1월의 마지막 날에...

새로 시작된 한 해가 벌써 첫 달을 다 보내고 있습니다.
1월은 아이들을 세네갈로 보내고 또 그것을 지켜보는 일로 꽉 차버린 느낌입니다.

그 사이 지난 13일(화) 시작된 아이들의 학기도 어느덧 보름을 넘어가고 있네요...
아이들의 학교생활 첫 주말 이후 당분간은 2-3일에 한번씩 계속 통화를 하기로 했습니다.
전화기 너머 우는 목소리를 들려주던 아이들의 목소리가 조금씩 나아지는 것에 느끼며
함께 중보해 주시는 분들과 함께
'기도' 즉 모든 일들을 통해 친히 말씀해 주시는 하나님과의 대화 가운데
좀 더 깊게 들어갈 수 있게 된 것에 감사하게 됩니다.

얼마 전 웩 감비아의 선교사님 한 분께서 희진 엄마에게 짧은 글을 부탁했습니다.
저희 선교사끼리 나눠 볼 작은 소식지에 실기 위해
아이들을 보내고 나서의 느낌을 정리해 보라는 것이었습니다.
아래는 희진 엄마가 이 부탁을 받고 쓴 글입니다.

그동안 중보해 주시는 분들과 함께 기도하는 가운데
에베소서의 말씀대로, 굳은 믿음으로 주님을 기대하라는 마음을 주셨습니다.
"우리 가운데서 역사하시는 능력대로
우리가 구하거나 생각하는 모든 것에 더 넘치도록 능히 하실" 하나님께
그리고 함께 기도해 주시는 분들께 다시 깊은 감사를 드리게 됩니다.
그 분께서 이 일을 통해서도 영광을 받으시길 원합니다. (에베소서 3:20,21)


" Since we were in CO(candidate course) in autumn 2007 and started thinking of The Gambia as our future field, we had to consider that my girls, Hee-Jin(Joy) and Yoo-Jin(Grace) would be sent away to the MK boarding school which is BCS in Senegal. If John is going to work in the clinic in Sibanor where does not seem to have the proper school for them, it might be the only and hopefully the best option that we let them go to the boarding school although they are quite young to be away from us.

In spite of our long preparation with them as we have prayed and shared together for the separation, we did realize that it has been more painful and the heart-breaking trial than we expected. At the first weekend of school, we discovered that they had had such a hard time. They asked us to bring them back here with crying over the phone. Before we sent them to the boarding school one of our concerns was the possibility to give them the bitterness and the scar remained in their heart even after they grow up because they might feel the lack of love and care that they should receive from us at their young age.

That is the reason why John and I have earnestly lifted our daughters again into the presence of our loving, caring God with many tears. As we have kept praying, we could find that it is for us to know God’s heart even better. He sent His only precious Son, Jesus into the earth, so He sincerely knows our heart and wants us to pray for others with this heart. Since then we have had comfort and relief from Heaven. Furthermore, our faithful Father who loves my girls has kept reminding us that He is able to do infinitely more than all we ask or imagine for them, by His mighty power at work within us. (Ep. 3:20) Therefore, we are going to keep praying even more deeply for others as well as my daughters in faith. We are also looking forward to seeing the work God will have done for them beyond our imagination. To Him be glory both now and forever. Amen (Ep. 3:21) "