Where and What
The 5 of us on Team Shalom have lived in Ayvacik, Türkiye for over a month, mostly helping with construction and painting within the mission house we’re residing in. The bottom floor will be a church, and the top floor is a prayer room, with lodging for missionaries throughout. We have also spent a lot of time ministering to one another, pursuing God in our personal relationships, exploring the west side on the country on missions and adventures, making new friends as we go, and learning what life as a Türk is really like as we engage daily with the people of our small town.
The best parts of the Turkey experience for me have been digging into scriptures and visiting sites mentioned in them. As a curious academic, I find no shortage of topics to explore in the Bible. I’ve researched things like the meaning of “salvation” (sozo, in Greek) and who the Bible says will go to heaven (I even gave a presentation on my findings), every mention of Philip (there were 4 Philips in scripture, 2 were disciples) because we visited the Apostle Philip’s tomb, The Revelation to John, some minor prophets, and I’ve asked questions like, Who was Melchizedek and how was he born without parents? What does the “unforgivable sin” really mean? Why did Jesus let the spirits enter swine instead of sending them into the abyss? Why do modern Christians think humans will burn in hell for eternity even though Jesus said that place was made for Satan and his angels? The current research project is chronicling Jesus’s life; I’m reading through the gospels and writing down the references for each event and matching them with references to the same event in other gospels, then trying to put everything in chronological order where I can.
As for visiting Biblical sites, we have traveled to the nearby locations of Assos (Acts 20:13-14) and Troas (Acts 16 & 20, 2 Cor 2:12, 2 Tim 4:13). Also, our Turkish friend Zamirhan drove us on a multi-day camping trip to visit the historic sites of the seven churches John the Evangelist wrote to in Revelation (see chapters 2 and 3) in the same day that we visited the remains of the Church of Laodicea, we also visited the ruins of the cities of Colossae and Hierapolis. Interestingly, these three cities are all connected by the verse Colossians 4:13, written to the Christians in Colossae and referencing the Christians in Laodicea and Hierapolis. Visiting these places helps the Bible come to life in my mind in a way that I didn’t expect. I thought, “Yeah, I already know those places were real, yada, yada, yada.” Even so, having been there gives me a greater understanding of and connection to those scriptures.
What is it really like out there?
Western Turkey is not nearly as brown or sandy as I expected. Shrubs and olive groves dominate the hilly landscape all the way up to the many little seaside towns. The landscape is not breathtaking like Albania’s, but it is beautiful, tranquil, and somehow familiar. It looks like how we’ve always imagined scenes from the Bible, which makes sense because some of those scenes did happen here! We live in a town of about 9000 residents, stucco (I’m guessing) houses, goats roaming the outskirts, and kids playing in a small community sandbox.
Our Turkish neighbors have enjoyed meeting us and showing us hospitality, though there is a considerable language barrier. Despite this challenge, we’ve made friendships with several neighborhood families and been invite for tea or dinner rather frequently. Strangers will stare, and that’s not considered impolite here, and they will respond warmly when we greet them. Everyone is happy to help us with directions or other small problems when we ask.
Feel encouraged to comment questions asking what it is like if you want to learn more!
What’s Next?
In about a week we will fly out to spend roughly a month serving in Nepal! Our full squad will be living together, making daily treks to “unreached” villages outside Kathmandu.
Questions and comments are always appreciated, and they help me know you have read this or are praying for me. If there is anything you want to know, please ask so I have the opportunity to share more!
The entirety of this blog and its contents were written and published without any AI assistance.
