Camp is over.

Today was just a heavy kind of happy. It was such furrowed brows to see everyone leave. I love LOVE Turkey. The people, the culture, the breath. The Lord is so good and has given me such a heart string for faith at Olive Grove, Antalya, Turkey, the world. I’m at LaPaloma Hotel right now with a few kids who are going to Ephesus this coming week. Tonight we’re having a spritzy dinner at the Bultema’s.

I can’t debrief just yet but blessed things are to come. I am the squeak at saying goodbyes. The kids are so so precious and God showed me just a shard of how much we are a deep treasure to Him. 

Some of the counselors and kids from Ankara!

TWO more days of Camp left.

Wow, time whizzed by. I apologize for not updating as often as I had promised. Many things have been happening and they’re all collecting up like bottle caps. 

Bumped into a few curbs the past couple of days and I have found myself sitting alone in a köşk praying for hard patience and a gentle heart of compassion. For some reason, this week’s group of girls are just a lot more… distracted. I forgot how dramatic and boy-crazy 10 year olds are. It’s so difficult to get into spiritual conversations with them, edify them with the Word, and even pray for them. They lay on their backs during the lessons in the morning, play with lanyards, or just plain space off and watch the chickens run around the grove. They’re starting to have silly crushes on boys at camp and will NOT stop mauling over them. It’s just REALLY a tough break to make the Gospel clear and personal to them. Some of them know the stories super well and some didn’t even know what the Bible was until Camp. Distractions here are crazy. The activities start to become a crutch and the kids start wanting to skip the lessons and just play soccer against the locals. It’s crushing to see my girls in such a slump. Please pray for them, 9 of them, precious girls but with such wandering hearts.

On the other hand, the junior high and high school group is a golden blessing. It’s a joy to see how much the counselors are truly pouring into their lives and a boy named Joe is actually getting baptized tomorrow! Praise God. Kristoff said that Joe had been coming to camp for about 3 years and the Lord just moved so powerfully through him this week. What a beautiful thing. A saved soul baptized in the sea with witnesses in Christ and even Turkish unbelievers.

One girl in junior high is just on the thread. She believes in the Gospel, the gift of salvation, but she just doesn’t want to accept it. She refuses to let her life rule with the fact that Jesus paid the ransom. She wants to justifiably pay for the punishment HERSELF… She’s a sweet girl but she just wants to make her own wrong right- paralyzing logic. Pray that clear understanding of Jesus as the ONLY Way pierces through her nutshell.

The Holy Spirit is moving in such goodness. May God continue to instill a fiery heart of passion in me and hands quick to move for His glory.

I leave you with a picture of two of my favorite boys
Mert (Half British Half Turkish) and Noyan (Half German Half Turkish)-Ages 10 and 9, love soccer, always with a chocolate ice cream mustache, great hair, and easily adored.

Boat Trip today. Jumped in and out of a boat and gurgled a lot of salty Mediterranean water. Yum.

Finally did my talk today. My topic was Joy. From fellow peers, the content was good but I talked too fast for the German translation an I used a lot of filler words :( All good. Really excited that I got to present the Gospel in front of all the kids. I have a girl named Lara who is SO close to receiving Jesus. She’s just a hesistant about giving her entire life to him but shes as cute as a blue British button and very excited about Christ. Pray for her please! God graciously let her stay at camp for another week so there is still time the Lord can use me in her life.

Two German girls arrived yesterday (oh btw, new wave of campers this week like 20 or so new ones plus a couple of last weekers) The older sister is REALLY shy and angry and just doesn’t want to participate in anything. Such a HUGE difference from last week where all the girls were tight chatterboxes. Pray that she starts opening up and wouldn’t be so homesick and pessimistic about all the activities.

Albi and I are in charge of Drama this week. I’m SO excited.

Sorry about the lame post. Someone needs to use my laptop. Chris is talking about Simplicity tomorrow so pray again, that God uses him to reach out to these kids about the testimony of Jesus Christ and the treasure that He is.

More later.

Tie-Dye Day.

Reminded me a smudge of Austin. The kids are getting funnier each day and I’ve had some REALLY sweet conversations with my girls digging deep into their life, worries, and joys. God is moving in them with such gentleness and clarity. Praise Him! One of the girls came up to me tonight and told me that she really wanted to love her brother but to avoid argument they just don’t talk. She wants to be able to show him that she cares and is thankful for him as an older brother. Being the only girl in the family she feels the God is teaching her something about kindness, compassion, and even sacrifice to be able to love with the lasting love of God- from a 9 year old ladies and gents. Gosh, it’s such a joy to pray for them. You get a big toothed 10 year old smile and a tight hug :)

It’s getting a lot windier here and the waves were crashing hard on the shores and the sands pick up high. I’m really starting to get comfortable with the kids and they’re leaving in two days… Ohhh, makes me sad :( Ugh, I get mopey thinking about it. Trust that the Lord will continue to bring them up in the way they should go. Hearts of curiosity, play, and strength. Their outstanding cultural background for movement of the Gospel. 

I leave you with a photo of Hilton- 8 years old and a true sport. Goes to school in Ankara and loves Magnum Bars… apparently I’ve been seriously missing out on life. 

