베네치아 연합교회 담임 박요한 목사는 에스라성경대학원대학교 동문(25기)이고, 어쩌면 이번 이태리, 스페인 여행의 물꼬를 트는데 결정적인 도움을 주었습니다. ‘베네치아에 한 번 오라’고 제안을 했기 때문입니다. 그리고 오게 되면 토요일 저녁에는 지역 성도들을 위해서, 주일에는 오롯이 연합교회 성도들을 위해서 말씀을 전해달라는 부탁을 했습니다. 월요일 오후에 베네치아 역에 도착했을 때 유흥식 집사님이 얼마전 수리를 끝낸 승용차를 가지고 함께 마중을 나왔던 것도 감사했습니다. 그렇지 않았더라면 캐리어를 끌고 택시나 버스, 전철 등 대중교통을 이용해서 이동할 수밖에 없었을 것입니다.
그리고 한 주간 동안 거의 모든 성도들이 이모저모로 마음을 모아 다가와서 도와주었습니다. 특히 식사 대접뿐 아니라 여행코스 가이드로 봉사해 줄 때마다 성도들의 교회를 위한 따뜻한 마음이 전달되었습니다. 그리하여 요즈음 인기를 누리는 돌로미티 여행도, 베네치아 본섬 투어도, 곤돌라 체험도 연합교회 성도들의 후원으로 할 수 있었습니다. 그리고 티라미수로 알려진 트레비소, 유리공예로 유명했던 무라노 섬, 그리고 레이스로 명성을 떨친 부라노 섬에도 목사님 부부와 함께 다녀왔습니다. 하지만 문화관광보다는 자연관광이 취향인 제게는 돌로미티가 가장 큰 감동으로 다가왔고 오랫동안 마음에 자리할 것입니다.
물론 문화보다는 자연관광을 더 선호하지만 무엇보다 소중하게 제게 다가오는 것은 사람입니다. 해외에 왔으니 당연히 다른 나라 사람들이 사는 모습이 크게 다가왔습니다. 이태리 사람들이 우리 나라 사람들과 사는 모습이 달라보입니다. ‘빨리빨리’가 특징인 우리라면 그들은 ‘느긋함’, 가족과의 시간이나 휴가를 중시하는 것처럼 보였습니다. 우리는 변화를 빠르게 수용하는 사회라고 하면, 그들은 이전의 전통적 삶을 유지하는 것이 중요해 보였습니다. 집을 들어서면 우리는 현관부터 디지털 록이 있다면, 그들은 아직도 대개 옛날처럼 열쇠를 사용하고 있었습니다. 우리가 현대식 비데가 설치된 화장실이라고 하면, 그들은 여전히 전통적인 비데를 화장실에 두고 살고 있었습니다.
베네치아 방문에서 가장 감동적인 것은 성도들과의 교제였습니다. 특히 돌로미티 투어를 가이드 했던 백 선생님이 주말 토요 말씀잔치에서 다시 만난 것을 비롯해서 한 분 한 분의 사연이 기도의 제목으로 자리잡았습니다. 올해 1월에 한 가정, 2월에 한 성도, 3월에 한 가정, 4월에 한 성도를 보내어 주셔서 은혜로운 말씀잔치를 할 수 있었고, 토요일 집회 때 테너 솔로와 주일예배 때 네 분의 남성중창단의 찬양은 감동이었습니다. 많은 분들은 음악이나 다른 공부로 이태리에 왔다가 지금은 가이드로 일하든지 아니면 식당 등 사업을 하는 분들이었습니다. 하지만 일당백의 기개를 가지고 주님의 몸된 교회를 섬기는 모습은 광야에 피어난 장미처럼 아름다웠습니다.(구주대망 2025년 4월 6~13일, 베네치아에서)
Pastor John Park of the Venice United Church is an alumnus of Ezra Bible Graduate University (25th class), and in many ways, he played a decisive role in opening the way for this journey through Italy and Spain. It all started when he extended an invitation: "Please visit Venice." Along with that invitation came a request to share the Word—on Saturday evening for the local believers, and on the Lord’s Day devoted entirely to the congregation of the United Church. When we arrived at the Venice train station on Monday afternoon, it was such a blessing that Deacon Heung-sik Yoo came out to greet us in his car, which had just recently been repaired. Had it not been for him, we would have had no choice but to drag our heavy luggage onto public transportation like taxis, buses, and trains.
Throughout the entire week, almost all the church members came together in various ways with warm hearts to assist us. Beyond treating us to wonderful meals, whenever they volunteered to guide us through different travel routes, their deep devotion and love for the church shone brightly. Thanks to the loving support of the United Church family, we were able to experience the Dolomites tour—so popular these days—as well as the Venice main island tour and the gondola ride. We also had the joy of visiting Treviso, famous for its tiramisu; Murano Island, renowned for its glass art; and Burano Island, celebrated for its exquisite lace, together with the pastor and his wife. Yet, for someone like me who is drawn more to the wonders of nature than to cultural tourism, it was the Dolomites that moved my heart most profoundly, and its memory will linger with me for a long time to come.
