‘제주도 한 달 살이’나 ‘강원도 한 달 살이’는 들어보셨지요? 하다 못해 서울이나 부산 한 달 살이도 아니고 ‘울산 한 달 살이’는 누구에게나 낯설게 느껴지는 것이 자연스러울 것입니다. 저 역시 울산에 집이 없었더라면 여름 방학을 맞이해서 하필 에스라성경대학원대학교가 있는 경기도 고양에서 울산 울주로 내려갔을 이유가 없습니다. 지난 2월에 짐을 일부 꾸려 고양으로 이사를 가서, 다섯 달 동안 살다가 한 학기를 마치고, 여름방학을 이용해서 울산 한 달 살이를 하고 오늘 다시 경기도 고양으로 올라왔습니다. 그러다보니 울산 한 달 살이가 어떠했는지 나누고 싶습니다. 무엇보다 먼저, 한 평생도 그러할 진데 한 달은 참 짧은 기간이라는 느낌입니다.
울산으로 내려가던 날은 긴 하루였습니다. 이른 아침 고양을 출발해서 기흥, 우리 학교 이사장님 댁에 들러서 차 한 잔을 마시고, 대전에서는 선교사 케어를 하던 교단 멤버케어 원장 내외를 만나서 점심을 나누고, 저녁에는 47년 전 저희 결혼 주례를 해 주셨던 목사님, 96세로 부름을 받았기에 장례식장에 들러서 조문을 하고 집에 도착을 했을 때는 밤이었습니다. 뒷날 아침 눈을 떠서 정원을 둘러보는 순간 우릴 맞이해주는 정원의 꽃들이 반가웠습니다. 어디서나 늘 하듯이 아침을 먹고 산책을 나섰는데 다니던 산책길은 도무지 걸을 수 없는 묵혀진 길이었습니다. 하지만 지난 25년을 살았던 고향 같은 울산의 자연을 다시 만날 수 있어서 참 좋았습니다.
그러나 울산 한 달 살이가 무엇보다 좋았던 것은 지난 25년, 사반세기를 함께 지냈던 사람들, 서로 만나보고 싶은 사람들을 만났기 때문입니다. 물론 그 가운데는 50년 전에 처음 만난 분들도 있었지만, “성도가 서로 교제하는 것을 믿습니다.”는 고백처럼 같은 교회에서 성도로서 동역자로서 교제했던 분들이 대부분이었고, 때론 같은 지역에서 동역자로서 교제했던 분들을 만나기도 했습니다. 게다가 틈틈히 병원순례도 울산 한 달살이에서 빠뜨릴 수 없는 중요한 일이었습니다. 의사선생님들을 만나서 당뇨약이나 심장약을 처방받는 일도 있었고, 6개월에 한 번씩 안과와 치과에도 들러야 했지만, 올해가 홀수년이기에 동갑인 저희 부부는, 비수면 위내시경을 포함한 건강검진을 함께 받아야 했습니다.
아직도 기억에 뚜렷이 남는 일은 두 가정과 함께 2박3일 여행을 마지막 주초에 한 것입니다. 한 부부가 고향인 여수를 가서 거의 골목골목에 남아있는 그분들의 추억여행을 함께 한 셈이고, 돌산섬, 오동도 동백숲뿐만 아니라 옛날에 없던 새로 생긴 5개의 다리를 둘러본 것도 특별했습니다. 하루는 여수에서, 또 하루는 제 고향 하동에서 1박을 하고 돌아오는 날 오후는 함양을 둘러 보았습니다. “목사님 휴가 잘 다녀왔습니까? 내일 두 분 가족들과 함양 들립니다. 부탁은 1. 점심 먹을 곳 한 곳과 2. 둘러볼 곳 두 세 곳 추천해 주셨으면 합니다 서너 시간 함양에 머물려구요~~” “목사님. 내일 상내백교회로 오시죠. 함양 특A가이드 노상규씨가 무료 가이드 해드리겠답니다.ㅎㅎ” 느닷없이 들이닥치는 모든 분들을 하나님이 보낸 사람처럼 맞이하는 손님접대의 은사가 탁월하신 목사님과의 카톡 내용입니다. 오후 투어를 마치고 나니, 사택에서는 사모님이 준비해둔 강원도 강냉이와 삶은 고구마 대접은 오래도록 기억할 것입니다. <함양 특A 가이드> 노상규 목사님 덕분에 환상적인 함양 투어를 했습니다.
