News

Zach and I read these challenging verses about three months ago and asked ourselves, “What place do the scriptures taken from Matthew 10:1-42 have in modern mission? Why would Jesus send his disciples out empty handed? When today modern workers live in normal homes, carry cell phones, drive cars and even laptops like the one I’m writing this letter from evangelism can be done impersonally over the internet, via phone hotlines and great videos on YOUTUBE. The command from Jesus to, “GO”, has been changed to “come” to church. Why would Jesus send his disciples out with nothing?

After chatting between ourselves and reading a number of commentaries we became dissatisfied with the answers we found. The answers we found seemed to dismiss Jesus’ teaching for another era. So after much prayer we decided the only way to understand these scriptures was to take a trip to the far east of Turkey with nothing more than our bibles, clothes we were wearing, a notebook and of course some deodorant and toothbrushes. We had many questions, “Where would we stay, what would we eat or drink, how would we get from Ankara to the east, would people want to harm us, how would people respond to the message we have?”

It was hard leaving our wives and children behind, but we drew encouragement from scripture that God would protect our loved ones when we obeyed him (Ps 112:1-2). We began our trip with hitching from outside the city of Ankara heading eastwards. to Erzurum. It was only moments before we were in the car with Burak. He’d spent 8 years in a German jail before being deported and spending another 3 years in a Turkish prison. This is how the journey began.

It is often easier to talk about the events of the trip instead of the things we learned along the way. It was in the events themselves that we uncovered certain truths revealed in scripture.
 

Our trip east meant we spent many our with people we’d not otherwise meet. We had captive audiences in cars, under trees, trucks, homes and mosques. We met many people who had many questions about our faith. The last day we spent 17 hours with Fatih and Ihsan sitting on the bed behind the seats of his truck. I heard more filth out of Ihsans mouth in those 17 hours than in 7 years of Turkey. Fatih however, had read the new testament and even visited a church. His questions were real and his heart so receptive. God even gave us a 4 hour break because of a traffic jam to chat with Fatih alone.
 

During this trip we didn’t have 3 meals a day. At time we ate fruit from trees, found petrol stations where we could drink tap water and do our ablutions. When we walked kilometres or waited for long for the next lift we could not simply pay for a bus ticket. It was in this where we had to trust God for his provision often through unlikely means. The second day we had waited for a lift a had grown weary in the hot sun. We went and sat under a tree. A old religious muslim man brought us a meal consisting of cheeses, jams, rice rolled in vine leaves and said, “you Americans kill muslims. We give our enemies food!” Zach's quick and humble apology led to an hour and a half Holy Spirit anointed time of sharing about the love and work of Jesus. We now have some new friends.

It was almost dark, and the chances of hitching a ride to our next destination were almost gone. We were hoping to reach the next town with a big bus station where we’d spend the night. With five minutes of sunlight left, it looked like we’d be spending the night in the restaurant of the petrol station- not our first choice. Right then a rickety old car with three men pulled up. The driver leaned across and looked at Zach, and said, “Are you a pastor?” Zach was in shock from the question. It happened that the driver was a believer from Istanbul who was building a house in a nearby village. That night we had wonderful fellowship with Haydar. He slept on the floor while we shared his double bed. I cannot remember the last time I slept so well.

There were times on this trip I almost wept, when I saw the generosity and hospitality shown to two strangers, by Turkish neighbours.
 

“Rejoice always, I say again, REJOICE”. It was hard to rejoice when the tractor we were travelling on flicked dung onto my only pair of beige pants. Or when we were surrounded by men trying to convert us aggressively and threatened with crucifixion if we told others about the hope we had in Jesus. That same night we had little sleep as we attempted to sleep on couches at a bus stop listening to  a group of talking about what to do with us in raised voices. That morning we were woken with the loud voice of a man hovering over us saying to the imam, “these are the Kafir” (non-believers in the Quran worthy of punishment).  

We left quickly shaking the dust off our feet.

As we walked down highway that cold morning, we found a deserted petrol station. That Saturday morning we read from God’s Word and worshipped Him. We were overcome by the presence of the Almighty. Our sadness turned to joy. Tired as I was, I felt lifted up on the wings of eagles, empowered and equipped again. Fear was turned to boldness as we began our 10km walk to the village that we sensed God sending us to. We felt and knew that people were praying.

Throughout the trip, we noticed at how God would turn even the hardest situations into blessings when we responded in praise.
 

For months we had been praying about the trip. We sensed that it was not the city itself we were to go to, but to a small village. On being dropped off at a petrol station, Zach saw a village in the distance, and sensed God leading us to that village. The village itself was high in the hills and been mostly destroyed during a 2004 earthquake. Apart from a few children and a man piling hay, all was quiet. We kept walking. We found a spring to drink water from, and as we waited some men who had been sitting talking against the base of a small house approached us. Ahmet, a bearded elderly man, introduced himself. Within a short time we were talking about matters of religion. They offered us water and sat us down for tea and we all gathered to talk about Jesus. Zach had his New Testament in his hand which was taken from him. They wanted my bible, but I said we could send them one from Ankara. Then the orders mounted as the men wanted to read about the much discussed “Incil” or New Testament. As hungry, tired and thirsty as we were we could in someways identify with Paul's words, “when weak I am strong”. We were no longer able to give quick responses to all thrown at us, but responded in weakness. God was working.

Before we left home, we received a verse from Exodus 23:20....the angel of the Lord has gone before you....” God was preparing the hearts and minds of so many people that we met. God is at work in Turkey, the harvest is plentiful, but the labourers few. We are praying for more labourers.

These are just some of the lessons that I’ve only begun to process.  When living with nothing one does become totally dependent on open doors, generous hearts. For one week we were not masters of our own destiny. We were dependent on whatever and whoever God put in our paths. He led us, He directed us. I’m sure for Jesus disciples were not only challenged by what they saw, but how God was desiring to change them.

Serving in Turkey I’m so often confronted with people in real need. I often share from Matthew 6 about the God who cares for our every need. Our response is not to run after the things we genuinely need, “but seek first the Kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you.” This trip I have been the one in need. Our lives where not in our own hands. As we have sought the kingdom, God has provided us with lifts, warmth, friendship, food and shelter through the lives of the most unsuspecting people. I have learned that being in need is not such a bad thing after all. When in need, choices are no longer my own, but in the hands of others, there are no longer any co-incidences only God appointments.