While I certainly prefer natural scenery over cultural sights, what touches my heart most deeply of all is people. Being abroad, the distinct way of life of people from another land naturally caught my eye. The Italian way of life looks noticeably different from ours in Korea. If our hallmark is "hurry, hurry" (ppalli-ppalli), theirs seemed to be "unhurried leisure," placing the highest value on family time and holidays. If our society is quick to embrace change, they seemed dedicated to preserving their traditional way of living. While our homes greet us with digital door locks right at the entrance, they were still mostly using traditional metal keys as in times past. While our restrooms feature modern electronic bidets, their bathrooms still house classic, traditional bidets.
Above all, the most moving aspect of our visit to Venice was our fellowship with the saints. Each person's unique story found a lasting place in my prayers—including Mr. Baek, who had guided our tour through the Dolomites and whom we met again at the Saturday evening Word feast. With the Lord sending one family in January, one member in February, another family in March, and yet another believer in April, we were able to celebrate a truly grace-filled banquet of the Word. The tenor solo during Saturday’s gathering and the praise offered by the male quartet on the Lord's Day were deeply moving. Many had originally come to Italy to study music or other fields, and are now working as tour guides or running restaurants and small businesses. Yet, their valiant spirit in serving the body of Christ—each standing as a match for a hundred—was as lovely as a rose blossoming in the wilderness. (Awaiting our Savior, April 6–13, 2025, from Venice)
Leraar John Park van die Venesië Verenigde Gemeente is 'n alumnus van Ezra Bybelse Nagraadse Universiteit (25ste klas), en hy het op baie maniere die deurslag gegee om die weg te baan vir hierdie reis deur Italië en Spanje. Dit het begin met sy hartlike uitnodiging: "Kom besoek ons gerus in Venesië." Daarmee saam het die versoek gekom om die Woord te bedien—op Saterdagaand vir die plaaslike gelowiges, en op die Sondag uitsluitlik vir die lidmate van die Verenigde Gemeente. Toe ons Maandagmiddag by die Venesië-treinstasie aangekom het, was dit 'n groot seën dat diaken Heung-sik Yoo ons kom ontmoet het met sy motor wat pas herstel is. Sonder hom sou ons geen ander keuse gehad het as om met ons swaar bagasie van openbare vervoer soos taxi's, busse en treine gebruik te maak nie.
Deur die loop van die week het byna al die lidmate op verskeie maniere met eensgesinde harte na vore getree om ons by te staan. Nie net het hulle ons met maaltye bederf nie, maar telkens wanneer hulle as gidse vir ons reisroetes gedien het, kon 'n mens die gemeente se warm liefde duidelik aanvoel. Danksy die ondersteuning van die Verenigde Gemeente kon ons die Dolomiete-toer meemaak—wat deesdae so gewild is—asook 'n toer deur die hoofeiland van Venesië en 'n gondelvaart beleef. Saam met die leraarspaar het ons ook Treviso besoek, wat bekend is vir sy tiramisu; die eiland Murano, beroemd om sy glaskuns; en die eiland Burano, wat wyd bekend is vir sy fyn kantwerk. Tog het die Dolomiete vir my, as iemand wat natuur bo kultuurtoerisme verkies, die diepste indruk gemaak—'n herinnering wat nog lank in my hart sal bly voortleef.
Hoewel ek die natuur bo kultuurtoerisme verkies, is dit tog die mense wat my die diepste raak. Aangesien 'n mens in die vreemde is, val die lewenswyse van ander nasies jou natuurlik dadelik op. Die Italianers se lewenstyl verskil heelwat van dié van ons mense in Korea. Waar ons gekenmerk word deur 'n gejaagde "gou-gou"-pas, lyk dit asof hulle 'n rustige gemoedstoestand, gesinstyd en vakansies hoog op prys stel. Waar ons samelewing verandering blitsvinnig omhels, blyk dit vir hulle van kardinale belang te wees om die tradisionele lewe van ouds te bewaar. Waar ons huise by die voordeur reeds met digitale slotte toegerus is, gebruik hulle meestal steeds tradisionele sleutels soos in vervloë dae. Waar ons badkamers spog met moderne elektroniese bidet-stelsels, leef hulle steeds met die tradisionele bidet in die badkamer.
Die mees roerende aspek van ons besoek aan Venesië was die gemeenskap van die heiliges. Elke liewe persoon se lewensverhaal het 'n kosbare gebedsversoek in my hart geword—soos dié van mnr. Baek, wat ons toer deur die Dolomiete gelei het en wat ons weer tydens die Saterdagaandse Woordfees ontmoet het. Met die Here wat in Januarie een gesin, in Februarie een lidmaat, in Maart nog 'n gesin, en in April weer 'n gelowige gestuur het, kon ons 'n ryklik geseënde fees rondom die Woord beleef. Die tenoorsolo tydens die Saterdagsamekomste en die lofsang van die manskartet tydens die Sondagdiens was besonder aangrypend. Baie van hulle het aanvanklik na Italië gekom om musiek of ander rigtings te studeer, en werk tans as gidse of bedryf hul eie ondernemings soos restaurante. Maar die dapper en getroue wyse waarop hulle die liggaam van die Here dien—elkeen soos 'n stryder wat vir honderd tel—was so pragtig soos 'n roos wat in die woestyn blom. (In afwagting op ons Verlosser, 6–13 April 2025, uit Venesië)