You have probably heard of 'living for a month in Jeju Island' or 'living for a month in Gangwon-do.' Not to mention Seoul or Busan, spending 'a month living in Ulsan' must sound unfamiliar and quaint to almost anyone. Had I not kept a home in Ulsan, there would have been little reason for me to head all the way down from Goyang in Gyeonggi-do—where Ezra Bible Graduate University is located—to Ulju in Ulsan just for the summer vacation. Back in February, having packed up part of our household, we moved to Goyang. After five months of residing there and completing the first semester, we took advantage of the summer break to spend a month living in Ulsan, and today we returned to Goyang once again. Looking back, I find myself wanting to share what this month in Ulsan was like. Above all, just as an entire lifetime feels fleeting, a single month felt remarkably brief.
The day we traveled down to Ulsan was long and eventful. Leaving Goyang early in the morning, we first stopped by Giheung to have a cup of tea at the home of our university foundation’s board chairman. In Daejeon, we shared lunch with the director and his wife from the denominational member-care ministry who have faithfully looked after missionaries. In the evening, we stopped by a funeral home to pay our respects to the pastor who officiated our wedding 47 years ago, called home to the Lord at the venerable age of 96. By the time we finally reached our house in Ulsan, night had already fallen. Opening my eyes the next morning and looking out, the flowers blooming in the garden warmly welcomed us back. As we always do wherever we are, we finished breakfast and set out for a stroll, only to find our familiar walking trail overgrown and impassable from disuse. Even so, it was an immense delight to be reunited with the natural beauty of Ulsan, the place that felt like home after living there for 25 years.
Yet what made this month in Ulsan truly precious above all else was meeting the people with whom we shared a quarter of a century—those dear souls we had so longed to see. To be sure, among them were friends I first met half a century ago, but most were fellow believers and co-laborers from the same church, living out the confession, "I believe in the communion of saints," while others were dear ministry partners from the broader local community. Furthermore, making rounds at the clinic and hospital was an essential rhythm that could not be omitted from our month in Ulsan. There were appointments with physicians to renew prescriptions for diabetes and heart medications, routine semiannual visits to the ophthalmologist and dentist, and, because this year is an odd-numbered year, my wife and I—being the same age—underwent our comprehensive medical checkup together, including a non-sedated endoscopy.
Another memory etched vividly in my heart is the three-day, two-night trip we took with two other couples at the start of our final week. We accompanied one couple to their hometown of Yeosu, effectively retracing their cherished memories through nearly every alleyway. Visiting Dolsan Island, the camellia groves of Odongdo, and the five newly built bridges that never existed in days past made the excursion truly special. We spent one night in Yeosu, another in my hometown of Hadong, and on the afternoon of our return, we toured Hamyang. "Pastor, did you enjoy your vacation? Tomorrow, our group will be stopping by Hamyang. We’d be so grateful if you could recommend: 1. A nice place for lunch, and 2. Two or three spots to visit. We plan to linger in Hamyang for three or four hours~~" "Pastor, please come to Sangnaebaek Church tomorrow! Hamyang's premier Grade-A guide, Pastor Sang-kyu Noh, will gladly give you a complimentary tour. Haha." Such was the cheerful KakaoTalk exchange with a pastor endowed with an exceptional gift of hospitality, who welcomes every unexpected guest as if sent directly by God. After completing our afternoon tour, the treat of Gangwon-do corn and steamed sweet potatoes prepared by the pastor's wife at the parsonage left an impression that will linger long in our hearts. Thanks to Pastor Sang-kyu Noh—the undisputed "Grade-A Guide of Hamyang"—we enjoyed a truly wonderful, memorable tour of Hamyang.
U het sekerlik al gehoor van mense wat ''n maand op Jeju-eiland' of ''n maand in Gangwon-do' gaan woon en ontspan. Om nie eens van Seoul of Busan te praat nie, maar om ''n maand in Ulsan te woon' sal vir byna almal vreemd en ongewoon klink. As ek nie 'n huis in Ulsan gehad het nie, sou daar nouliks rede gewees het om vir die somervakansie van Goyang in Gyeonggi-do—waar Ezra Bybelse Nagraadse Universiteit geleë is—helepad af te reis na Ulju in Ulsan. Afgelope Februarie het ons 'n deel van ons besittings ingepak en na Goyang verhuis. Nadat ons vyf maande lank daar gewoon en die eerste semester voltooi het, het ons die somervakansie benut om 'n maand lank in Ulsan te gaan woon, en vandag het ons weer na Goyang teruggekeer. Daarom wil ek graag deel hoe hierdie maand in Ulsan verloop het. Heel eerste tref die gewaarwording 'n mens dat, net soos 'n hele leeftyd gou verbygaan, 'n enkele maand werklik baie kort is.
