Hey Guys,
Today we met some important folks. We understood that it would be just a little conversation with some new friends and a dialogue with some Muslims and Christians. Instead, a group of just under 50 showed up. There were women and men, including the leaders of a local Alevi group. The Alevi are part of Shiite Muslim group with up to 15 million followers in Turkey. After a sweaty walk up a long hill, we were greeted, invited in to their building, and surprised to see a local newspaper alongside of the largest tv station in Turkey (the equivalent of cnn or nbc.
We were treated to Turkish tea and asked to share about our faith and background. They wanted to know why we were in Turkey. When we were done sharing, the Alevi leaders informed us about their history and followers. We were proud of what we shared and that we declared truth while also learning from our gracious hosts. It is a memory we all will cherish.
The population of Christians in Turkey has grown from about 50 in the 70's to several thousand. It has been our privilege to work alongside them and receive their warm welcome. We look forward to our continued work with David. We also look forward to being bold about our faith in Christ whether to a TV audience or an audience of just one person.
Thank you for praying for us.
Team Turkey
No comments:
Post a Comment