Iyi Geceler! (Good night!)

Tonight.

What a rice crispy TREAT. Took the younger kids to Mount Olympus to see the eternal flames. AMAZING sight. I foolishly forgot my camera so Albi took a few shots. The flames are wiggling behind you as a sea of children scramble to get branches to roast marshmallows for s’mores and then you look straight ahead… Rolling green mountains of humidity and finally the glow of the Mediterranean Sea against the sunset and the moon in the Waxing Gibbous phase just to your right. 

Everyone tried to get their marshmallow to a golden puff of tasty goodness. The boys loved scorching their Jetpuff until the outside cloaked of metal ash, haha. Then we told them it was cancerous… Punctured their bubble. The hike consisted of sweaty rocks and pebble-encrusted steps that were too big for the kids’ legs but the flames were WELL worth it. The hike DOWN was a little scary but the kids all took out their fancy flashlights, some looped around their foreheads like miners haha. The boys are fun, the girls are over-protective. It’s such an enjoyable balance. I honestly love LOVE the people here. I AM the only full Asian here so all the kids keep asking me where I’m from. I wish they could all come to America :( They love pizza, hamburgers, and fries… semi-limited in Turkey. 

A group of the counselors here are precious. I am skin deep in happy company and I was very flattered today by how much the kids liked playing and talking with me. Little half-British/half-Turkish boy was worried that I got lost on the mountain and was even about to hike back up to find me haha and then one of my girls said she loved me and never wanted to leave me ever haha I have the best age group. Chatty but very passionate and shamelessly expressive.

Was able to talk to one of my girls today about her life in Turkey and the Lord truly like… jousted my way through and she stayed behind to ask me to pray for her because she just doesn’t like her Turkish church at all and she wanted God to help her love the fellowship. Mmmm :)

Small prayer request for me. I have succeeding had terrible dreams for the past two nights. I wake up and my heart hurts and I go back to sleep and have an equally horrible dream. These dreams are not necessarily scary but involve a lot of tears, heartaches, and situations where I am severely emotionally hurt. I wake up and my heart feels so heavy and it takes me about 15 minutes to step out of the weight. I’ve never had such emotionally hurtful dreams and even though they ARE dreams, its almost like they actually happened. I’ve never experienced warfare in this way and I know that the Lord is faithful but the hurt is miserable. Please pray that my rest is ROOTED on the firm Rock of my Salvation and that He continues to strengthen me each day with His power- in my physical and spiritual act of rest.

Barış! (Peace!)

Few Days In.

My group of girls tend to be super hyper an hour RIGHT before their bedtime, 9:30pm. Maria and I are always hanging by a thin noodle of sleep and konked out by 10. It’s only Monday and I’m already a burnt piece of ham. I’ve never applied so much sun block or have chugged so many gallons of water in my life. I guess its a good thing. The camp itself is alright. I’ve never been to a camp with so much activity. Sailing, rock-climbing, kayaking, etc. I wish I had more opportunities to REALLY talk to the girls about Christ and their personal life but it’s such a challenge. I’m not sure if the age is the problem or if the Gospel vibe is just very low keyed here… Ask me later.

I never mind the Turkish food here but they served actual chicken today and the kids went crazy. One boy went back for a 6th serving. The kids are so amazing here. They inspire and touch me a LOT- culturally. I’ve been slipping up accents lately haha love it!

I apologize for the bland update. I feel like I need to personally make some changes in the way my days circulate here. I have not been actively pursuing the heart of the Lord or truly asking Him how to lead these group of girls or minister to the family here. The language barrier is such a wall of sour bricks. Our schedule is the same Monday-Friday. It’s time to seek out the light in these kids and pitch my interest past their fascinating culture and to the hope of Christ that seems so small in them now. I’m forming a lot more familiar relationships with the kids so my prayer is that I’m not just the counselor that they know and want to play ping-pong or soccer with but the one who really cares about their life in Christ.

Batteries are almost out. I already know that I will not come back to the US, UT, AACM or my friends the same. God has unbelievably widened my scope of His people and my refining soul in this world. May He continue to use these few weeks to reveal more of His love and desperation for the county of Turkey.

Campers all arrived today.

I have 13 darling 9-11 year olds coated in smiles and Turkish sun. I enjoy them so much. I happen to have a girl whose dad is the Ambassador of Turkey, she talked to me all night about her riding business class and not liking the sandwiches haha. I love it. Each kid is SUPER SUPER cute. Turkish accents, British accents, tan skin with bright blue eyes, evidently born by the sea with their familiarity to the ocean, and surprisingly really great conversationalists. They adore soccer and get really upbeat when you mention anything about the World Cup. Ugh seriously, it’s unhealthy how cute they are. 

Mainly just registration and getting the kids into their cabins. They educate me a LOT on Turkish culture and I’m learning more and more each day. Some are from Greece, some Holland, some Ireland but have all loved and lived in Turkey for most of their life. TCK is what they’re called- Third Culture Kids. SO interesting, no joke. It’s a rush switching from enjoying the sea myself to seeing 120 kids bobbing around on the shore but the joy is HEAPS.

