Born on the Bayou

At least some of them were. Some of them seemed to have been born in Powder-Puff-ville. No more crying guys!

But seriously, this group from LA was great. They were a bunch of students that came over here to spend their spring break checking out some of the historical and biblical sites around here. We really had a blast together and I think we were mutually encouraged and challenged. The group was good about being flexible and patient. I didn't hear any complaining about having to take buses or walk long distances. They were willing to try new things and to walk around in their undies with a bunch of hairy Turks. They learned new games and new words. All in all, it was a good week.

My personal favorite memory was being able to share the Gospel with a guy at a little cafe we were at drinking tea and playing backgammon. Of course, five white guys speaking English together attracts attention in this country. Luckily this time, it was good attention. The owner came and sat with me, since he figured out I was the only one who could speak his language. We talked for a few minutes about my friends. They were going to Tarsus the next day to see Paul's old town and that steered our conversation towards spiritual matters. The guy asked me what I believed. Instead of trying to struggle through it in my broken Turkish, I just handed him a little booklet that explains it in his own language. We had a nice little conversation and then he went back to work. I think it was good for the guys to see the spiritual state of things here. Most people are more than happy to talk about things with me, but none so far have seemed open to actually entering into some sort of healthy dialogue. Just like this guy in the cafe, most people end with "I respect you," and leave. I'm not here for respect guys. I had plenty of that back home. I came in the hope of giving you a choice. No one here knows the Gospel or what the Bible truly says about Jesus. I came to give them that opportunity. To see for themselves what God has said through the Gospel.

And that's all I can do, give them the opportunity. I try to do that as much as I can and pray that the Holy Spirit has been working in someone to draw them to the Father before I get there. Because, after sharing with the cafe owner, one of the guys said, "That was cool." You know, it really is, when I think about it. But honestly, it doesn't satisfy. I'm ready to see something more. I'm ready to see a life changed. So with that in mind, I'm going out to see who I can meet today, and if maybe, just maybe, I can find those people in this city that God has set aside for himself.