Thank you for praying for our trip to Moldova and Turkey. Our biggest prayer request was for Kathryn’s and my interaction during the trip, and God answered our prayers. We were able to communicate clearly and stay connected. It is sweet to experience God shaping our relationship as we step into this new chapter of life and ministry.
As I reflect on the trip, my heart is heavy for the loneliness and isolation that the people we visited experience. I am sensitive to these feelings because we lived for 10 years in a city of 100,000 people as the only Christians. We encouraged everyone not to give up on cultivating meaningful relationships. It is hard to keep being vulnerable and reaching out in the face of disappointment, and it was hard to hear their objections, which were either hopelessness or distraction by work. Please pray with me for these dear servants of Christ, that they would live as parts of the body of Christ, satisfied in Jesus and relationally connected with others.
It is an honor to be a bridge of connection. It was fun introducing a pastor from Queen Creek Bible Church to the Eskisehir church, and introducing a group of Costa Ricans to church leaders in and around Istanbul. All of the visitors expressed deep appreciation for those serving in Turkey. I’m excited to see what God does through these connections. Please pray for God to lead everyone and to be glorified in Turkey.
Here are pictures from the trip.
Thank you for your support and prayers,
Mark
P.S. Here is a summary of the 4 updates that Kathryn wrote during our trip, thanks to AI.
Hi everyone,
Thank you for praying for us on our trip to Moldova and Turkey. We left Arizona on September 25, had a long journey with a layover in Paris, and arrived in Moldova on Sunday morning. There we spent time with our dear friends Hakan, Luda, and Ester, worshipping at the cultural center church that Ironwood Church helped them start. It was a joy to see Luda connect with the Russian-speaking students there. We also traveled to the historically Turkic region of Moldova, where we met Luda's mom and spent a day with two believing families, talking across Russian and Turkish about marriage, aging parents, church life, and what the Lord is doing. Please continue praying for Hakan, Luda, and Ester's health: Hakan has a pinched nerve in his neck affecting his arm and breathing at night, Ester has been increasingly fatigued, and Luda has sciatica from pinched nerves in her lower back.
In Eskisehir, we accompanied the pastor from Queen Creek Bible Church and his father to meet Artun, the pastor of the Eskisehir church, and his wife Mirela. Artun's travel delayed him, so we spent extra time hearing Mirela's heart. She shared that the church has lost members, including a family who fled to the States after receiving a death threat. She asks for prayer that the church would grow with people who come to faith with courage and stand firm, and that she and Artun would stay humble and attentive to the Lord's leading. She also hopes the Romanian church and QCBC will unite in prayer with the Eskisehir church, and she plans to invite pastors' wives and women leaders across Turkey to pray together on Zoom. Please pray that hearts would be receptive, since unity in prayer is hard-won there. I also visited Izmit on Sunday and enjoyed fellowship with Suat and Muge's growing, peaceful church.
In Istanbul, we introduced a group of six Costa Ricans, along with the QCBC pastor and his dad, to local pastors as they explore leading short-term teams in Turkey. A common theme emerged: the Lord has clearly led each pastor and wife to Himself, yet the spiritual soil is very hard, with roughly 1 in 100 people who investigate the church coming to faith. Many of these leaders are tired, overwhelmed, and carrying burdens alone, so please pray for refreshment and unity among them. On a personal note, my brother let me know while we were away that my dad is significantly declining, and I'd appreciate your prayers for him and my family. We fly home tomorrow. Thank you for partnering with us in this trip.
Kathryn (& Mark)
P.P.S. Save the date, November 3, 10am-2pm, ITN Prayer Briefing
Everyone is invited. RSVP here.
A one-day regional networking event where you will:
1) connect with others in the region engaged in or considering work in Turkey,
2) hear directly from workers in the field, featuring Carlos Madrigal,
3) learn about the current, critical updates on the work in Turkey by ITN leaders and others, and
4) pray for and be further equipped in prayer for Turkey.
Carlos Madrigal, born in Barcelona, is an art director, pastor, teacher, and writer. Married to Rosa Maria and the father of three children, he has served the Lord in Turkey since 1985, where he established the Istanbul Protestant Church, the first evangelical church to be officially recognized by the Turkish government. Carlos is also the author of more than a dozen Christian books in Turkish and is a regular guest on debate programs on Turkish national television channels. Kathryn and I served under Carlos’ leadership during our 15 years living in Turkey.
Lunch and snacks are available.
Facilitated by Barnaba Ministry and International Turkey Network