호캉스 시즌1이라고요? 호텔에서 보내는 바캉스가 아니라 병원, 호스피털에서 보내는 여름 휴가(?)입니다. 뒷날 토요일 1시, 무룡산 옛길 입구에서 만나서 동해바다에 접한 정자라는 바닷가 마을로 가서 자전거를 타기로 했습니다. 물론 대장님은 승용차에 자전거를 싣고 와서 함께 출발하자고 했지만, 지시대로 하면 라이딩 코스도 반으로 줄어들고, 따라서 라이딩 즐거움이 반으로 줄어들기에, 지시를 어기고 금요일 오전에 자전거로 접선지점으로 가는 예행연습을 하기로 했습니다. 늘 익숙한 동천강 전용 라이딩 코스에서 약속지점은 자전거로 10분 코스임을 확인하고 득의양양 집으로 돌아가다가, 우리 동네까지 와서 대형사고를 쳤습니다.
위의 사고 현장 사진에서 보듯이, 사고가 날만한 지점이 아닌데 사고를 친 것을 보면 순간적으로 방심했나 봅니다. 물론 일반 노면과 아스팔트는 10센티 내외의 단차가 있지만 산으로 들로 내닫던 20년 가까운 라이더에게는 위협적인 요인은 아닙니다. “지난 7월 11(금)일 자전거 사고로 왼쪽 대퇴골이 부러져서 바로 수술하고 순조롭게 회복 중입니다 뼈가 부러졌는데도 별다른 통증을 느끼지 못하는 은혜를 날마다 경험하고 있습니다 회복이 빨라 목발 훈련만 조금 하고 퇴원해도 되겠다고 주치의가 말씀하셨습니다. 계속 기도 부탁합니다 감사합니다^^” 최근에 지인들께 보낸 톡입니다. 오전에 다쳤고 바로 동천동강병원 응급실로 와서 오후에 여러 가지 검사를 하고 저녁에 전신마취를 하고 수술을 했습니다.
의료시스템이 건재한 대한민국 울산에 사는 것을 다시 한 번 감사했습니다. 동남아를 비롯한 여러 선교지의 긴급기도 요청을 통해서나, 동족이 살고 있는 북한의 상황을 떠올려보면 바로 입원을 해서 수술을 받고 치료를 받을 수 있다는 것은 정말로 감사하지 않을 수가 없습니다. 그리고 의료인들뿐 아니라, 병원 내에서 종사하는 모든 분들께도 마음에서부터 고마움을 느끼는 호캉스 시즌 1입니다. 병원이 있고 의료 체계가 돌아가고 거기에 종사하는 분들이 있다는 것이 생각할수록 감사했습니다. 가까이 있는 보건고등학교 실습생들조차 존귀하게 눈에 들어오는 기회였습니다. 매일 매일 바쁘게 걸레질을 하며 청결을 위해 봉사하는 사람들도 비로소 눈에 들어옵니다. 건강해서 즐겁게 자전거로 달리던 때에는 생각해 본 적이 없는 세상입니다.
3주 가까운 입원치료를 받는 기간동안, 다른 한편으로는 지난 24년동안 울산교회 담임 목사로서 헛되게 살지 않았다는 생각이 들만큼, 문병하는 많은 성도들의 사랑을 받았습니다. 입원한지 1주일 후에 교회소식을 통해 처음 접한 성도들이 들이닥쳐서 그 주일날에는 스므명이 넘게 방문을 했습니다. 5인실 다른 환우들에게 피해가 되면 어떻하나 하는 마음이 살짝 들기도 했습니다. 맛있는 것들을 서로 나누는 병실내에서 세상도 아름다웠습니다. 이제 고열도 혈압도 염증수치도 정상으로 돌아왔다는 주치의 진단대로 퇴원준비를 해야 합니다. 다만 집으로 바로 돌아가서 생활하기에는 무리가 될 수 있으니 다른 요양병원에 가서 얼마간 보내고 집으로 돌아갔으면 하는 주위 분들의 기도가 응답 되었는지, 이번 금요일 퇴원하고는 호캉스 시즌 2가 시작될 듯합니다. 계속 기도해 주십시오. 감사합니다.
