As I write to you from the States, my heart is overflowing with gratitude and awe at how God has been orchestrating every detail of our journey. These past two months have been a testament to His unwavering control and providence over our situation.
Upon arriving, I earnestly sought God’s guidance on how to raise the necessary funds effectively for our building project. I prayed for wisdom and for connections with wise counselors. During FBC H___’s M___s University, God answered my prayer in a way that exceeded my expectations. Not only did I receive invaluable information, but I also met a personal contact who is committed to helping us. This divine appointment encouraged me to create a website, love4turkey.com, making it easier for supporters like you to contribute to the building project. All donations through this site will be directed by FBMI to the building fund. While the specifics are sensitive due to our location, love4turkey.com provides regular updates on the incredible work God is doing in Turkey! There are also opportunities to sign up for mission trips and ways to get involved in reaching the Turkish people.
Within just a month of traveling, God has moved the generous hearts of various churches to support our building project. One church has pledged $5,000, and another has already sent $2,000. Many individuals are also contributing. I am deeply moved, not by the total amount needed—after all, God owns everything—but by the sacrificial faith of God’s people. Our minimum goal is to raise $500,000 for a building, the lower floor of which could serve as a church, and the upper floors as residential apartments for some of our workers. This would offer a safe haven, while alleviating the financial strain caused by runaway inflation. Any amount raised beyond the $500,000 will help keep more families on the field, further expanding our mission.
God’s work in Turkey continues to astonish me. We have been praying fervently for years for a Muslim man whose wife and son attend our church. Recently, he expressed to his wife a desire to read the Bible and learn more about Jesus. In another miraculous turn, a lady who had been invited to our church for seven years but never attended finally decided to come. Her background is a tapestry of religious beliefs: her mother is Jewish, her father is Catholic, and her husband is Muslim. Before we left Turkey, she attended our church for the first time. She continued to come, and last month, I received the joyous news that she had accepted Christ as her Saviour!
My friend T___ has been distributing a book called Divine Companionship, which introduces Christ to Muslim readers. One lady and her son began reading it. When her husband saw the changes in his wife and son, he read the book himself and contacted T___, demanding that his family stop changing because of the book. T___ responded with wisdom, saying that he had no power to change them—only God can do that.
I am continually overwhelmed by God’s power to reach people in the most challenging places. As Americans, we enjoy unparalleled freedom and resources to learn about God, yet it often seems that those in persecuted countries know Him more intimately by His grace than we do in our freedom. God humbles me constantly, reminding me that success in the Middle East is a reflection of faithful obedience to His leading, rather than relying on our strategies. Please continue to pray for the people in Turkey!
Missionary #6506