Die dag van ons afreis na Ulsan was 'n lang en besige dag. Vroeg die oggend het ons uit Goyang vertrek en eers by Giheung aangedoen om 'n koppie tee te drink by die voorsitter van ons universiteitsraad. In Daejeon het ons die direkteur en sy eggenote van die denominasionele versorgingsbediening, wat sendelinge met soveel sorg bystaan, vir middagete ontmoet. Teen die aand het ons by 'n roukamer aangegaan om ons medelye te betoon met die heengaan van die leraar wat 47 jaar gelede ons huweliksbevestiging behartig het en nou op die geseënde ouderdom van 96 deur die Here tuisgeroep is. Teen die tyd dat ons by die huis aangekom het, was dit reeds nag. Toe ek die volgende oggend my oë oopmaak en die tuin bekyk, het die blomme ons met ope arms verwelkom. Soos ons altyd oral doen, het ons ná ontbyt gaan stap, net om te vind dat die bekende wandelpad intussen heeltemal oorgroei en onbegaanbaar geraak het. Nietemin was dit wonderlik om weer herenig te wees met die natuur van Ulsan, die plek wat ná 25 jaar soos ons eie tuiste voel.
Maar wat hierdie maand in Ulsan bo alles kosbaar gemaak het, was die ontmoetings met die mense saam met wie ons 'n kwarteeu deurgebring het—hartsmense na wie ons innig verlang het. Weliswaar was daar enkeles tussenin wat ek reeds 50 jaar gelede die eerste keer ontmoet het, maar die meeste was medegelowiges en medewerkers uit dieselfde gemeente, getrou aan die belydenis: "Ek glo aan die gemeenskap van die heiliges," terwyl ons ook ander bedieningsvennote uit die breër omgewing kon ontmoet. Daarbenewens was besoeke aan dokters en hospitale 'n onmisbare deel van ons verblyf in Ulsan. Ons moes dokters spreek om voorskrifte vir diabetes- en hartmedikasie te hernu, en elke ses maande moet ons ook by die oogarts en tandarts aandoen. Aangesien hierdie jaar 'n onewe getal is, moes ons as egpaar van dieselfde ouderdom boonop saam 'n deeglike gesondheidsondersoek ondergaan, insluitend 'n maagspieëling sonder verdowing.
'n Herinnering wat nog helder voor my staan, is die reis van drie dae en twee nagte wat ons aan die begin van die laaste week saam met twee ander gesinne onderneem het. Ons het een egpaar na hul tuisdorp, Yeosu, vergesel en as 't ware saam deur byna elke stegie van hul herinneringe gereis. Dit was baie besonders om nie net Dolsan-eiland en die kameliabosse van Odongdo te besoek nie, maar ook die vyf nuwe brûe te aanskou wat in die ou dae nog nie bestaan het nie. Ons het een nag in Yeosu oornag, nog 'n nag in my tuisdorp Hadong, en die middag van ons terugkeer het ons Hamyang verken. "Dominee, het u 'n goeie vakansie gehad? Môre bring ons twee gesinne 'n besoek aan Hamyang. Ons wil u vriendelik vra om: 1. 'n Plek vir middagete aan te beveel, en 2. Twee of drie besienswaardighede voor te stel. Ons beplan om sowat drie of vier uur in Hamyang deur te bring~~" "Dominee, kom asseblief môre na Sangnaebaek Gemeente! Hamyang se graad-A-gids, ds. Sang-kyu Noh, sal u met liefde 'n gratis toer aanbied, haha." Dit was die hartlike KakaoTalk-gesprek met 'n leraar wat oor 'n uitsonderlike gawe van gasvryheid beskik en elke onverwagte besoeker ontvang asof hulle regstreeks deur God gestuur is. Nadat ons die middagtoer voltooi het, het die leraar se vrou ons by die pastorie bederf met tradisionele Gangwon-do mielies en gekookte patats—'n gasvryheid wat ons nog lank sal bybly. Te danke aan ds. Sang-kyu Noh, die onoortreflike "graad-A-gids van Hamyang," het ons 'n werklik fantastiese en onvergeetlike toer deur Hamyang geniet.