Toenails are supposed to stay on

So it’s Friday. The weather after a refreshingly sunny day yesterday is cold again, Brooke is with Ally at her Turkish language class and I am at home nursing a toe injury I incurred last night. For the overly curious, I stubbed my toe on a marble edge and peeled a toenail nearly completely off. Walking around this morning I am perhaps able to show a bit more empathy to professional athletes when they sit out of numerous games due to turf toe, or some other kind of toe injury.

Speaking of sports, I know Brooke updated you about the “football’ game we went to Wednesday night. Amazing! 40,000 fans all chanting the same songs, yelling the same words, echoing each other, applauding their team and whistling against the injustices perceived from their opponents. It was like a youth group function for all the Southern California churches. Amazing! If you check our pictures you will see the wall of fans in Red and Yellow. Equally amazing is that when they scored their first goal people lit up road flares. (Andy Hegg if you’re reading this, remind me to show you the video when we get home) 2-1 final score, 20 rows off the field, champions league match, road flares, riot police and 7 yellow cards. Amazing!

Equally as impressive was the trip we took to the Aya Sofya and Blue Mosque on Tuesday. The Aya Sofya was built in the Justinian era of Rome at 537 AD. It was a Christian church and a magnificent work that took 5 years to complete. The huge dome was built without pillars underneath for support. It was taken over by the Muslim Sultans in 1434, who covered over all the pictures on the wall and ceiling, and attempted to shave off and remove all the crosses from the interior of the building. Interestingly enough the coverings that were used actually worked to embalm the paintings and as some have been uncovered they are shown to be in excellent condition. The Blue Mosque was built around 1610 directly across from the Aya Sofya. It was an attempt to copy the dome architecture. However they were unable to copy it’s likeness without using four large pillars to hold the dome in place. A friend pointed out how Christianity is to the Aya Sofya what the Muslim world is to the Blue Mosque. Both buildings are truly beautiful works of architecture. The blue mosque is still a working mosque, while the Aya Sofya is now a museum.

Last night we accompanied Ally to Cay (Chai) House, a place where Turkish university students go to practice their English with their western friends. This may have been the best reminder for me what the vision is for working in Turkey. While at one table I learned of a Turkish slang saying, “Let the horse die of eating barley” (loosely this translates let me die eating what I like); at another table a conversation discussing whether or not Christians and Muslims believe in the same God arose. The important conversations are sparse here but they do take place. I shouldn’t wonder that God has meant for something significant to occur here down the road. It reminds me of a book I was just reading about the church in China. For 150 years the Protestant mission was large but the number of converts small. Then upon that foundation God built a church of exponential size and growth. Now those who had workers coming to them are themselves sending workers out to other countries. Oh that God would do the same for Turkey, and use the foundation laid here through toil and persistence to kindle an unquenchable flame.

We will leave Turkey tomorrow but our friends will remain. Outnumbered, overwhelmed, they will continue to give sacrificially of themselves desperately seeking to open the eyes of a lost and complacent generation whose impending future knows not an eternity spent in relationship with the Father.

"This is the Country [they] live in."

Last night we ventured out to a soccer game at the Olympiat Stadium … GalataySarat (sp?) played PSV. We waited on the public service bus for about 45 minutes before taking off for the Stadium. And the Turks on board were NOT happy. Me? I was just glad we were inside and warm, and it’s quite a phenomenon how you don’t get as riled up about stuff when you can’t understand the argument . But here’s a synopsis as translated to us: The bus wasn’t leaving because the driver didn’t know how to get to the Stadium! Now, let me remind you – this was the public service bus FOR THE GAME. We had to show our tickets just to get on the bus. But they didn’t know how to get there. Alif, a local friend, explained: “This is the country we live in. They build a Stadium that can hold 72,000 people, and they forget to build roads to it.” This became quite a comical time for all of us, perhaps climaxing when Ally realized “We’re protesting with the Turks!”.



