지난주일 오후에 전해주신 박영자 선교사님의 일본 사역을 정리해 두고 싶습니다. 사역을 하는 것도 중요하지만 기록을 남기는 것도 중요합니다. 첫 번째 개척은 일본 교단에서 개척자를 구하고 있었던 토스시 사가 현에서 1999년 4월에 시작했습니다. 그러니 일본교단에서 주도한 개척이 2년 만에 넘겨주었고, 박 선교사님의 본격적인 개척은 2003년에 치쿠시노 텐빠이자카 교회에서 시작했습니다. 초창기에는 일본이라는 나라이기에 예상할 수 있는 어두움의 세력이, 악몽을 통하든지 계단을 올라오는 발자국 소리라든지 하는 공격이 있었지만 기도로 극복했습니다.
텐빠이자카에서의 사역은, 크게 보면 문화적 접근을 시도했다고 할 수 있습니다. 동네아줌마들에게 한국어를 가르친다든지 한국음식 하는 법을 가르치고 음식을 나누는 일로부터 시작했지만 선교의 직접적인 마중물 역할을 한 것은 유치부 아이 둘이었다고 증언했습니다. 텐바이자카 교회를 출석한 미취학 아이 둘에서 출발한 교회는 시간이 흘러 뒤에는 청년들이 연결되었고 또 할머니 한 분이 전도되어서 세례를 받는 일도 일어났고 한 때는 청년들에게 세례를 베풀기 위해서 제가 일본을 다녀오기도 했습니다.
그리고 여느 전도지나 선교지에서도 있을 법한 정신적인 혹은 신체적으로 연약한 자들이 구도자로 교회에 연결되기도 했고, 뒤에는 영어가 되는 분들을 중심으로 영어성경공부, 성탄영어파티 등으로 사역이 변화하기도 했습니다. 그리고 박 선교님의 주요사역으로 자리 잡은 것은 이웃교회 목회자들을 만나서 산행도 하고 교회로 초대해서 성경공부 뒤에는 거의 불변하는 지 지미, 잡채 등 한국음식으로 식사대접한 일을 손꼽을 수 있을 것입니다. 예정한 시간이 끝나도 돌아가지 않았던 모임이었지만 한 사모님은 그 모임을 통해서 자신이 회복되었다고 고백하기도 했습니다. 선교뿐 아니라 일본에서의 목회도 외로움과의 싸움인데 신앙 안에서의 교제가 그런 고백을 가능하게 만들었을 것으로 보입니다.
처음에는 한국음식이나 한국어가 사역의 마중물 역할을 했으나 시간이 흐를수록 문화행사보다 성경공부+예배 위주의 소그룹전도모임이라든지 대여섯 차례의 성탄잔치를 통한 사역이 보람되고 즐거운 일로 기억하고 계셨습니다. 오랫동안 이웃으로 교제한 청년이 “기도가 제일 큰 선물이에요.”라고 말하는 것을 듣고 감동했다며 일본의 무목(無牧)교회의 필요를 채워달라는 부탁을 잊지 않았습니다. 그리고 세례를 베풀 때마다 17년 동안 아무 결실도 보지 못한 영국선교사님의 수고를 기억했다는 말은 마음에 남아있습니다. 때론 눈물로 씨를 뿌리고, 아무런 추수의 기쁨을 자신이 맛보지 못해도 하나님의 나라는 전진합니다. 지금까지는 수십 명의 열매를 맺었지만 앞으론 복음이 달음질하길 소원하는 선교사님의 꿈이 이뤄질 것입니다. 박 선교사님, 22년 동안 수고하셨습니다. 하나님의 위로가 풍성하길 빕니다.
I wish to put into writing the account of Missionary Young-Ja Park's ministry in Japan, which she shared with us last Sunday afternoon. While doing the work of ministry is essential, keeping a faithful record of it is just as important. Her first church plant began in April 1999 in Tosu City, Saga Prefecture, where a Japanese denomination had been seeking a church planter. That denomination-led plant was handed over after two years, and Missionary Park’s own full-fledged church planting ministry truly began in 2003 at Chikushino Tenpaizaka Church. In the early days, she faced spiritual attacks from forces of darkness—something one might expect in Japan—manifesting in nightmares and the sounds of footsteps ascending the stairs; yet she overcame them all through prayer.
Broadly speaking, her ministry in Tenpaizaka began with a cultural approach. She started by teaching Korean language and cooking to local neighborhood women and sharing meals with them. However, she testified that what truly served as the initial catalyst for the mission were two kindergarten children. From those two preschool children who began attending Tenpaizaka Church, young adults gradually became connected over time. An elderly woman was also evangelized and baptized, and at one point, I personally traveled to Japan to administer baptism to those young adults.
