp sou neerlê, was sowat dertig jaar gelede 'n jongmens in die gemeente wat ons in Seoel bedien het. Toe ons haar in haar vroeë twintigs ontmoet het, het sy jeugdig en heeltemal kinderlik-onskuldig gelyk. Ons het destyds etlike jare saam deurgemaak, en nadat ons na Ulsan verhuis het, was daar min regstreekse kontak, hoewel ons af en toe deur kennisse nuus van haar ontvang het. Gedryf deur 'n enkele passie om die evangelie aan die jong siele van Japan te bring, het sy na Japan vertrek, teologie gaan studeer en uiteindelik 'n predikant geword. Drie jaar gelede, toe sy as leraar van die Toyama-gemeente in Aomori bevestig is, het sy tydens 'n besoek aan Korea by ons huis aangedoen; sedertdien het sy elke week gebedsversoeke gestuur sodat ons saam kon bid en gemeenskap kon behou.
Daardie persoon wat vroeër soos 'n jong meisie gelyk het, was nou al vyftig en het as 'n betroubare leier aan die hoof van 'n plaaslike gemeente gestaan. Omdat dit 'n Japannese gemeente is, was daar slegs sowat twintig lidmate, meestal bejaarde oupas en oumas met 'n gemiddelde ouderdom van ongeveer tagtig jaar. Nietemin het die pastoor se passie vir die evangelie onveranderd voortgebrand terwyl sy haar beywer het om hulle te help om vas in die Woord te staan. Boonop het sy kinders uit die omgewing bymekaargeroep om hulle uit die Woord te onderrig en verse te memoriseer; deur 'n oornagkamp het sy met ongeveer 260 kinders kontak gemaak. Aangesien die nabygeleë laerskool altesaam sowat vierhonderd leerders het, het sy al met meer as die helfte van hulle kennis gemaak. Hulle woon weliswaar nog nie Sondae die erediens by nie, maar die saad word gesaai.
“Pastoor Kim, u gee blykbaar nie om oor wat u eet, wat u aantrek of selfs om te trou nie—u hart is uitsluitlik op die evangelie gerig,” het ek vir haar gesê, en sy het dit met 'n glimlag beaam. Daardie gesindheid was werklik pragtig en het my met dankbaarheid vervul. Ek het besef hoe bly ons Here hieroor moet wees. Teen die muur het sy 'n aanhaling geskryf wat sy iewers gehoor het: “Dit gaan nie oor ambisie nie, maar oor volharding.” Deur moeilike tye heen het sy getrou staande gebly. Te midde van dit alles het sy selfs avokado's gekoop waarvan Ds. Jung so baie hou. Ongelukkig het sy skoon vergeet om dit vir ons aan te bied, en het later met 'n jammerhartige boodskap via KakaoTalk laat weet. Tog het ons geensins honger gely nie. Ons het 'n smaaklike biefstuk vir 13 000 won by 'n gesellige Westerse eetplekkie reg agter haar huis geniet, 'n mede-sendeling het ons op soesji getrakteer, en ons het ook plaaslike 'ramen' geproe.
Woensdagoggend moes ons eers 'n bietjie sneeu wegruim wat hoog op die kerkterrein opgedam het. Oral waar 'n mens kyk, was daar dik lae sneeu. Gedurende die oggend het Ds. Jung die preek gelewer en ek het my getuienis gedeel. Dit was toevallig Pastoor Kim se nege-en-veertigste verjaarsdag, en die lidmate het koeke vir haar gebak. Aangesien hulle dit blykbaar nie vooraf met mekaar bespreek het nie, het vier persone vier verskillende soorte koek gebring, wat op die ou end sommer ons middagete geword het! Ná die byeenkoms het verskeie lidmate my hartlik verwelkom en gesê: “Dit voel glad nie asof ons u vir die eerste keer ontmoet nie. Dit voel asof u 'n jarelange vriendin is.” Miskien was dit omdat die mense van Aomori geneig is om kleiner van gestalte te wees met groot, vriendelike oë wat 'n natuurlike warmte uitstraal, of miskien was dit danksy die innige gemeenskap tydens die getuienis. Toe hulle hoor dat Ds. Jung Pastoor Kim se leraar tydens haar jeugjare was, het die gemeentelede ons met groot blydskap ontvang. Hulle het vertel hoe Pastoor Kim se getroue onderrig van die Skrif hulle gehelp het om God te leer ken en die Woord dieper te begryp, en bygevoeg dat hoewel hulle haar nie kon keer om verder te gaan studeer nie, hulle haar vertrek baie swaar sou verwerk.
Vrydagoggend het ons vroeg op die Shinkansen-sneltrein na Nikko geklim vir die Huweliksverrykingskool. Ten spyte daarvan dat dit 'n hoëspoedtrein was, het die reis sowat drie uur geduur en moes ons onderweg oorklim; uit vrees dat ons sou verdwaal, het Pastoor Kim ons getrou tot by Utsunomiya vergesel. Sy het natuurlik ook van die geleentheid gebruik gemaak om 'n vriendin te besoek wat in 'n hospitaal in Tokio opgeneem was. By Utsunomiya het Pastoor Man-seok Son ons kom ontmoet. Ná 'n gesamentlike middagete het Pastoor Kim na Tokio vertrek. Sy het later laat weet dat sy daardie selfde dag, ná haar hospitaalbesoek, die evangelie met 'n medepasiënt genaamd 'Oguma-san' gedeel het, die volgende oggend weer teruggegaan het, en eers nadat hierdie persoon 'n geloofsbelydenis in Jesus afgelê het, na Aomori teruggekeer het. Sy het ons gevra om steeds vir hierdie siel te bid. My hart was vol lof en dankbaarheid teenoor God wat Pastoor Kim op so 'n besondere wyse vir die kosbare siele van Japan gebruik.