Did you say a hospital vacation? Not a luxurious summer holiday spent at a hotel, but a summer "vacation" in a hospital! We had planned to meet at 1:00 PM on Saturday at the entrance of the old Muryongsan trail and ride our bicycles to Jeongja, a charming coastal village facing the East Sea. Our group leader naturally suggested loading our bicycles into his car so we could head out together. But if I followed orders, our riding distance would be cut in half, and consequently, the sheer joy of riding would be halved as well. So, quietly defying instructions, I decided to do a solo trial run on Friday morning to bicycle all the way to our designated meeting point. Along the familiar dedicated cycling path beside the Dongcheon River, I confirmed that the rendezvous point was only a brisk ten-minute ride away. Full of satisfaction and triumphant cheer, I began cycling back home—only to suffer a major accident right in my own neighborhood.
As you can see from the photograph of the accident scene above, it was hardly a spot where an accident should occur; I must have let my guard down for just a split second. To be sure, there was a height difference of about ten centimeters between the regular unpaved path and the asphalt, but for someone who had roamed through hills and fields on a bicycle for nearly twenty years, that was never an intimidating obstacle. "On Friday, July 11, I broke my left femur in a cycling accident, but I had surgery right away and am recovering smoothly. I am experiencing the grace of feeling very little pain despite the fractured bone, day by day. My attending physician mentioned that my recovery is so fast that after just a little crutch training, I might be discharged soon. Please keep praying for me. Thank you! ^^" This was the text message I recently sent to acquaintances. I was injured in the morning, immediately rushed to the emergency room at Dongcheon Dongkang Hospital, underwent various tests in the afternoon, and had surgery under general anesthesia that evening.
Once again, I felt deeply grateful to live in Ulsan, South Korea, where the medical system remains so robust and dependable. When I think of the urgent prayer requests from various mission fields in Southeast Asia and beyond, or when I consider the harsh realities faced by our fellow brethren living in North Korea, being able to be hospitalized promptly, receive immediate surgery, and undergo excellent treatment is truly something for which I cannot help but give thanks. Furthermore, during this "Hospital Vacation Season 1," my heart is filled with genuine gratitude not only toward the medical professionals but toward everyone working within the hospital. The more I pondered it, the more thankful I was that hospitals exist, that healthcare systems function, and that there are people dedicated to serving within them. It was an opportunity where even the practical trainees from the nearby health high school appeared precious in my eyes. The people who diligently mop the floors every single day to maintain cleanliness also finally came into view. This was a realm of life I had never paused to consider when I was healthy, joyfully speeding along on my bicycle.
During this nearly three-week period of inpatient treatment, I received so much love from visiting church members—enough to make me reflect that my past twenty-four years serving as the senior pastor of Ulsan Church had not been lived in vain. When the congregation first heard the news through the church bulletin a week after my admission, a wave of visitors arrived, and on that Sunday alone, more than twenty people came to see me. I felt a slight twinge of concern that we might disturb the other patients in our five-bed shared room. Yet, inside that ward where delicious treats were warmly shared, the world felt profoundly beautiful. Now, as the doctor diagnosed that my high fever, blood pressure, and inflammation markers have all returned to normal, I must prepare for discharge. However, since returning straight home to daily life might still be physically taxing, perhaps in answer to the prayers of those around me who hoped I could spend a short time in a convalescent hospital before heading home, it seems that after being discharged this Friday, "Hospital Vacation Season 2" will begin. Please continue to pray for me. Thank you.
Het u gesê 'n hospitaal-vakansie? Nie 'n luukse somervakansie in 'n hotel nie, maar 'n somervakansie in 'n hospitaal! Ons sou die Saterdag om eenuur die middag by die ingang van die ou Muryongsan-pad ontmoet om met ons fietse na Jeongja, 'n kusdorpie aan die Oossee, te ry. Die groepleier het natuurlik voorgestel dat ons die fietse agterop die motor laai en saam vertrek. Maar as ek die opdrag sou volg, sou die fietsroete gehalveer word, en daarmee saam ook die vreugde van die rit. Daarom het ek, teen die instruksies in, besluit om Vrydagoggend 'n proefrit met die fiets na die afgespreekte ontmoetingsplek te onderneem. Op die bekende, afgebakende fietsroete langs die Dongcheon-rivier het ek vasgestel dat die bymekaarkomplek slegs tien minute se ry ver was. Vol genoegdoening het ek huiswaarts begin trap—net om reg in my eie buurt in 'n ernstige ongeluk te beland.
