Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Someone Thought I was Turkish!
I was sitting in Starbucks spending time alone and with the Lord when an elderly gentleman interrupted me. He asked me if I spoke English and I nodded and smiled. He then asked if he could bother me a bit and ask me questions about the area and what he should see. I began telling him all the places (the names of course are in Turkish and written in turkish) and wrote down all the places. He paused, looked at me and said, "My, your English is so good. Wherever did you learn it?" It was hard for me not to laugh so I tried my best to hold it in and said, "Well, I'm American." And he bluntly said oh, gathered his stuff and politely excused himself. Every time I thought of that for a week it made me chuckle!
Bayram, cheese fights and moving
We have just finished experiencing Ramadan here. Our time experiencing Ramadan was full of drummer man beating drums outside our apartment at 3am in the morning and trying not to eat in front of people during daylight hours. But the last few days were the Bayram (called şekerli bayram). This is where nothing happens in this country, people eat a lot of sugar and spend time with their entire family. Before this holiday started we were wanting to find a new apartment and move. Amazingly we did accomplish that. The Lord provided for us a beautiful new apartment with loads of space for visitors and future teams here in this city. We are also in walking distance to all main modes of transportation, the Eaves, and anything else we need. Our apartment also doesn't flood from bad kitchen pipes. We're so happy!
We also wanted to purchase a few things before Bayram started as well. We went to Carrefour (which is like a Target, but still doesn't have everything in one place) and we saw something I'd never thought I'd see here. There were two families waiting in the check out line and it appeared the first family had budged. They were saying to the second family that it was a sin for them not to let them go first because they had so few things in their cart. The woman of the second family began yelling back that it was wrong that they budged. Then a bystander came by and told them to be happy because it was the holiday but they pushed him out of the way and began arguing again. So now, its the two wives of these families and one woman takes cheese from her cart, raises it above her head and begins to hit the other woman over the head with the cheese for budging. Needless to say they both got kicked out of the store, it was quite shocking to see behavior like this at all let alone during the holiday which most resembles our christmas!
We are just finishing settling in and are happy to meet with students soon. University begins on Monday and we've been so happy that we've been able to connect with a few students from last year that were in the city this summer but can't wait until others come back and we can begin to meet contacts made over the summer trips here!
We also wanted to purchase a few things before Bayram started as well. We went to Carrefour (which is like a Target, but still doesn't have everything in one place) and we saw something I'd never thought I'd see here. There were two families waiting in the check out line and it appeared the first family had budged. They were saying to the second family that it was a sin for them not to let them go first because they had so few things in their cart. The woman of the second family began yelling back that it was wrong that they budged. Then a bystander came by and told them to be happy because it was the holiday but they pushed him out of the way and began arguing again. So now, its the two wives of these families and one woman takes cheese from her cart, raises it above her head and begins to hit the other woman over the head with the cheese for budging. Needless to say they both got kicked out of the store, it was quite shocking to see behavior like this at all let alone during the holiday which most resembles our christmas!
We are just finishing settling in and are happy to meet with students soon. University begins on Monday and we've been so happy that we've been able to connect with a few students from last year that were in the city this summer but can't wait until others come back and we can begin to meet contacts made over the summer trips here!
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Rejoice!
Today we began some orientation and went through the contacts of new students from the summer. It was a lot to go through but was so exciting to see the students we will be meeting very soon! The majority part of our day was spent with the new people on our team and our team leader Dave talking to us about his heart for working here. It was such a great reminder! He first read from Luke 10. After Jesus sent out the 72 and they came back and reported all they'd seen they were so excited. Jesus reminds them that they should "rejoice that their names are written in the book of life." We were encouraged to be people who always remember that, that whatever the circumstances, whether we find ourselves wanting or lacking nothing we have so much and need nothing more when we're found in Jesus. What a great reminder and mindset to strive for while working here, sharing the gospel with Muslim students! Praise God for a leader who desires our relationships with the Lord to be the priority and from there our ministry can stem through the work of the Holy Spirit.
Friday, September 11, 2009
waiting, waiting. waiting...
Tonight we had a great night with the Eaves (the long term family living here). After dinner, dessert, and a game we left their home around 8:50 expecting a bus to come between 9 and 9:15....we waited...we waited and talked, told jokes, entertained each other and waited some more....we waited and thought of ridiculous things we could do, watched it start to rain...we waited and watched the minutes tick by...we waited and thought of other ways we could get home...we waited and waited and waited. We said finally we'd wait until 10:20 and at 10:19 the bus finally came! We made it home!! We made and only after just a little bit of waiting! :)
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Doors that won't open, floors that are wet!