Please pray for my mindset. I guess I came into today with a wrong attitude. The overwhelming wave of kids caught me in a net of trying to please and play with them and I forget the purpose of my time. Pray that God directs my full focus on Him with fear and faithfulness. I need wisdom (which happens to be our theme!) from only the God above. May my actions be a response to the kindness of the Lord.

BY THE WAY, BIG DEAL: Not 10 minutes ago, I witnessed the bloom of the Bramhakamal!!! The ‘Bramhakamal’ in Turkey, blooms only once in a year at Midnight and stays only for a few hours. Smelled so good. All of us rushed outside to witness the beautiful flower. Couldn’t believe I got to see such an exciting thing!

Guess I’m updating a little more that expected. Well, just during the staff training days. Once Saturday hits, the posts will be fairly less frequent.

Day Two-

If you could PLEASE remember a fellow team member in your prayers. Her 12 year old son fell into a coma this afternoon at an end-of-the-school-year party. The students were playing hide and seek and he snuck into a closet with an electric box and was electrocuted. She flew all the way back to Ankara and then had to transfer him to a hospital in Germany. Her husband works for the Embassy so the transportation is not a problem but she is very shaken up along with a couple of the other counselors. PLEASE PLEASE pray for her son’s recovery and the strength of her family. She has 5 adopted Russian boys ages ranging from 10-13 so they’re still very young. Again, Satan will do anything to prevent the Gospel from being effectively and faithfully spread so pray that the Shield of Faith be guarding the team in perseverance.

Other than that, I am learning a lot of Turkish and the locals who prepared dinner for us tonight served me a flowerly cut cucumber :) The food is GREAT in my opinion. Just straight-up, REAL, garden grown Turkish food.

Also received the list of my campers today!! Have a few from America, Ecuador, Turkey, and Holland. I will be with the 5th and 6th graders and I am positively thrilled. Praying for their hearts by name tonight, sweet hard-to-pronounce but beautiful names. They arrive Saturday!

Each minute that I have been here, I have honestly felt a pulsating and jerking heart for the country of Turkey. We’ll see where the Lord leads me in His perfect way.

Görüşürüz!! (See you later!!)

Merhaba from the extremely beautiful city of Antalya, Turkey!!

A little intro. Left Frankfurt Airport at around 4:30am flying into the orange sunrise with the radio coincidentally playing The Final Countdown, made me smile.

Day One-

Arrived in Antalya after a nice flight over mountains that touched the Mediterranean Sea. The city is scorching hot, the drivers are REALLY bad, and the streets feel European with the narrow alleyways, tight hotels, and ice cream carts. The team met in a small cafe with velvet chairs and zero AC. I really wish I could speak Turkish, the language is so soothe-sounding. The staff is GREAT. They are all really funny, easygoing, and very evident in their love and passion for the Lord. Many of them dropped their science majors to teach or study English just so they can do some sort of mission work in the future. They’re SO passionately driven and it made me feel hopelessly brainwashed by the standards in America. A German guy on the team took two years off to work on a ship taking care of children traveling overseas. My cabinmate worked in Izmir for 8 months teaching English and sharing the Gospel in a rehab hospital. Souls for the work of God with etched wrinkles of joy despite being away from family and in a foreign country.

The “campsite” for Olive Grove glows of lime, apricot, and mulberry orchards. The site is divided into four Pansiyons owned by Turkish families all related to each other. The drinking water comes from a small hose that pumps out of the hills and the “cabins” are not your typical log bungalows. The porch is tiled and the interior is of minimalistic Turkish decor. We handwash our clothes and hang them up with colorful pins, roosters stomp the yard and the gardens are spiked with roses and wildflowers. The mountains are behind us hidden with the eternal flames and the sea turtle nesting grounds are on the shore to the right. The ocean water is clearer than my pool and infested with rocks that typically Americans would put in their new water garden from IKEA. The pebbles are beautiful and you can see where the cliffs kiss the ocean. Okay, I feel spoiled. Creation is a wonder.

First day was mainly the get-to-know-everyone peel of anticipation. I love the vibe of the whole group. There is such a genuine and deep love for Christ in their actions and willingness to serve such wholeheartedly. A woman from The Netherlands led our prayer time tonight and you could sense a distinct gentleness in her fellowship with Christ. Found out that there’s a guy here from The Woodlands! I really want to ask you to pray for him. He’s “the guy” who got dragged here by the family friend, doesn’t bother going to church in college, and has no desire for worship. He’s such a nice guy but I can tell his heart is far away from the work of the Lord HERE.

Aside from that, Turkish food is a delight. A tad salty and sour but we’re living very low keyed and low maintenance. A lot of olive juice and tomatoes.

The kids arrive Saturday so pray that these few days of training are fruitful and that God digs a deep well in my heart for the team and the promising work of the Gospel.

Elveda! (Goodbye)

Thank you for sharing this experience of the Gospel move 38 degrees 56 minutes North and 35 degrees 14 minutes East.

Honestly, the Lord will transform lives wherever He leads. I appreciate the sweet prayers and support.

Yakında görüşürüz! (See you soon)