CGM: Cross Cultural Minis
Metin was done. He had a buyer for his business and a new job awaiting him. He wanted to be away from people. Soon, he would be out to sea for months at a time working as a cook on a cargo ship.
Metin had a good customer base selling cheese from his van in rural communities of Turkey. His business was a desirable purchase for a businessman given it’s stability, yet he was ready to give it all up. Going from village to village he would see the brokenness of humanity and the empty promises of religion. He was hurt and he was tired.
During his morning rounds one day, he met an American lady who was visiting with one of his customers. Metin didn’t come across foreigners in the places he sold cheese, so he was intrigued. The lady told him that her husband was a pastor. Metin had a New Testament mailed to him from a website, but he had never met Christians before. He had places to get to, but he wanted to meet this pastor. He asked if he could meet the pastor that night and the lady said yes.
Metin arrived at 11:00pm, long after the children had gone to bed and long after the pastor and his wife’s bedtime. Metin was so excited, he asked the pastor to tell him about Jesus. The pastor explained and Metin nodded along because the stories were the same as what he had read in the New Testament. Love, forgiveness, and a relationship with God were so appealing to Metin. He then said to the pastor, “If I believe all of this, who will I have? There isn’t a church for me to go to. Even if I stay and meet with you, you are foreigners. Today you’re here, tomorrow you’re gone.” The pastor tried to assure Metin that God would be enough for him and that God would provide others to come alongside him, but Metin was not ready to take the step of faith.
Pray for Turks like Metin. There are many people who have read the New Testament and like what it says but are afraid to believe because there are no Christians in their communities. Being a part of a community is extremely important for a Turk, so the fear that they will be the only Christian in a community of non-Christians is real. Pray that the reality of God would be bigger than fear. Pray for people like Metin to find each other so that God can use them to support one another. Please pray for the rural communities of Turkey.