We arrived back to our city last night from our Staff conference in Istanbul. We were excited to drop our bags off and head to the grocery store so we'd be able to eat in the morning. Not suprising to us, we couldn't get into our apartment right away. Usually it takes us a few trys to get our lock jimmied and opened. But last night after 25 minutes of trying we called our apartment owner. He was doing his prayers so our neighbors were nice enough to let us in and wait! He arrived and let us in though as soon as he opened the door and begain talking about the apartment we knew we were seeing things that weren't there when we left!
He was explaining the family below us had called him while we were away because they were getting water in their apartment. Well, it appears that a pipe in our apartment burst! We go into the kitchen and see that there is a bag tied to the pipe under our sink and is completely full and overflowing with water. The floors in the kitchen and living room were drenched, people's clothes rugs, suitcases, etc. got the brunt of the flooding.
They called someone to come in and fix it, though its not quite fixed. We turned the water off for a while so now we only get water in the back of our apartment. We have much to be thankful for though! Nothing was seriously damaged or destroyed, the men who came in to fix it were honest and didn't take any of our valuables that may have been sitting out and we can still stay here until we find our new apartment!
We are praying we'll find it as soon as possible and hopefully be moving within the next week! Please pray!
He was explaining the family below us had called him while we were away because they were getting water in their apartment. Well, it appears that a pipe in our apartment burst! We go into the kitchen and see that there is a bag tied to the pipe under our sink and is completely full and overflowing with water. The floors in the kitchen and living room were drenched, people's clothes rugs, suitcases, etc. got the brunt of the flooding.
They called someone to come in and fix it, though its not quite fixed. We turned the water off for a while so now we only get water in the back of our apartment. We have much to be thankful for though! Nothing was seriously damaged or destroyed, the men who came in to fix it were honest and didn't take any of our valuables that may have been sitting out and we can still stay here until we find our new apartment!
We are praying we'll find it as soon as possible and hopefully be moving within the next week! Please pray!
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Ayran, Doner and drummer man!
My first few days back in country have been great! Besides being a little sleep deprived and waking up everyday at 3am with drummer man, it feels like I was only gone for a few weeks! I was shocked at how quickly everything felt normal! The buses, Oya in the grocery store, the apartment, the language. The Lord thus far has graciously allowed me to experience life here how I remember quickly and painlessly!
Our first full day in country we got a call from a friend who then proceeded to come to our apartment Sunday for 8 hours! I've eaten Doner and drank Ayran which is one of my favorite combos of the food here. I've been awake to be serenaded by the tapping and banging of drummer man (Since its Ramazan here every morning at 3am someone goes around neighborhoods and bangs on a drum to wake people up to eat before the sun comes up so they can fast during the rest of the day). I feel quite at home!
Yesterday our team came to Istanbul to start our Fall conference where staff get together and we get training and important information for our year. Its exciting to be here! There are over 7 nations present of people who are on staff serving on campuses around the country and today we shared highlights of what God did last year. What a great way to start the year thanking and Praising God for He did and looking hopeful for what He'll do this year!
Our first full day in country we got a call from a friend who then proceeded to come to our apartment Sunday for 8 hours! I've eaten Doner and drank Ayran which is one of my favorite combos of the food here. I've been awake to be serenaded by the tapping and banging of drummer man (Since its Ramazan here every morning at 3am someone goes around neighborhoods and bangs on a drum to wake people up to eat before the sun comes up so they can fast during the rest of the day). I feel quite at home!
Yesterday our team came to Istanbul to start our Fall conference where staff get together and we get training and important information for our year. Its exciting to be here! There are over 7 nations present of people who are on staff serving on campuses around the country and today we shared highlights of what God did last year. What a great way to start the year thanking and Praising God for He did and looking hopeful for what He'll do this year!
Hos Geldiniz!
Well, after many hours of traveling and waiting we finally made it! I was hoping to make it on here earlier to send an update however I forgot how things can work in this country! I seem to break the internet every where I go. It works in our apartment until I try and sign on. Then I thought I'd enjoy a cup of coffee at a cafe while updated everything and everybody. I'm remembering what its like to be flexible!
I'd like to share with you my travel experience here. It was quite the trip!
