October_1
Turkey
On February 6, two rare earthquakes with a magnitude of seven or above occurred in the central-southern region of Turkey, and rescue efforts continued for over a month. People in the affected areas, various government agencies, and even the entire country of Turkey were in a state of sadness and fear. From the end of March, they entered into the tension of the fasting month and preparations for the elections, which continued until the end of May when two elections took place. Only then did things slowly start to return to normal.
The situation outside was tumultuous, and people’s hearts lacked peace and security. However, His church remained steadfast, and the fellowship among the members of the Body became richer, filled with God’s presence. When the earthquake occurred, the saints in Istanbul immediately contacted the saints in Adana, a city closer to the disaster area, to ensure their needs were met and continued to pray for the saints and the people there. The Lord used the situation to closely join the saints in Adana together, so that they could comfort, care for, and encourage one another.
In early June, five saints from Istanbul visited the saints in Adana. They had prepared some messages on blending before their visit, but when they met, all the preparations seemed insignificant. God’s presence filled everyone, and there was nothing but thanksgiving and praise! The saints were comforted and strengthened in the Lord and in the Body. On the last day of their visit, a sister’s classmate was baptized. The Lord is victorious! He led the saints to triumph over all the limitations and pressures from the external environment.
In addition to visiting existing saints, several Rhema readers were contacted during this time. Among them was a young brother who had a strong desire to know the truth. Ten years ago, he heard a Turkish hymn on YouTube that deeply attracted him, and he began seeking the Christian faith. He had visited some Christian groups to learn about this faith, but the people there were not very accepting of him. Nevertheless, he continued reading the Bible. Four years ago, he suffered from depression due to his father’s death and needed treatment. He mentioned that after the earthquake, no one around him cared about him, but the saints actively contacted and cared for him, which deeply moved him. He felt that these Christians were very different from those he had encountered before. He opened up to the saints, desired to experience the church life, and requested to join online Turkish-speaking meetings.
Since the earthquake, about 13 readers and gospel friends have been contacted. So far, four have responded well, and the saints continue to stay in touch and fellowship with them. In addition to the brother mentioned earlier, there is another brother who, after reading our spiritual books, wrote a thank-you letter stating that he was deeply touched by the words in the books which were full of light. He was particularly responsive to the messages about “long for the guileless milk of the word” and “love your enemies” and saw them confirmed in his own experiences. Muslims typically fear God, but he now has a different view, recognizing God as a God of love, a loving Father, and he couldn’t believe he could become a child of God. The letter was filled with a sense of overwhelming glory!
Thank God that there are still people truly seeking the Lord in this Muslim country. From January to September of this year, three Turkish individuals have been baptized and received the Lord through the sharing of the saints. Glory be to God!
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