On the fourth of march we arrived in Istanbul, a city with about 10 million people. By God's grace we found a very cheap hostel right in the centre between the famous mosque "Hagia sophia" and the sea (Bosporus)! Already at this place we experienced the hospitableness and kindness of turkish people, just amazing!
A week later we arrived in Izmir. For the first time in my life I saw Christian believers worshipping God in an underground church! An incredible experience! So many different nations, but all having the same father! A completely filled church! A lot of joy!!
Our journey went on to Selçuk (next to Ephesus). From Selçuk to Pamukkale, next to Denizli. From Denizli to Cappadocia by hitch hiking ;-) (600km). From Cappadocia to Istanbul. More then 11 times we got blessed by a meal, which somebody else payed for or prepared for us! My hitch hiking team stayed in a 4 star hotel for one night without paying anything! What I definitely learned is : even sinful people blessed us so much, how many times more did God bless us by giving his son to us?! God's heart is so much more to bless us then anybody or anything else!! God also taught me what it means to love your neighbor. Inviting foreign people into a restaurant, giving them my own bed to sleep, giving them free lifts and showing them around, paying a night in a hotel for them,...
I'm so thankful for every single person I met in Turkey... for their heart to give without receiving anything, for their kindness, for their openess concerning christians, for a lot of fun, just for their presence, for the Christians in turkey who are paying a huge price for their belief, for turkish food...etc.
Comments