2월 19일 수요일, 4년간의 고양살이를 끝내고 울산으로 이사해서 돌아왔습니다. 집에 와보니 울산에서의 새로운 출발을 환영하며 축복하는 ‘웰컴 백(Welcome Back)‘이란 현수막까지 대문에 붙어 있었습니다.
팬들의 열심은 항상 상상을 초월합니다. 24년 목회한 울산 팬클럽은 일단 숫자에 있어서도 상당하고, 일부는 엄청 열성파라 울산 팬클럽 정리를 하겠다고 나섰다가, 울산교회 3인방 특공대의 휘하에 들어가겠다며 바로 꼬리를 내린 분도 있습니다.
이사하는 날 집에 들어가 보니, 거실에는 3색 꽃이 핀 부겐베리아 화분으로부터 시작해서, 냉장고에는 며칠은 족히 먹을 수 있는 과일, 채소, 고기 등 음식이 누군가의 손길을 통해 채워져 있었습니다.
5톤 트럭의 이삿짐을 순식간에 정리하는데 ‘출장 나온’ 울산교회 3인방 특공대의 활약은 눈부셨습니다. 신속한 판단으로 적절히 짐을 배치할 만큼 투철한 주인의식이 빛나는 3인방이었습니다. 하지만 공간의 부족으로, 특히 책꽂이가 모자라서 15개의 책 박스는 풀지도 못하고 하룻밤을 넘겼는데, 뒷날 저녁에 다시 들이닥친 특공대의 활약 또한 언급하지 않을 수 없습니다.
전날 상황을 파악한 수디자인 김윤정 사장님께서 책꽂이 두 개를 싣고 와서, 마치 자로 잰 듯이 꼭 맞는 자리에 배치하고, 책정리를 깔끔하게 끝내었습니다. 전날 밤 풀지 못한 책 박스를 바라보는 우리 부부의 눈길을 주님이 눈치채셨던 모양입니다.
뿐만 아니라 이튿날 저녁에는 행정목사님까지 동원되어서 컴퓨터와 음향기구를 조립하고, 복잡한 전선처리까지 깔끔하게 정리되어서 감사했습니다. 그리고 지난 주말에는 오랜 소원이었던 실내용 운동기구를 설치했습니다. 몇 년 전에 리즐영어학원 원장인 박지환 님 부부가 ‘바이크트레이너’를 선물로 가지고 왔습니다.
받은 즉시 설치해 보려고 당근에서 자전거까지 사놓고는 이래저래 엄두를 못 내고 있다가, 이번 이삿짐에 그대로 가지고 온 물건입니다. 그런데 하나님이 놀랍게 수배해 놓으신 실내 전용 트레이너 타이어를 구해와, 주말에 완벽하게 설치해 주어서 엄청 기쁩니다. 이제는 봄비도, 장맛비도, 겨울 찬바람이 불거나 눈이 내려도 겁나지 않습니다.
그동안 비워두었던 집을 돌아보려고 며칠 전에 다녀간 엘하우징의 권혁 집사님께서, 오늘은 손맞잡이로 정만석 집사님과 함께 들어와서 겨울에 얼어터진 수전이며, 빗물이 새는 뒷 베란다 지붕을 깔끔히 수리했습니다. 마침 이사지원팀과 함께 점심식사를 하기로 했기에 동석을 권했는데, 처음에는 사양하셨지만 결국 함께 식사를 하게 되었습니다. 정말 이사를 하는데 수고한 분들을 한 자리에 불러 모으시는 하나님의 배려가 돋보이는 하루였습니다.
정 집사님은 그동안 사진으로만 보던 양고기 바비큐를 드디어 맛보게 되었다고 좋아했습니다. 24년 목회기간 동안 열심히 바비큐를 해서 어린양의 희생은 수를 다 헤아릴 수 없지만, 울산교회는 워낙 성도들이 많으니 골고루 다 대접할 수는 없었겠지요^^ 이사하는 과정 하나하나까지도 간섭하시는 하나님의 손길을 맛보는 기간이어서 감사했습니다.
