While soul winning in Hammond recently, my partner and I knocked on a door and were suddenly interrupted by a voice blasting through a loudspeaker above us. The man, mistaking us for detectives, unleashed a stream of anger toward law enforcement and told us he had nothing to say. I raised my voice to clarify, “We’re just church people!”

Once convinced, he opened the door. His face was covered in tattoos, and we learned that he had just been released from federal prison. As his story unraveled, he told us many of his friends were now dead from gang wars. Because of his connections, he said he’d been under close surveillance by law enforcement. During our conversation, his phone rang. I overheard him say on the phone, “Everything is okay. It’s just church people.” As the conversation led towards the Gospel, he recalled riding a church bus as a teen. Though unsure if he had ever been saved, I watched the power of God’s Word cut to his heart. Right there on his doorstep, he gladly received Christ as his personal Saviour.

A couple of months ago, a dear friend from Turkey asked me to witness to a man in Azerbaijan. My friend translated as I shared the Gospel. I don’t know that I’ve ever met someone so open, so eager to hear and receive Christ. What a blessing!

As many of you know, we had to leave Turkey unexpectedly last year. The Lord began closing doors before we even knew what was coming. When our visa was officially denied, it was a shock, but God’s peace and many confirmations reminded us that He was still in control.

Instead of providing funds for a permanent building to get back into the country, God opened a new temporary way while we raise more funds—through a digital nomad visa. And now, we are just over two weeks away from returning home to Turkey!

When we get to Turkey, God has provided us with a new work. What began as a simple conversation about training national preachers and translating solid, Bible-based materials has grown into something far greater. The desire to equip God’s soldiers across the world with the sharpest spiritual weapons possible has started a domino effect of confirmations. Without knowing what God had already been doing in our hearts, a veteran missionary crossed an ocean to deliver a message, one that further affirmed the direction God is leading us.

Just as He stirred the hearts of His people to build the tabernacle in Exodus 36, we are witnessing that same divine stirring today. We are currently witnessing God assembling both the manpower and the resources to accomplish His will.

Thank you for praying. We are truly humbled by and excited for what lies ahead.

Missionary #6506