Gobble Gobble

I've barely been in Turkey for five days, and my life is already significantly changed by my experiences in it. I have met with many of the truly amazing workers in Izmir. I have seen a people searching for truth. I have seen a God reaching out towards them through His own people who He has filled with a burning passion for life. I have seen a beauty and vibrancy that reveals itself in layers incomprehensibly deeper than the mere lushness of the landscapes and colors the eye takes in upon gazing at my surroundings.
Yesterday afternoon, the whole troupe of us (Uncle Alan, Aunt Sandy, Isaac, and myself) went to a college gathering that meets together on a weekly basis in order to have a time of worship, learning, and and socializing. It was much shorter running than a typical "service" (as an American might view it), but held such a punch that, despite me not being able to understand more than a word or two here and there, I could comprehend a level of true camaraderie and vivaciousness: life and liveliness in the full sense of the words that put me completely at my ease. During the worship time, I was not saddened in the least by my inability to sing along because the musical response of these believers to God's grace and love so transcended any cultural bounds that may have assumed their defensive positions.
I feel that I am not doing just to the power and tenderness of the moment, so I'll just leave it at that.
But that was not the only such time. Despite the rude appearances of the transportation (which is much like what was seen in Ecuador: pedestrians have no right of ways; in fact no one except yourself does, which leads to all sorts of runnings of lights, passings at random times and places, and a general concern only for getting to your destination) which I prefer regardless (Turks certainly seem to have less wrecks than the crazy Americans), there is scattered quite liberally in Izmir a genteelness and respect that is most definitely lacking in the Western World. Everyone that I've seen feels like a neighbor (the good kind), even the neighbors. (Except for maybe the full car of punks upon which my cousin Isaac, myself, and one of our friends (perhaps unwisely) pulled off the invisible rope trick on the way back to pick up a bus home after youth group.) I like to tease Isaac that he has more culture shock when he goes back stateside to visit than I do when I travel internationally. Though the friends of the Whites have definitely made that easy on me (completed by their allowance of my not unwilling use as a playmate and punching bad of the little balls of energy they fondly call their children; one family in particular had seven kids (the oldest of which was maybe 13 or 14) who swarmed me almost as soon as I entered the house). Much has happened in such a little amount of time.

But in actuality, it was on just the second full day here that the most impacting moment (so far) made its move. At the Friday night youth group for the highschool kids of the workers in the area, one of the leaders of the group gave an interesting lesson. A really swell guy, and an almost better speaker, his message was one that dealt with what it truly meant to be "called" by God. The point that he made was that we are all called to God before anything else and that wherever we are and whatever job we may have, He will use that to further His glory. One does not need to be a preacher or go to some foreign land in order to be spreading the Gospel. Our talents all have a use (one which will definitely be fulfilled in ways we may never even realize) and God is equally pleased with everyone who uses them to the full extent that He provided, regardless of what that might be. This is a point that I've been preaching for a long time, so hearing this made me happy. However, that was not what hit me. It was his emphasis (both in the lesson and when I met him briefly in person before hand) on developing those skills and not being so stubbornly "holy" in our pursuit of ministry to the extent that we blind ourselves to the opportunities "secular" work give rise to that really caught my attention. Most of you know that I plan on going to Hawaii within the coming years to pursue the people there and in the Polynesian area. But what I should do once I get there has always been a bit of a mystery to me. And I've been sitting with relief on the fact that I have at least a couple of years to figure it out. But I started to realize not too long ago that I need to be more actively pursuing the answer to that question right now (a thought that was further pushed to the forefront on Friday). The recent months have been an exhilarating, frightening, sobering, and maturing time in my life; and what better place to put the gobbledygook behind me and move forward with more spice in my step than here in Turkey! May you be blessed with the same emotions wherever you may be that I have been bathed in here.

-Nic

p.s. Prayers are always acceptable and welcomed things, but if you could pray specifically for me over the next few months as I look to move into a new stage of life, that would be be most wondrous and heartening indeed! Thanks muchly! :D