On Wednesday, February 19, after concluding four years of living in Goyang, we moved back to Ulsan. Arriving home, we even found a banner hanging on our front gate welcoming and blessing our fresh start: 'Welcome Back'.
The devotion of our fans always surpasses all imagination. Having ministered here for 24 years, the sheer size of the Ulsan fan club is substantial. Some are so passionate that someone who once stepped forward to bring order to the fan club quickly backed down, conceding that they would rather serve under the command of the 'Ulsan Church Trio Commando Unit.'
When we stepped inside the house on moving day, caring hands had already filled it with love—starting with a potted bougainvillea blooming in three distinct colors in the living room, and a refrigerator generously stocked with enough fruits, vegetables, and meat to last several days.
The performance of the 'dispatched' Ulsan Church Trio Commando Unit in unpacking and organizing a five-ton moving truck in the blink of an eye was truly dazzling. Their deep sense of ownership shone brightly as they made swift decisions and placed every item fittingly. However, due to a shortage of space—especially bookshelves—we were unable to unpack fifteen boxes of books and had to leave them overnight. But I must also mention the valiant effort of the commando unit when they descended upon our home once again the following evening.
Having grasped the situation the day before, President Yoonjung Kim of Soo Design arrived with two bookshelves in tow. She placed them in spots that fit like a glove, as if measured with a ruler, and neatly finished organizing the books. It seemed the Lord had noticed the longing gaze my wife and I had cast upon those unopened book boxes the previous night.
Moreover, the next evening, even the administrative pastor was mobilized to assemble computers and audio equipment, neatly tucking away and organizing all the tangled cables—for which I was truly grateful. And over the past weekend, we finally set up an indoor exercise machine that had long been a wish of mine. A few years ago, Director Jihwan Park of Ryzzle English Academy and his wife gave me a 'bike trainer' as a gift.
Right after receiving it, I even bought a bicycle on Danggeun Market intending to set it up immediately. But somehow, I kept putting it off, and it ended up being moved along with the rest of our belongings untouched. Yet, wonderfully, through God's marvelous provision, an indoor trainer tire was secured and perfectly assembled over the weekend, bringing me immense joy. Now, neither the spring rains, the summer downpours, the biting winter winds, nor the falling snow can intimidate me.
Deacon Hyuk Kwon of L-Housing, who had visited a few days earlier to inspect the house that had been left vacant all this time, returned today with Deacon Manseok Jung as his helper. Together, they neatly repaired the outdoor faucet that had burst from the winter freeze, as well as the rear veranda roof where rainwater was leaking. Since we were just about to have lunch with the moving support team, I invited them to join us. Though they initially hesitated out of modesty, they ended up sharing the meal. It was truly a day when the Lord's thoughtful care shone brightly, gathering everyone who had labored so faithfully for our move around one table.
Deacon Jung was delighted, saying he was finally able to taste the lamb barbecue he had previously only seen in photos. Over my 24 years of pastoral ministry, I have prepared so many barbecues that the sacrifices of young lambs are beyond counting; yet with a congregation as large as Ulsan Church, it would have been impossible to serve everyone evenly! ^^ I was deeply grateful for this precious season of experiencing God’s guiding hand, attentively caring for every single detail of our move.
Op Woensdag 19 Februarie, na vier jaar se verblyf in Goyang, het ons teruggetrek na Ulsan. Toe ons by die huis kom, het daar selfs 'n banier teen die hek gehang wat ons nuwe begin in Ulsan verwelkom en geseën het: 'Welcome Back' (Welkom Terug).
Die toewyding van ons aanhangers oortref altyd enige verbeelding. Na 24 jaar se bediening is die getal aanhangers in Ulsan aansienlik groot. Sommige is so vurig dat iemand wat voorheen na vore getree het om orde in die aanhangersklub te bring, vinnig teruggedeins het en verklaar het dat hulle liewer onder die bevel van die 'Ulsan Gemeente Driemanskap-kommando' sou dien.