Well, eventually we did pull out of the station and somehow the driver found his way to the Stadium – right in time for kick off (which was at 9:45 PM!). The Turks don’t mess around when it comes to soccer. As we walked towards the Stadium, it sounded like we were walking into a crowd of Orcs on Lord of the Rings – just the sheer power in their voices and preparatory cheering. And it didn’t slow down … they remained passionate throughout the entire game, and when it became clear they were going to lose, it also became clear why the hundreds of police officers had been stationed around. As they brought out their riot gear, we took that as our exit cue.

Sigh (the good kind)

So, the other night we joined Ally in a study of the Word, and were going over the two greatest commands: to love God with all our heart, soul and mind, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Though it seems so simple, I had truly thought of those commands as near equal, and had glossed right over the order in which they were given. Perhaps it’s easier to focus on the love your neighbor part because we can grasp the tangible nature of that. And it’s a tough challenge – anytime this passage is addressed, the discussion is generally about how much we all love ourselves and how it’s hard to love a neighbor at the same level. But if I were to actually love God with all my heart, than there would not be this high level of selfish love remaining in me, and thus the challenge of loving someone else wouldn’t seem like such a chasm to cross.

I (Brooke) have really appreciated the various encouragement I’ve received, from people and the Word, this week, to just get over myself and relax. To not feel like I have to justify everything I do (or don’t do). To just be. Not the first time I’ve had to receive this kind of encouragement  - not likely to be the last, either, but important everytime.

Tonight, we got to join Ally at “Chai House” – a make-shift coffee shop environment where Turkish friends are invited to come and meet and chat informally. It was really a blessing. Both to be able to engage through halted English/Turkish, and to watch Ally share and continue building relationships here. Her passion for the Father is evident despite the pragmatic obstacles here. She told me tonight that she’s here because the Father is not receiving the glory He is worthy of from this part of the world. Wow, perspective.

More on Istanbul

Today is Monday, October 16th, and we have been in Turkey since Friday. Let me catch up on what has happened:

From D.C.: Flight departure time: 5:18 p.m.

1:30 p.m. (all times in “ish”) – leave Medefinds' for Metro station
3:35 p.m.– arrive at Dulles airport via MetroBus (25 min. behind schedule)
3:45 p.m. – after being sent to the wrong line, arrive at correct check-in counter only to be told we’re too late to make the flight … hearts sink.
3:46 p.m. – agent realizes he misread the departure time and we CAN make the flight.
3:47 p.m. – agent’s printer jams.
3:57 p.m. – still at the counter, but reminded it could be worse: the girl behind us left her purse (yes, with credit cards, cell phone and passport) in her friend’s car that just dropped her off.
4:05 p.m. – Brooke is required to go through special screening. J takes his bags one direction, Brooke another.
4:15 p.m. – Jason and Brooke scramble to find each other in a security line of what is, no joke, more than 1,000 people deep.
4:45 p.m. – no way we’re going to make it through security in time. Encouraged to see if a United agent will walk us through.
4:46 p.m. – Brooke runs to opposite end of terminal to find United Rep. Rep. is frustrated and walks away mid-conversation, thankfully to return with a kind Supervisor who gives the nod.
4:50 p.m. – Brooke runs back across the terminal to get Jason out of line. J & B both run back to Supervisor (are you keeping track? Brooke has now run the length of this terminal THREE times!). And remember, there are THOUSANDS to navigate between. NEVER seen an airport so jammed before.
4:55 p.m. – walked through thanks to kind-hearted Supervisor. Split again for separate security checks. Brooke in line for special screening (aka puff air in your clothes and check EVERY compartment of your bag) – interesting and reassuring if you’re not watching your departure time tick closer.
5:10 p.m. – J&B both make it through security and end up on the same shuttle to our gate.
5:14 p.m. – arrive at Terminal C – gate is on opposite end. Start running again …
5:16 p.m. – arrive at gate, where agents say, “Miller?” (hmm, nice to be known) and we board as the doors close.
5:18 p.m. – we sit down, hold hands, and take off.

Only with God’s help did we make the plane. Strong reminder at the BEGINNING of this trip: all we can do is be along for the ride.

