- 3440 West 13th St.
Wichita, KS 67203 - © 2009 Olivet Baptist Church,
all rights reserved.
Yesterday was an amazing day! Beginning with having chai in a Tartar coffeehouse and then being given an exhibition of traditional Tartar dance, we left the city and drove to a village about thirty miles outside of town. As we entered we saw the local coffeehouse on the main street - with several men sitting outside at small tables drinking chai and smoking. We walked up to them and began talking. Within a few minutes a man arrived on a bicycle and sat down with us.
Mehmet (not his real name) began talking with us and telling us his story. He was a retired truck driver who had traveled throughout Central Asia, including Russia. In a few minutes he told us that he was going through a divorce and had a court date set for next week. In addition he told us that his two daughters wanted to have nothing to do with him because he had been absent most of their lives. He was really upset about this. He invited us to have lunch at his home and got on his bicycle and rode home to tell his parents that they were going to hosting guests from America.
After walking through the village where we were invited into a man’s home for ayran (yogurt mixed with water and salt) we ended up at Mehmet’s home. For me it was a flashback to my times in Albania. The homes looked like they could have been picked up and dropped into Albania and no one would have known the difference.
Mehmet’s mother prepared a traditional Tartar meal: soup, bread, tomatoes, cucumbers, bulgur and beans. It was excellent! The family was incredibly hospitable and welcoming. They showed us their home and told us about their family. Before we ate I asked permission to pray for the meal and pray a blessing over the family. They agreed and were grateful for the prayer.
As we sat in another part of the house drinking chai we talked about our families and then I asked Mehmet if I could pray for him and his daughters. I had been talking about the close relationship I have with my daughters and Mehmet’s father began to cry. As I prayed and asked God to heal his relationship with his daughters, Mehmet’s father began to weep. He was obviously touched by my request to pray for his grandchildren and when I had finished he hugged me for several moments.
We had been praying that God would provide a “man of peace” who would be a contact in the village and I believe that He did so. Chad and his team will be following up with this family and seeking to share the gospel with them. Please pray for Mehmet and his family. Ask the Father to shine the light of His glory in the face of Christ in this village. Pray that this will be the beginning of a church for the Tartar people.
Last night we invited the members of the church to have dinner with us. About eighteen of them joined us for a meal at a local restaurant for a traditional Tartar meal. We had people from Iran, Uzbekistan, Congo and Guinea as well as Turkey and the US. It was truly an international meal. For all twenty-two of us the meal cost about $140.00. Not badd.
Today we are going to another village to look for Tartar people. Tonight Ercu and I will meet with a man who has been visiting the church. He is retired military and is seeking truth. We talked for several minutes and he has many questions. I pray that we will be able to answer them and prayerfully he will be ready to follow Jesus because of our time together.
Tomorrow the men return to Istanbul for a meeting with local businessmen. Cindy, Leslie and I will travel to Ankara by train to visit with Guven’s family. Pray that God will use this to draw them closer to Jesus.
Thanks for praying. Don’t stop now!