Toe ons op die trekdag by die huis instap, was die liefdevolle versorging van baie hande reeds sigbaar—dit het begin by 'n bougainvillea met driekleurige blomme in die sitkamer, en 'n yskas wat ryklik gevul was met vrugte, groente en vleis wat maklik vir dae lank genoeg sou wees.
Die optrede van die 'uitgestuurde' Ulsan Gemeente Driemanskap-kommando, wat 'n vyftonvragmotor se trekgoed in 'n ommesientjie uitgepak en georganiseer het, was werklik verstommend. Met 'n diep gevoel van eienaarskap het hulle vinnige besluite geneem en alles op die regte plekke neergesit. Weens 'n gebrek aan spasie—veral boekrakke—kon vyftien bokse vol boeke egter nie dadelik uitgepak word nie en moes hulle oornag bly staan. Tog moet ek ook die heldedaad van die kommando noem toe hulle die volgende aand weer opgedaag het.
Nadat me. Yoonjung Kim van Soo Design die vorige dag die situasie opgemerk het, het sy met twee boekrakke opgedaag. Sy het hulle op plekke geplaas wat presies gepas het asof dit met 'n liniaal gemeet is, en al die boeke netjies gerangskik. Dit het gelyk asof die Here die verlange in ons oë raakgesien het toe ons en my vrou die vorige aand na daardie ongeopende boekbokse gekyk het.
Nie net dit nie, maar die volgende aand is selfs die administratiewe leraar ingespan om die rekenaars en klanktoerusting aanmekaar te sit, en al die ingewikkelde bedrading is netjies weggewerk, waarvoor ek baie dankbaar was. En die afgelope naweek het ons uiteindelik 'n binnenshuise oefenmasjien opgestel wat 'n jarelange wens van my was. 'n Paar jaar gelede het mnr. Jihwan Park, die direkteur van die Ryzzle Engelse Akademie, en sy vrou vir my 'n fietsoefenraam ('bike trainer') present gegee.
Kort nadat ek dit ontvang het, het ek selfs 'n fiets op Danggeun gekoop met die plan om dit dadelik op te stel, maar weens allerhande omstandighede het ek nooit daarby uitgekom nie, en dit het onaangeraak saamgetrek. Maar deur God se wonderbaarlike beskikking is 'n spesiale binneband vir die oefenfiets gevind en die afgelope naweek volmaak geïnstalleer, wat my ongelooflik bly maak. Nou vrees ek nóg die lentereën, nóg die stortreën, nóg die koue winterwind of sneeu.
Diaken Hyuk Kwon van L-Housing, wat 'n paar dae gelede kom inloer het om die huis wat lank leeg gestaan het te inspekteer, het vandag saam met diaken Manseok Jung as handlanger teruggekeer. Hulle het die buitekraan wat in die winter gevries en gebars het, sowweel as die agterste stoepdak waar reënwater deurgelek het, netjies herstel. Aangesien ons net gereed was om saam met die trekspan middagete te geniet, het ek hulle genooi om aan te sit. Hoewel hulle eers uit beskeidenheid geweier het, het hulle uiteindelik saam met ons geëet. Dit was voorwaar 'n dag waarin die Here se sorgsame voorsienigheid geskitter het deur almal wat so hard met die trek gehelp het, om een tafel bymekaar te bring.
Diaken Jung was verheug en het gesê dat hy uiteindelik die lamsbraai kon proe wat hy voorheen net op foto's gesien het. Oor my 24 jaar in die bediening het ek al soveel lamsbraaie gehou dat die offergawes van jong lammers ontelbaar is; tog met so 'n groot gemeente soos Ulsan Gemeente was dit seker onmoontlik om almal gelyk te bedien! ^^ Ek was baie dankbaar vir hierdie tydperk waarin ons God se hand kon ervaar wat selfs in elke klein fynigheid van ons trek voorsien het.