Soos gesien kan word op die foto van die ongelukstoneel hierbo, was dit glad nie 'n plek waar 'n mens 'n ongeluk sou verwag nie; ek moes seker vir 'n breukdeel van 'n sekonde onoplettend gewees het. Weliswaar was daar 'n hoogteverskil van sowat tien sentimeter tussen die grondpad en die asfalt, maar vir iemand wat al byna twintig jaar lank oor berge en deur velde ry, was dit geen bedreiging nie. "Op Vrydag 11 Julie het ek my linkerdybeen in 'n fietsongeluk gebreek. Ek is dadelik geopereer en herstel voorspoedig. Ten spyte van die gebreekte been ervaar ek daagliks die genade om baie min pyn te voel. My behandelende geneesheer sê dat my herstel so vinnig verloop dat ek ná net 'n bietjie oefening met krukke ontslaan kan word. Bid asseblief steeds vir my. Baie dankie! ^^" Dit was die boodskap wat ek onlangs aan vriende en kennisse gestuur het. Ek het die oggend beseer geraak, is dadelik na die noodsaal van die Dongcheon Dongkang-hospitaal geneem, het die middag verskeie toetse ondergaan en is die aand onder algemene narkose geopereer.
Ek was opnuut innig dankbaar om in Ulsan, Suid-Korea, te woon, waar die gesondheidsorgstelsel so stewig en betroubaar funksioneer. Wanneer ek dink aan die dringende gebedsversoeke uit verskeie sendingvelde in Suidoos-Asië en elders, of aan die omstandighede van ons volksgenote in Noord-Korea, kan 'n mens nie anders as om diep dankbaar te wees dat 'n mens dadelik opgeneem, geopereer en versorg kan word nie. Boonop is hierdie "Hospitaal-vakansie Seisoen 1" 'n tyd waarin ek uit die diepte van my hart dankbaarheid voel—nie net teenoor die dokters en verpleegpersoneel nie, maar teenoor elkeen wat in die hospitaal werksaam is. Hoe meer ek daaroor nagedink het, hoe dankbaarder was ek dat daar hospitale is, dat die mediese stelsel vlot verloop, en dat daar mense is wat getrou daarin dien. Dit was 'n geleentheid waarin selfs die leerlinge van die nabygeleë gesondheidshoërskool kosbaar en waardevol voor my oë geword het. Ook diegene wat elke dag vlytig met die besem en dweil werk om alles skoon te hou, het uiteindelik my aandag getrek. Dit is 'n werklikheid waaroor ek nooit stilgestaan het toe ek gesond en vrolik op my fiets rondgerits het nie.
Gedurende die byna drie weke van binnepasiëntbehandeling het ek soveel liefde van besoekende lidmate ontvang dat dit gevoel het asof my afgelope vier-en-twintig jaar as leraar van Ulsan Gemeente nie tevergeefs was nie. 'n Week ná my opname, toe die gemeente die nuus die eerste keer deur die kerkbulletin verneem het, het die besoekers ingestroom; op daardie Sondag alleen het meer as twintig mense kom kuier. Ek was selfs 'n bietjie bekommerd dat dit dalk 'n steurnis vir die ander pasiënte in die vyfbedsaal sou wees. Maar in daardie saal, waar heerlike verversings vrylik met mekaar gedeel is, was die lewe werklik pragtig. Noudat my koors, bloeddruk en ontstekingswaardes volgens die behandelende geneesheer weer heeltemal normaal is, moet ek my gereedmaak vir ontslag. Aangesien dit egter veeleisend kan wees om dadelik na die gewone huislewe terug te keer, lyk dit of die gebede van diegene rondom my verhoor is—hulle wat gehoop het dat ek eers 'n tydjie in 'n herstelhospitaal sou deurbring voordat ek huis toe gaan. Ná my ontslag hierdie Vrydag breek "Hospitaal-vakansie Seisoen 2" waarskynlik aan. Hou asseblief aan om vir my te bid. Baie dankie.