지난 추석 연휴를 기해서 캐나다를 방문했습니다. 이전에도 캐나다 밴프를 여러 차례 방문을 했지만, 이번에는 캐나다 서북쪽 옐로우나이프로 가서 오로라를 보는 것이 목적이었습니다. 사실 이 일은 2년 전, 2020년 가을에 하기로 계획을 했고, 그때 이미 항공권까지 다 구매했지만, 여러분 모두가 다 아는대로 코로나 팬데믹이라는 상황 때문에 취소가 되었다가 올해 다시 살려낸 일입니다. 밴프에서 옐로우나이프까지 차로 달려서 오로라를 봤으면 하는 것은 캐나다에 살고 계신 선교사님의 버킷리스트이기도 했고, 두 가정이 함께 가자고 했을 때 저는 쉽게 동의를 했습니다. 선교사님과 저, 우리 두 사람은 성격유형 검사를 하면 같은 ENFP이니 무슨 일을 계획하고 실행하는 것도 어렵지가 않습니다. 어떤 상황에도 대처하는 우린 유연한 사람들이라고! 그러나 6가정이 그 무모한 ENFP 음모에 말려든 것은 또 다른 이야기입니다.
올 연초에 이 계획을 다시 살리는 과정에서 모두 6가정으로 늘어나서, 선교사님이 아끼는 12인승 승합차로 12명이 함께 타고 9월 7일 수요일 이른 아침에 출발했습니다. 밴프를 출발해서, 갈 때는 옐로우나이프를 향하는 중간쯤 되는 하이레벨이라는 동네에서, 올 때는 피스리버에서 각각 1박을 했습니다. 처음 출발하면서는 그동안의 여행을 돌아보며, 열두 명의 감사제목을 나누기도 했고, 이어서 옐로우나이프를 찾아가는 길 양편에 늘어선 자작나무를 보며 누군가가 <자작나무> 사행시를 제안하는 바람에 돌아가며 발표를 하기도 했습니다. <자작 자작 소리 내며 타는 작대기를 보고 나무의 이름이 무엇인고 물으니 자작나무라 카드라> <자네의 깊은 마음을 작년에라도 알았더라면 나 나대는 삶을 살지않고 무한정 그대를 사랑했을 것이요> <자연의 아름다움 속에 작렬하는 태양 앞에 나라는 존재는 무소부재하신 그분앞에 무릎 꿇는다> <자비하신 주님께서 작정하신 그 사랑이 나에게도 임하나니 무한 감사하여라>
하이레벨에서 출발할 때는 흐리다말고 비를 뿌리기까지하다가, 목적지 옐로우나이프에 도착했을 때는 구름이 거의 온 하늘을 덮고 있었습니다. 밤에 잠자리에 들 때까지도 숙소 위에만 손바닥만한 하늘만 별들이 빛나고 있었습니다. 하지만 밤 1시가 넘어가자 희미한 오로라 그녀의 흔적이 하늘에 나타나기 시작했습니다^^ 모두 긴급 소집이 되어 숙소의 베란다와 정원에서 각각 촬영 모드로 돌입해서, 오로라를 촬영하고, 급조된 조명팀과 촬영팀이 부부별로 촬영을 하다가, , 누군가의 제안에 따라, 오면서 개사했던 찬양을 불렀습니다. <참 아름다워라 주님의 세계는 저 하늘 빛난 별들과 춤추는 오로라 그 비경 가운데 주 영광 보이니 주 하나님의 큰 섭리 나 알듯 하도다>라는 열두 명의 찬양이 끝나자 오로라도 밤하늘에서부터 신기하게 사라졌습니다.
왕복 4000킬로미터를 12인승 승합차에 12 사람이 타고 달리는 것은 결코 쉬운 일은 아니었지만 감사와 찬양이 있는 여행이었습니다. 모두 60대 이상이었는데도 불구하고, 하루는 11킬로를 걸어서 오하라 레이크에 도달하고 나서 호수를 한 바퀴 도는 체력과 그 뒷날 나이젤 패스를 다녀오는 하루 3만보를 걷기도 하고, 승합차로 그 먼길을 달리는 것을 거뜬히 감당하는 체력도 놀라왔습니다. 게다가 숙소의 주인이 약속을 지키지 않아서, 옐로우나이프에서의 숙소의 부족은, 우리를 시험하기에 충분했지만, 오히려 성숙한 성도들의 모습을 보여주는 기회가 되었기에 감사했습니다. 오가는 길에서 <알렉산드라>라고 불리는 황금빛 폭포와 이른 아침 버팔로 가족들, 두세 차례나 보았던 곰이나 사슴류도 야생의 세계를 보여주는 캐나다의 신선한 선물이었습니다. 무엇보다 하나님께서 기적같이 베풀어주신 자연의 아름다움을 기쁨과 감사로 함께한 성도의 교제는 오랫동안 기억될만한 감동이었습니다.