Furthermore, as often happens in any mission field or evangelistic work, individuals struggling with mental or physical infirmities were drawn to the church as seekers. Later, the ministry adapted to include English Bible studies and Christmas English parties centered around English speakers. Among the core pillars of Missionary Park’s ministry was reaching out to neighboring pastors—going on mountain hikes together, inviting them to the church for Bible studies, and unfailingly treating them to Korean dishes such as jijimi (savory pancakes) and japchae. These gatherings lingered long past their scheduled end, and one pastor's wife shared that she experienced deep restoration through them. In Japan, ministry as well as mission work is often a fierce battle against loneliness, and genuine fellowship in faith made such heartfelt confessions possible.
Although Korean food and language initially primed the pump for ministry, she recalled that over time, small-group evangelism focused on Bible study and worship, along with five or six Christmas celebrations, brought the greatest joy and reward. She was deeply touched when a young adult who had been an acquaintance for many years told her, “Prayer is the greatest gift of all,” and she did not forget to appeal for laborers to meet the needs of shepherdless churches in Japan. Moreover, her remark that whenever she baptized someone, she recalled the toil of a British missionary who had seen no fruit for seventeen years, lingered deeply in my heart. Even when we sow in tears without personally tasting the joy of harvest, the Kingdom of God advances. While several dozen have borne fruit thus far, the missionary’s dream—that the Gospel may run swiftly ahead—will surely come to pass. Missionary Park, thank you for your faithful labor of twenty-two years. May God’s comfort rest upon you in abundance.
Ek wil graag die verslag van sendeling Young-Ja Park se bediening in Japan, wat sy verlede Sondagmiddag met ons gedeel het, op skrif stel. Om die bedieningswerk te doen is belangrik, maar om 'n getroue rekord daarvan te bewaar, is ewe waardevol. Haar eerste gemeentestigting het in April 1999 in Tosu-stad, Saga-prefektuur, begin, waar 'n Japannese kerkverband na 'n baanbreker gesoek het. Daardie inisiatief onder leiding van die Japannese kerkverband is ná twee jaar oorgedra, en sendeling Park se volwaardige gemeentestigtingsbediening het in 2003 by die Chikushino Tenpaizaka-gemeente begin. In die vroeë dae het sy geestelike aanvalle van duistere magte beleef—iets wat 'n mens in 'n land soos Japan kan verwag—deur nagmerries en die geluid van voetstappe wat teen die trappe opkom; tog het sy dit alles deur gebed oorwin.
Oor die algemeen kan 'n mens sê dat haar bediening in Tenpaizaka 'n kulturele benadering gevolg het. Dit het begin deur Koreaans en Koreaanse kookkuns aan plaaslike vroue in die buurt te leer en maaltye te deel. Sy het egter getuig dat twee kleuterskoolkinders as die eintlike vonk vir die sending gedien het. Vanaf daardie twee voorskoolse kinders wat die Tenpaizaka-gemeente begin bywoon het, het jongmense mettertyd aangesluit. 'n Bejaarde dame het ook tot geloof gekom en is gedoop, en op 'n slag het ek self na Japan gereis om die doop aan daardie jongmense te bedien.
Soos dikwels op enige sendingveld gebeur, is mense met emosionele of liggaamlike swakhede as soekers na die gemeente getrek. Later het die bediening aangepas om Engelse Bybelstudies en Kersfeeskuiers in Engels vir Engelssprekendes aan te bied. Een van die vernaamste pilare van sendeling Park se werk was om kontak te maak met predikante van buurgemeentes—hulle het saam gaan bergstap, hulle na die kerk genooi vir Bybelstudie en hulle daarna sonder uitsondering bederf met Koreaanse geregte soos jijimi (pannekoekies) en japchae. Alhoewel hierdie byeenkomste lank ná die vasgestelde tyd voortgeduur het, het een predikantsvrou bely dat sy daardeur herstel gevind het. In Japan is sowel sendingwerk as gemeentebediening 'n hewige stryd teen eensaamheid, en hierdie ware gemeenskap in die geloof het so 'n kosbare getuienis moontlik gemaak.
Alhoewel die Koreaanse taal en kos aanvanklik as 'n aanknopingspunt gedien het, het sy met vreugde onthou hoe kleingroep-evangelisasie, gerig op Bybelstudie en aanbidding, sowel as vyf of ses Kersfeeste, mettertyd die hart van haar vreugdevolle en betekenisvolle dienswerk geword het. Sy was diep geraak toe 'n jongmens met wie sy jare lank 'n pad gestap het, gesê het: “Gebed is die allergrootste geskenk,” en sy het nie vergeet om 'n ernstige beroep op ons te doen om te voorsien in die nood van herderlose gemeentes in Japan nie. Haar woorde dat sy by elke doopbediening gedink het aan die troue arbeid van 'n Britse sendeling wat sewentien jaar lank geen vrug gesien het nie, bly my altyd by. Al saai ons met trane sonder om self die vreugde van die oes te smaak, gaan die Koninkryk van God voort. Tot dusver is tientalle siele as vrug geoes, maar die sendeling se vurige wens—dat die Evangelie met spoed sal hardloop—sal sekerlik vervul word. Sendeling Park, baie dankie vir twee-en-twintig jaar se getroue toewyding. Mag God se vertroosting ryklik met u wees.