[by Charlie]
Yesterday was a day of planning and meetings for worship and prayer...along with a bit of sightseeing and dinner with our Turkish friends. Suzy and I meet with three people to discuss plans for our Parenting Seminar. That went well and we have high hopes it will be a meaningful time. My time with a young couple later that night confirmed that there is a great need for good teaching on parenting, especially from a Christian perspective. Suzy’s work as the Director of the pre-school at ELMO, my training as an Active Parenting Facilitator, and both for our history in raising children ourselves will hopefully result in a meaningful time for all. Class is scheduled for next Thursday night.
We talked briefly about the youth group which will take place tonight and that Mike will lead. David will assist in leading the worship time, and the rest of us will be there to participate and lead in any way that is helpful.
The evening was spent in home groups – meetings for sharing and prayer. I went with Pam (international mission worker with the church for the past 7 years) to a home way out at the end of town while the rest of the team went to home closer to the church. Both were times of significance. For me, I found myself in the presence of Turkish believers who had come to Christ in remarkable ways, and we shared our stories of coming to Christ and talked at length about prayer and how it works, and in the end, about praying for people to be healed. In some ways the questions and mysteries about unanswered prayer and why some people don’t get healed are hard enough in straight English...much harder when trying to translate to Turkish! But I think it was a rich time. Oh, and they were very interested to know what things, uniquely Christian and spiritual, that I (Laura and I) did to raise our children. That was fun to talk about the principles my wife and I employed as well as some of the stories of how they came to faith in Christ.
It was eleven o’clock by the time I got back to my host home – tired...but grateful to be a part of what God is doing to build his kingdom in Antalya.
Thank you for praying for us. Being here is an extra-powerful reminder that everything we do is for naught without the grace and power of God at work in and through us. We bring our availability to be used by God, our sensitivity to what God is doing, and our willingness to be obedient in the moment to step and in faith and say or do what he asks us to.
For Him,
Charlie
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Showing David and Katie how to blog
Katie Shirley and David Dobreski are getting a quick lesson in blogging.
Weather, Minarets, and Paul
HI All,
We had a great trip yesterday to Perge and Aspendos with Metin, one of the pastors of the Turkish church. We left about 10:00 and were there by 10:45.
It was quite warm; but, such is Turkey. To take a sidebar about the weather...it is always very hot and very humid (during the summer that is). We are moist all of the time which could be annoying but everyone has a good attitude about it. I think that the Turks set a good example of comfort amidst challenging situations and we follow their example. Their kindness is legendary and it seems that they wouldn't dare let something like weather get in the way of hospitality.
Well, back to our trip to Perge and Aspendos...it was really very enjoyable. We visited the ruins of the town of Perge where Paul landed upon arriving in Turkey. It was insightful and heartwarming to imagine where this great leader walked and how the message that he carried with him is the same today for us as back then.
As I type this I am interrupted by the loud and haunting cry of the Imam's call to prayer. This happens five times a day starting at about 4:45 with the last being at about 8:45. This can be heard throughout the town, literally. Sadly, one of the Minarets from where this is blasted for all to hear is directly adjacent the church. So, even at the church, the Turkish Christians are persecuted and reminded of their extreme minority.
Thank you all for following this and praying for us and especially for the Turkish Christians.
Mike
We had a great trip yesterday to Perge and Aspendos with Metin, one of the pastors of the Turkish church. We left about 10:00 and were there by 10:45.
It was quite warm; but, such is Turkey. To take a sidebar about the weather...it is always very hot and very humid (during the summer that is). We are moist all of the time which could be annoying but everyone has a good attitude about it. I think that the Turks set a good example of comfort amidst challenging situations and we follow their example. Their kindness is legendary and it seems that they wouldn't dare let something like weather get in the way of hospitality.
Well, back to our trip to Perge and Aspendos...it was really very enjoyable. We visited the ruins of the town of Perge where Paul landed upon arriving in Turkey. It was insightful and heartwarming to imagine where this great leader walked and how the message that he carried with him is the same today for us as back then.
As I type this I am interrupted by the loud and haunting cry of the Imam's call to prayer. This happens five times a day starting at about 4:45 with the last being at about 8:45. This can be heard throughout the town, literally. Sadly, one of the Minarets from where this is blasted for all to hear is directly adjacent the church. So, even at the church, the Turkish Christians are persecuted and reminded of their extreme minority.
Thank you all for following this and praying for us and especially for the Turkish Christians.
Mike
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