Taking advantage of the recent Chuseok holidays, I visited Canada. Although I had visited Banff several times before, this time our goal was to travel to Yellowknife in northwestern Canada to witness the aurora borealis. In fact, this trip was originally planned two years ago in the autumn of 2020. At that time, we had already purchased all the airline tickets, but as everyone well knows, it had to be cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic; only this year were we able to revive it. Driving all the way from Banff to Yellowknife to gaze upon the northern lights had long been on the bucket list of a missionary living in Canada, so when the invitation came for our two families to travel together, I readily agreed. Both the missionary and I share the ENFP personality type, so planning and carrying out such ventures comes easily to us. We pride ourselves on being flexible people, fully capable of adapting to any circumstance! Yet how six families ended up getting swept up into this rather reckless ENFP scheme is another story altogether.
As we revived the plan early this year, our group expanded to six families. Twelve of us boarded the missionary's cherished 12-passenger van and set off early on the morning of Wednesday, September 7th. Starting from Banff, we stayed overnight in High Level, roughly halfway to Yellowknife, and on the return trip, we lodged in Peace River. As our journey began, we looked back on our past travels and shared twelve reasons for thanksgiving. Soon after, inspired by the white birch trees lining both sides of the road toward Yellowknife, someone suggested composing an acrostic poem on "Birch Tree" (자작나무), and each of us took turns sharing ours: "Watching the twigs crackle and burn with a 'ja-jak' sound, I asked what tree it was, and they answered it was a birch tree"; "Had I only known the depths of your heart last year, I would not have lived so restlessly, but would have loved you without end"; "Amid the beauty of nature and before the blazing sun, my frail being kneels before the omnipresent Lord"; "The merciful Lord's ordained love has fallen upon me as well, fill my soul with endless praise."
When we departed from High Level, the overcast sky gave way to scattered rain, and by the time we reached our destination in Yellowknife, thick clouds blanketed almost the entire sky. Even as we went to bed that night, only a palm-sized patch of clear sky above our lodge allowed a few stars to shine through. Yet shortly after 1:00 AM, the faint, graceful trace of the aurora began to unveil herself across the heavens! Everyone was summoned for an emergency gathering. We rushed out onto the veranda and garden in full photography mode, capturing the dancing lights. An impromptu lighting and camera crew took photos of each couple in turn. Then, following someone’s suggestion, we sang a hymn whose lyrics we had adapted along the journey: "This is my Father's world, the shining stars and dancing northern lights above; amid that breathtaking wonder the Lord's glory shines, and I behold the grand providence of our God." As the twelve voices finished their chorus of praise, the aurora mysteriously faded into the deep night sky.
Covering a round trip of 4,000 kilometers with twelve people crammed into a 12-passenger van was by no means an easy feat, yet it was a journey filled with thanksgiving and praise. Though everyone was in their sixties or older, our stamina proved astonishing: on one day we walked 11 kilometers to reach Lake O'Hara and circled around the lake; on the next day we took on the Nigel Pass, logging over 30,000 steps, all while seamlessly enduring the endless road hours in the van. Moreover, when our lodging host in Yellowknife failed to keep their reservation and accommodations fell short, it could easily have tested our patience; instead, it became a blessed occasion that showcased the maturity and grace of seasoned believers. Along the highways, the golden cascade known as Alexandra Falls, early morning herds of buffalo, and glimpses of bears and deer encountered two or three times were fresh, wondrous gifts revealing the untamed beauty of Canada's wilderness. Above all, the fellowship of believers, sharing joy and thanksgiving amid the miraculous beauty bestowed by God, left an impression that will be treasured in our hearts for a long time to come.