We arrived in Istanbul after a quick layover in Frankfurt. Ally met us with her friend Lisa and they drove us back through the city of Istanbul and across the Bosphorus via ferry to Ally’s pad, a 9th floor 3 bedroom apartment she shares with a roommate. The city is huge, estimates of 17-20 million people. The country is 99% Muslim . The city is split on 2 continents: Asia/Europe. Western culture and influence, predominantly materialism, shows itself everywhere. These are a proud people, passionate about their beliefs, religious and otherwise. Obviously a difficult place to encourage discussion. In the past 20 years they know approximately 2800 who have accepted Truth. 2800 out of 17-20 million. Success here is not determined by numbers.

Friday night we take a bus 45 min. across the bridge from Asia to Europe to meet friends for a birthday party. It is during the month of Ramadan; fasting during the day, eating only after the sun goes down. As the sun sets people move more purposefully to get home. Their “hunger” drives them to their homes (more on this later). After getting off the bus we attempt to get a cab, but no luck - 25 cabbies pass us and tell us no, they are going to eat. We finally get there. This part of Turkey catches you off guard. It looks like any major metropolitan area. Many shops, restuarants, cars, taxis, and people.

Saturday we slept for 13 hours. Finally we feel rested. Went to the largest “walmart” -esq store I have ever been in called Carrefor. Unbelievable the amount of stuff they had. Modern Istanbul seems obsessed with stuff. Tried a couple different Turkish foods, and so far I like them all. Food is good, price is better.

Ally … ah, she’s a strong girl. This is a tough world for her to be in. Tough for us to see someone we love in a hard world. Today she said something important – just because it’s hard doesn’t mean it’s bad. Though we can see her weariness, she is strong. Confident. Not in herself (though she is far better at Turkish than she gives herself credit for!), but strong in her purpose and calling here.

Sunday we went to their morning gathering. How good it is to worship with fellow believers. I talked with one of the guys there about the whole definition of success in this situation. He said “many come with grand ideas and they burnout fast. This is a slow place where only relationship breaks these barriers and then not often.” He compared it to China. “In China, everyone had open ears for truth but shied away from relationship. Here, everyone is open to relationship but shies away from truth.” I wonder if this isn’t what we in America are becoming? Open to people but closed to ideas outside of what we have pre-determined? Father I still don’t fully understand your will for Brooke and I both here and on the trip itself. I am afraid of a language I don’t understand, and a people who hate my background. Deliver me from fear. Give us purpose. Help us to really know you and your people.

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As Jason wrote a petition for deliverance from fear, I (Brooke) was journaling my very struggle with the same:

I am scared. Scared of being purposeless. Scared of not having anything to give. Scared of invading and being a burden rather than a blessing.

So I must again identify what is true, right, noble, etc. When Jason asked, my tongue was stuck – will my fingers do any better?

True … the Father never rejected anyone for feeling weak, lost, or broken.
Right … the broken who didn’t reject Him, either.
Noble … the battle for my heart.
Pure … the instruction to be on my knees. Why do I feel so inept in this so often?
Lovely … Jason’s tender care of me when I hit these battles.
Excellent … the hearts of those that have encouraged us in this endeavor.
Praiseworthy … that He is on the throne. There was a song about that at this morning’s gathering, and it’s chorus is reverberating in my head … want it to echo true in my heart as well.

Istanbul, Days 1 & 2

We're here! After a tremendous run-for-the-plane and make it within minutes (seconds, maybe?), we took off from Dulles on Thursday evening and arrived here in Istanbul on Friday.

Istanbul is a BUSY city. Fast, crowded, and a few times the sun has poked through the clouds to reveal the beautiful blue of the water. Despite our jet-lag, we are soaking up the time with Ally and loving just experiencing her world at her side ... and it's a crazy world. Ally has a beautiful apartment on the 9th floor overlooking a busy neighborhood on the Asian side of Istanbul. It's the middle of Ramadan here, so the early morning and late evenings are particularly busy as locals rush to/from their feasts in preparation for "fasting" throughout the day.

We'll definitely take the time to write more soon, but wanted to at least let you all know we made our first flight - even though just barely :).