Heart for the Lord

Today we had our new weekly discussion group at the Kultur Evi (Culture House) which is the building the local church uses for meetings and sunday school.  We never know who will come especially with the culture here.  Our friends say they will come but don't.  They only say they will come to not hurt our feelings. 

There are 2 people though that always come! They are 2 young men who are believers.  One is 27 and the other 17.  These two are so excited and encouraged to see young college students come and discuss things of the Lord.  The 17 year old definitely has a heart for the Lord and for his people to know Him.  During one of our ice breakers we were sharing something that maybe not many people know.  He was the second person to go and chose to share his testimony! What a brave young man! Its so encouraging to see him take steps of faith and trust the Lord to use his life even among our friends! Praise God! Its good for us to see with what we're doing now and what our the Lord may do with our work in the future with our friends! 

Vision

For the past 4 days we had a group of students from the US come visit during their spring break! Its always fun to have visitors, especially Americans since we don't see very many of them besides ourselves.  Not only is it refreshing, it is always encouraging.  

For one reason or another God brings people to this country.  Sometimes its just out of curiosity, maybe a mentor or bible study leader has asked them to check it out, or maybe God has laid this 

country on their heart.  In this last group there were 3 men and 2 women.  One guy is on staff, Vince, and used to serve in Turkey for 6 years 6 years ago.  He and his son, Reed, came who is just about to start university. These two came to see what ministry looks like here especially since we're pioneering a new city.  The staff guy especially was excited to learn and understand more of what God is doing here because he as spent time serving in this country and understands the longevity of working here. The other guy, Scott, is a junior in college and he came on this trip because he heard about Turkey and just wanted to check it out.  The two girls that came are both from the U of M.  One is an intern, Elizabeth, the other a freshman, Lia.  Adrienne and Elizabeth are really good friends and it was fun for Elizabeth to see her and to see what overseas ministry looks like compared to serving on a college campus in the States.  

Lia heard about Turkey and when she was researching things to do over spring break God wouldn't let her forget Turkey.

As you can see each person came for different reason, however God did something in all of their hearts! Last night we had a sharing time and the people on the trip shared about their 4 days in our city and their time spent with students and on campus.  Scott and Reed went out by themselves and found some english speakers and they both got to have really great conversations and were able to share the gospel clearly.  Its so encouraging knowing that they might have been able to share with someone who just heard the Truth about Christ for the first time, but Lord willing they have planted a seed! Vince shared how he again was struck with the need for workers to come here and share Christ.  All of this sharing has just made me realize what a privilege it is to serve here and to be a part of what God is doing.  It also made me think about the reality of the spiritual climate in Turkey.

We live in a city of about 2 million people with somewhere around 70 known believers and almost half of those believers are workers! This is just a tiny glimpse of what its like all over this country! God knows the need and He is still working through dreams and visions to reach these people but He still chooses to use us and wants to use us, to bring us into His work! I'm so thankful to be here and for this moment, this year in my life, there's no where else I'd rather be.  The center of God's will is a good place to be! There are challenges and struggles just by living here but the comfort of being held securely in the Lord gives me more than enough strength, courage and endurance to continue to "run, with perseverance, the race marked out for me." (Hebrews 12:1)