Gedurende die afgelope Chuseok-vakansie het ek Kanada besoek. Alhoewel ek Banff al verskeie kere vantevore besoek het, was die doel hierdie keer om na Yellowknife in die noordweste van Kanada te reis om die noorderligte (aurora borealis) te aanskou. Om die waarheid te sê, was hierdie reis reeds twee jaar gelede, in die herfs van 2020, beplan. Destyds het ons reeds al die vliegkaartjies gekoop, maar soos almal maar te goed weet, moes dit weens die Covid-19-pandemie gekanselleer word; eers vanjaar kon ons die plan weer laat herleef. Om al die pad van Banff na Yellowknife te ry om die aurora te sien, was reeds lank op die wenslys van 'n sendeling wat in Kanada woon. Toe die voorstel kom dat ons twee gesinne saam sou gaan, het ek sonder huiwering ingestem. Volgens die persoonlikheidstoetse is beide die sendeling en ek ENFP's, so dit kos ons min moeite om dinge te beplan en uit te voer. Ons beskou onsself immers as aanpasbare mense wat enige situasie kan hanteer! Maar hoe ses gesinne uiteindelik in hierdie ietwat roekelose ENFP-komplot ingetrek is, is 'n heel ander storie.
Toe ons die plan vroeër vanjaar hervat het, het die groep tot ses gesinne aangegroei. Twaalf van ons het vroegoggend op Woensdag, 7 September, in die sendeling se gekoesterde 12-sitplek minibussie vertrek. Vanaf Banff het ons op pad soontoe in High Level oornag—ongeveer halfpad na Yellowknife—en op pad terug het ons in Peace River tuisgegaan. Heel aan die begin van die reis het ons teruggekyk op vorige omswerwinge en twaalf dankpunte gedeel. Kort daarna, geïnspireer deur die witberkebome wat weerskante van die pad na Yellowknife gestaan het, het iemand voorgestel dat ons 'n akrostiese gedig oor die berke boom maak, en elkeen het om die beurt 'n bydrae gelewer: "Toe ek die takkies hoor knetter en vra wat se boom dit is, sê hulle dis 'n berk"; "As ek maar verlede jaar die dieptes van jou hart geken het, sou ek nie so rusteloos geleef het nie, maar jou sonder ophou liefgehê het"; "Te midde van die natuurprag en voor die gloeiende son, kniel my nietige wese voor die alomteenwoordige Here"; "Die barmhartige Here se verordende liefde daal ook op my neer—oneindige dankbaarheid vul my gemoed."
Toe ons vanaf High Level vertrek het, was dit bewolk en het dit selfs begin reën, en teen die tyd dat ons Yellowknife bereik het, was die hele hemelruim byna heeltemal met wolke oortrek. Selfs toe ons die aand gaan slaap het, was daar net 'n handgrootte stukkie helder lug bokant die herberg waar 'n paar sterre geflikker het. Maar net ná eenuur die nag het die dowwe, grasieuse spore van die aurora in die hemel begin verskyn! Almal is dadelik opgeroep en het na die stoep en die tuin gehaas om foto's te neem. 'n Geïmproviseerde beligtings- en fotografiespan het elke egpaar om die beurt afgeneem. Toe, op iemand se voorstel, het ons 'n lofsang gesing waarvan ons die woorde langs die pad aangepas het: "Hoe groot is U, o Heer van die heelal, met die glansende sterre en die dansende noorderligte daarbo; te midde van daardie asemrowende skoonheid straal u heerlikheid, en ek begin die groot voorsienigheid van God verstaan." Net toe die lofsang van die twaalf reisigers weerklink het en stil geword het, het die aurora op geheimsinnige wyse weer uit die naghemel verdwyn.
'n Heen-en-weer-reis van 4 000 kilometer met twaalf mense in 'n 12-sitplek bus was gewis geen maklike taak nie, maar dit was 'n reis deurdrenk van dankbaarheid en lofprysing. Alhoewel almal reeds in hul sestigs of ouer was, was almal se uithouvermoë merkwaardig: op een dag het ons 11 kilometer gestap om Lake O'Hara te bereik en daarna nog om die meer gestap; die volgende dag het ons die Nigel-pas aangedurf en meer as 30 000 treë afgelê, terwyl ons ook die lang ure in die bus met gemak verduur het. Boonop het die eienaar van ons verblyf in Yellowknife nie sy woord gestand gedoen nie, en die tekort aan slaapplek kon ons geduld maklik beproef het; tog het dit eerder 'n geleentheid geword waarin die volwassenheid en genade van gelowiges pragtig na vore getree het. Langs die pad was die goue waters van die Alexandra-waterval, 'n trop buffels in die vroeë oggendmis, en herhaalde ontmoetings met bere en herte vars geskenke wat die ongerepte wildernis van Kanada weerspieël het. Bowenal was die onderlinge gemeenskap van die gelowiges—gevul met vreugde en dankbaarheid te midde van die wonderbaarlike skoonheid wat God geskenk het—'n diep roerende ervaring wat ons nog baie lank sal bybly.