Team Report – #387S
| Location: | Turkey (Black Sea Region) |
| Date: | Oct 18-Nov 1 2003 |
| Sending Partner: | STEM SHARE, Bemidji, MN |
DOUBLED!
“Thank you so much for coming to pray. Your presence in this city has doubled the number of Christians and the prayer! We can sense the difference in the spiritual atmosphere.” These were the words of the long-term Christian Workers who hosted our team of nine. Although the city’s population is measured in 100,000’s, there are only four believers in that city in the most unreached part of the nation.
APPOINTED!
One Team Member wrote: “We couldn’t openly evangelize, but spent much time praying that doors would open for the gospel and people would be set free. We prayed in our hotel room, through the crowded city streets, around the government buildings, in homes, in tea gardens, on mountain tops, and even in a mosque. It was so exciting to be able to pray to Jesus Christ and sing praises to his name in places where no one else was exalting our Savior and Creator. I’d never before felt so much like a light in the darkness.”
CONNECTED!
Another Team Member writes: “We were blessed to meet with the believers from the area to worship and have communion together. Our team taught about unity. We truly felt like the New Testament church giving Paul's teachings to a fledgling church that is being persecuted for their faith. Even with a huge language barrier, we connected heart to heart, spirit to spirit.”
PRIVILEGED!
Last year a STEM SHARE Team had prayed for “K,” a Turkish man with a Communist background who was showing interest in the gospel. This year we had the tremendous privilege of attending his baptism — the 3rd known baptism in this area of the country in 80 years!
CELEBRATED!
Being in the country over the national Republic Day, our team was invited to a local village celebration and seated as honored guests in the auditorium directly behind area political and religious leaders. We had previously prayerwalked through the village and past the area political buildings … what a thrill to actually see these leaders in person and continue our prayers!
CONVINCED!
We leave knowing that we have in some measure the helped Christian workers and the small church. We leave with a love for the people of Turkey. We also leave being absolutely convinced that these people are reachable — if we will continue to pray, give, and go.
