CGM: Cross Cultural Minis

Young married couple, Fikret and Merve, left the apartment with their gym bags. They waved down a taxi. Fikret gave the driver directions and Merve showed him her watch. She was worried that they would be late again.

Fikret and Merve both worked full-time at prestigious companies in Istanbul. They have been living with Fikret’s parents for the past few months to try to save some money and pay down their credit card debt, a real issue in Turkey. As they left with their gym bags, Fikret’s parents were glad to see the two of them taking care of themselves on their day off.  

A block away from their destination, they told their taxi driver to let them out at the light. They would walk the rest of the way.  When they got to their destination, they set down their gym bags and out of them, pulled two crisp Bibles. Fikret and Merve were not actually going to the gym. They had been going to church for over a month now, but were afraid their parents would find out.  

It would still be a few months before Fikret and Merve would place their faith in Jesus. And a few weeks after that, Fikret’s mother would find their gently read Bibles in their gym bags. She was furious. She felt betrayed.  

Fikret and Merve would continue to live with his parents for another year. Fikret’s parents saw a difference in the young couple as they grew in obedience to Jesus. Fikret’s parents have yet to come to faith but their relationship with their son and daughter-in-law has been restored.

I wonder if Fikret’s parents’ response to finding the Bibles was because they were now Christians or if they were upset for being lied to for so long. At first when I heard this story, I thought what Fikret and Merve did was wrong, but my view has softened. Fikret and Merve are like many Turks as they investigate Christianity – They were fearful and they hid their exploration of faith because of that. Family ties are strong in Turkey. It is hard to move outside of the desires of the group. There is beauty to the strength of family ties.

Pray for Turks as they investigate the gospel. Pray that they would see, through faith in Jesus, that they are children of God. Pray that the parts of Turkish culture that reflect attributes of God would be maintained as Turks come to faith in Jesus.