주안에서 평안하셨는지요? 기쁜 소식들과 한 가지 부탁사항이 있어서 이렇게 연락을 드립니다! 기쁜 소식은 지난번 말씀드리고 보여드린 데로 제가 긴 시간 끝에 드디어 영주권을 받게 되었습니다. 뒷돈 3천불이상 주지 않으면 영주권을 주지 않는데 돈 주지 않고 거의 1년 반 이상을 기다려 영주권을 받게 되었습니다. 아이들도 제 영주권 밑으로 해놓는 작업도 다 마쳤습니다. 그래서 이제 아이들과 함께 5년 정도는 비자걱정 없이 지낼 수 있게 되었습니다. 이때까지 저는 1년에 1번씩 노동증과 비자를 받아야 했고 저희 아이들은 6개월에 한 번씩 비자를 받아야 했습니다. 한국처럼 비자를 잘 주는 것도 아니고 한 달 전부터 서류준비와 걱정으로 비자로 인한 스트레스가 매우 심했는데 이제 이런 스트레스를 줄이게 된 것 같습니다! ^^ 다른 분들은 돈 주고 비자도우미들에게 시켜서다 받는데 저희는 재정 아낀다고 아내와 함께 직접 발로 뛰어다니며 저희가 서류 모으고 작성해서 다했거든요! ^^
또 한 가지 기쁜 소식은 아직 확정적이진 않지만 저희 생명호흡교회가 일주일 뒤엔 정식으로 교회 허가를 받을 것 같습니다. 교회 허가 받기가 이곳 이슬람지역에서는 하늘의 별따기처럼 어려운데 저희 교회가 2년 전부터 기도하며 서류를 준비해서 국가에 올렸는데 저희 서류가 통과되었다는 소식을 들었습니다. 일주일 뒤에는 정식으로 법무부를 통해서 교회허가서가 나온다고 들었습니다. 한 변호사는 우리 교회가 허가받는 것이 마지막이 될 것이란 말을 했다고 합니다! 그리고 5월부터는 종교법이 바뀌어서 5백 명의 성인 성도 싸인이 있어야 허가를 받을 수 있을 것이란 얘기를 했습니다. 그러면서 그 변호사가 저희 교회를 복 받은 교회라고 말을 했다고 합니다! 정말로 모든 것이 아버지의 은혜이며 주님께 감사를 드립니다! 일주일 뒤에 정말로 정식으로 허가 받을 수 있도록 계속 기도해주시면 감사하겠습니다.
그리고 목사님, 한 가지 부탁사항이 있습니다. 지난번 말씀드린 저희 두 딸 남아공 가는 문제로 도움을 요청 드립니다. 제 두 딸 주영이와 하영이가 이제 많이 자라서 학교의 추천으로 처음으로 외국에 나가서 선교훈련을 한 달간 받을 계획입니다. 재정이 많이 들어서 선교훈련을 위한 후원 팀을 모집하고 있습니다. 주영이와 하영이의 편지를 첨부해서 올리도록 하겠습니다. 읽어보시고 마음에 감동되는대로 기도와 후원으로 조금씩이라도 함께해주신다면 너무 감사하겠습니다! 제가 아는 사람들이 많지 않아 이렇게 실례를 무릅쓰고 목사님께 요청을 드립니다. 혹 주위에 도움을 주실 수 있는 분들을 연결시켜주셔도 너무 감사하겠습니다. 혹 제가 너무 무례하고 목사님께 어려움을 드렸다면 용서해 주십시오!
그러나 함께 해주신다면 두 딸들이 앞으로 주님의 나라를 위해 준비되는데 큰 도움이 되겠습니다! 늘 함께해주시고 큰 힘이 되어주셔서 정말 감사를 드립니다. 목사님의 가정과 사역에 주님의 돌보심과 축복이 늘 함께하시길 소원합니다! 장에밀 올림 (주영이와 하영이를 돕기 원하는 분은 지정헌금을 해 주시길 부탁드립니다./담임목사)
Have you been at peace in the Lord? I am reaching out with joyful news and a humble request! The joyful news, as I shared and showed you last time, is that after a very long wait, I have finally received permanent residency. Usually, unless one pays a bribe of over $3,000, they simply do not grant permanent residency; yet without paying any bribe, having waited for nearly a year and a half, I have received it. I have also completed all the paperwork to include the children under my permanent residency status. Consequently, we can now live without visa worries alongside the children for about five years. Up until now, I had to obtain a work permit and visa once a year, and our children had to renew their visas every six months. Visas are not granted as smoothly here as in Korea, so from a month beforehand, the stress caused by the visa preparations and anxieties was overwhelming, but it seems that heavy burden has now been lifted! ^^ While others pay visa agencies to handle everything, my wife and I personally ran around on foot to save our finances, gathering documents and filling them out all on our own! ^^
Another piece of joyful news—though not yet completely finalized—is that our Breath of Life Church is expected to receive official church registration in about a week. Obtaining church authorization in this Islamic region is as difficult as plucking a star from the sky. Yet our church began praying and preparing documents two years ago to submit to the government, and we recently received word that our application has been approved. We were told that in a week's time, the official church permit will be issued through the Ministry of Justice. A lawyer reportedly remarked that our church might well be the last one ever to receive official registration! He also mentioned that starting in May, the religious laws will change, requiring the signatures of five hundred adult congregants to obtain permission. As he shared this, the lawyer commented that our church must truly be blessed! All of this is truly the Father's grace, and I give thanks to the Lord! I would be deeply grateful if you would continue praying so that the official authorization may be received without hindrance in a week's time.