First my flight left at 10:52am from Des Moines. Another teammate and myself left from there and we were meeting the rest of our team in Chicago. My parents and I get to the airport in plenty of time after stopping at my favorite coffee shop one last time for 10 months. We get to Des Moines with plenty of time to spare. However once there I find that I'm unable to check-in for my flight. After waiting some minutes I finally caught someone's attention at the ticket counter. After searching and calling of airlines she informs me that I was reserved on these flights but I was never issued an e-ticket. I frantically begin calling the man who bought the tickets for our team. Ring, ring ring.... voice mail! He wasn't there. I thought, "What am I going to do? My flight LEAVES in less than an hour." The woman finds the number of the travel agency and the Lord graciously put me in touch with our agent. I proceed to tell her the situation. All I hear is silence... She says she'll call me back as soon as she can. Finally about 20 minutes later she calls me back and informs me that I know have been issued a ticket. I have 30 min. to go through security and get on the plane. Luckily its a small airport and it was a Thursday morning. Not many travelers! Praise God he allowed things to pan out that way and get me here.
From here we met the rest of our team in Chicago and traveled to Frankfurt Germany. The flight was 8.5 hours which can go by quickly with 2 movies, a TV show, many snacks and my iPod. From Frankfurt we traveled to Istanbul and safely arrived in the country around 1:15pm. We knew from here we needed to get our city and thought a bus would be easier with all of our luggage. We find a bus and buy our tickets only to realize we had to wait 5 hours before we could get on our bus! We passed the time by asking each other questions, playing UNO numerous times with different rules, and cards! Our bus finally left at 8pm. From there we were on the bus for 1.5 hours then the bus went on a ferry for about 30 min. then back on the road again for 2 hours (all the while making numerous stops to drop off and pick up other travelers). By the time we arrived in our city it was 12:15am. All city buses were done running for the night and we realized our city is the only city in the country that doesn't offer Service buses from the station to our final destination. We had to take taxis! But we finally made it to our apartment a little after 1:30am and sent the men on their way to their apartment. Once there we stuff ourselves and all our luggage into the elevator only to find at the top that we could not get our apartment door open. We tried for 15 min. then called people in the States who lived there last year to find out the "secret trick" to get the door open. By the time the day was over and done with and we were sleeping in bed it was after 2:30am. Travel was about 31 hours and we slept for about 4 of those. We were exhausted but we were safe and all our luggage miraculously made it! PRAISE GOD! Thanks for your prayers!
I'd like to share with you my travel experience here. It was quite the trip!
First my flight left at 10:52am from Des Moines. Another teammate and myself left from there and we were meeting the rest of our team in Chicago. My parents and I get to the airport in plenty of time after stopping at my favorite coffee shop one last time for 10 months. We get to Des Moines with plenty of time to spare. However once there I find that I'm unable to check-in for my flight. After waiting some minutes I finally caught someone's attention at the ticket counter. After searching and calling of airlines she informs me that I was reserved on these flights but I was never issued an e-ticket. I frantically begin calling the man who bought the tickets for our team. Ring, ring ring.... voice mail! He wasn't there. I thought, "What am I going to do? My flight LEAVES in less than an hour." The woman finds the number of the travel agency and the Lord graciously put me in touch with our agent. I proceed to tell her the situation. All I hear is silence... She says she'll call me back as soon as she can. Finally about 20 minutes later she calls me back and informs me that I know have been issued a ticket. I have 30 min. to go through security and get on the plane. Luckily its a small airport and it was a Thursday morning. Not many travelers! Praise God he allowed things to pan out that way and get me here.
From here we met the rest of our team in Chicago and traveled to Frankfurt Germany. The flight was 8.5 hours which can go by quickly with 2 movies, a TV show, many snacks and my iPod. From Frankfurt we traveled to Istanbul and safely arrived in the country around 1:15pm. We knew from here we needed to get our city and thought a bus would be easier with all of our luggage. We find a bus and buy our tickets only to realize we had to wait 5 hours before we could get on our bus! We passed the time by asking each other questions, playing UNO numerous times with different rules, and cards! Our bus finally left at 8pm. From there we were on the bus for 1.5 hours then the bus went on a ferry for about 30 min. then back on the road again for 2 hours (all the while making numerous stops to drop off and pick up other travelers). By the time we arrived in our city it was 12:15am. All city buses were done running for the night and we realized our city is the only city in the country that doesn't offer Service buses from the station to our final destination. We had to take taxis! But we finally made it to our apartment a little after 1:30am and sent the men on their way to their apartment. Once there we stuff ourselves and all our luggage into the elevator only to find at the top that we could not get our apartment door open. We tried for 15 min. then called people in the States who lived there last year to find out the "secret trick" to get the door open. By the time the day was over and done with and we were sleeping in bed it was after 2:30am. Travel was about 31 hours and we slept for about 4 of those. We were exhausted but we were safe and all our luggage miraculously made it! PRAISE GOD! Thanks for your prayers!
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