And Pastor, I have one humble request. As I mentioned before, I am seeking assistance regarding our two daughters traveling to South Africa. My two daughters, Jooyoung and Hayoung, have grown considerably, and with their school's recommendation, they are planning to travel abroad for the first time to undergo a month of mission training. Because the financial expenses are significant, we are currently gathering a support team for their mission training. I will attach letters written by Jooyoung and Hayoung. If you could kindly read them and, as your heart is moved, join with us even in small measures through prayer and support, we would be exceedingly grateful! Since I do not know many people, I have presumed upon your kindness and made this request of you, Pastor. If you could also connect us with anyone around you who might be able to help, we would be so thankful. Please forgive me if I have been overly presumptuous or caused you any burden!
Yet if you could stand with us, it would be of immense help in preparing these two daughters for the Lord's kingdom in the days ahead! Thank you sincerely for always walking alongside us and being such a great source of strength. May the Lord's tender care and blessings be ever present with your family and ministry!
Respectfully yours, Emil Jang
(If anyone wishes to help Jooyoung and Hayoung, please designate your offering accordingly. / Senior Pastor)
Het u vrede in die Here geniet? Ek skryf aan u met goeie nuus en 'n nederige versoek! Die goeie nuus is, soos ek die vorige keer genoem en getoon het, dat ek ná 'n baie lang wag uiteindelik permanente verblyfreg ontvang het. Gewoonlik gee hulle jou nie permanente verblyfreg tensy jy meer as $3 000 se omkoopgeld betaal nie; tog het ek, sonder om 'n sent omkoopgeld te gee en ná byna 'n jaar en 'n half se wag, my permanente verblyfreg ontvang. Ek het ook al die papierwerk afgehandel om die kinders onder my status in te sluit. Gevolglik kan ons nou sowat vyf jaar lank sonder visumbekommernisse saam met die kinders hier woon. Tot nou toe moes ek elke jaar 'n werkpermit en visum hernu, en ons kinders moes elke ses maande 'n visum kry. Visums word hier nie so maklik soos in Korea toegestaan nie; die stres weens dokumentvoorbereiding en sorge was van 'n maand van tevore af baie erg, maar dit voel asof daardie swaar las nou verlig is! ^^ Waar ander mense geld betaal en visumagente alles laat reël, het ek en my vrou self rondgehardloop om geld te spaar, en al die dokumente eiehandig versamel en ingevul! ^^
Nog 'n stukkie blye nuus—alhoewel dit nog nie heeltemal finaal is nie—is dat ons Lewensasem-gemeente oor 'n week amptelike kerklike goedkeuring behoort te ontvang. Om kerkregistrasie in hierdie Islamitiese gebied te kry, is so moeilik soos om 'n ster uit die hemel te pluk. Tog het ons gemeente twee jaar gelede begin bid en dokumente voorberei om by die regering in te dien, en ons het die nuus ontvang dat ons aansoek goedgekeur is. Hulle het ons meegedeel dat die amptelike kerkpermit oor 'n week deur die Departement van Justisie uitgereik sal word. 'n Prokureur het glo gesê dat ons gemeente moontlik die heel laaste een sal wees wat registrasie kry! Hy het ook genoem dat die godsdienstige wette vanaf Mei sal verander, sodat 'n mens die handtekeninge van vyfhonderd volwasse lidmate sal benodig om goedkeuring te verkry. Terwyl hy dit gesê het, het die prokureur opgemerk dat ons gemeente waarlik 'n geseënde gemeente is! Alles is waarlik die Vader se genade, en ek dank die Here! Ek sal baie dankbaar wees as u sal aanhou bid sodat ons oor 'n week waarlik die amptelike magtiging sal ontvang.
En leraar, ek het een nederige versoek. Soos ek vantevore genoem het, vra ek om hulp met betrekking tot ons twee dogters se reis na Suid-Afrika. My twee dogters, Jooyoung en Hayoung, het nou al mooi grootgeword en beplan, op aanbeveling van hul skool, om vir die eerste keer oorsee te gaan om 'n maand lank sendingopleiding te ontvang. Omdat die koste baie hoog is, stel ons tans 'n ondersteuningspan vir die sendingopleiding saam. Ek sal Jooyoung en Hayoung se briewe hierby aanheg. As u dit sou wou deurlees en, soos die Here dit op u hart lê, selfs 'n bietjie deur gebed en finansiële bystand wil saamstaan, sal ons baie dankbaar wees! Aangesien ek nie baie mense ken nie, neem ek die vrymoedigheid om hierdie versoek aan u te rig. As u ons dalk ook in aanraking kan bring met ander mense wat kan help, sal ons dit innig waardeer. Vergewe my asseblief as ek te vrypostig was of vir u 'n las geskep het!
Maar as u kan saamstaan, sal dit 'n geweldige hulp wees om hierdie twee dogters vir die Here se koninkryk voor te berei! Baie dankie dat u altyd met ons meeleef en so 'n groot bron van krag is. Mag die Here se versorging en seën altyd op u gesin en bediening rus!
Met eerbied, Emil Jang
(Indien enigiemand vir Jooyoung en Hayoung wil ondersteun, versoek ons vriendelik dat u 'n geoormerkte dankoffer sal gee. / Senior Leraar)