Day 12 in Turkey

Weather today: 36°C, sunny

Total No. of mosquito bites: 11

No. of dodgy stomach moments: 0

Total No. of times used a turkish toilet: 2

No. of times my turkish has made someone life - countless!

So, it's day no. 12 in the Turkey lifechange team.  We're in Izmir now, which was an 8 hour busride from Yalova.  Fortunately the bus was really nice - although we almost missed it during the lunch stop because we got sidetracked being talked to by turkish people.  Since I look korean and Tolu looks nigerian, people seem to be rather fascinated by it all and that's how most of our conversations start - korye'de dogudum... (i was born in korea...)  Pete taught us some turkish phrases to introduce ourselves which has proved really really useful. 

It's definitely a different feel in Izmir than where we were previously.  Here the church has been going for about 13-14 years (or maybe even 15?) so obviously there's differences with size and the feel from an established church and a churchplant.  This time, Tolu and I are staying in a flat with an american girl and a swedish girl.  They've come over to help homeschool some of the kids in the church and they've committed to being here for about 10 months.  Matt is staying with an american guy called Matt.  We've resorted to calling them by their surnames in order to differentiate between them.

We had a sightseeing trip round Izmir yesterday.  My favourite parts of the day were eating a delicious lunch, being taught how to play a turkish instrument and then making some music within the shop.  Loved it!  anyway, i need to go because we need to head off to church like NOW!

Merhaba! from Turkey

(Merhaba means Greetings in Turkish)

Day no. 7 on the Turkey Lifechange Team.

Where do i start..?  I really should have started this earlier but those of you who know me know that communication is not my biggest strength.  This is my penultimate day in Yalova - which is where we are at the moment.  We arrived in Turkey on last Wednesday evening and been based here for the week.  Tolu and I are staying at Carol and Peter Brett's home.  Matt's staying in the church building.  It's been great meeting the leadership team here.  They're wonderful people.  They've put together a busy and varied schedule for us.  A very quick run down of what we've been up to: yalova treasure hunt; lifegroup; team meeting; musicians group; scrubbing 120 plastic chairs (most of the skin from my hands has come off - its yucky); trip to Istanbul; cooking dinners; swimming in the pool; experiencing Turkish hospitality...

The lifechange team consists of 3 of us - Matt, Tolu and me.  We're all from different churches in England and met each other for the first time on a team briefing day back in May.  Before we went out to Turkey we had 2 days of initial training in Bedford which was really good.  What really stuck with me about that part of our training was to be as open and inquisitive as possible about the culture and the language as possible - just give it a try basically.  And i think that kinda encapsulates our attitude as a team so far on this trip.

All 3 of us have had a go at speaking the language!  I know it sounds silly to write that learning Turkish is like learning a foreign language, but at the start it felt like a completely different language from the other ones that i've learnt so far.  However, as we pick up more and more phrases, i can see some more similarities.  This evening some of the turkish boys in the church took it upon themselves to teach Tolu and i some more phrases.  So, here's a selection of the ones that we learnt to say: 'seni seviroyum askim' (i love you, my love); 'tatlisin' (you are sweet); 'turk kahvesi seviroyum' (i like turkish coffee); ruzgar coc guzel' (the breeze is really lovely); 'dogum gunum kutlu olsun' (happy birthday).  You'll have to excuse the spelling - there are more letters in the turkish alphabet and i can't find them on this blog site!  In Turkey they have a saying that if you can speak 5 languages then you are 5 people.  Until now, most of my turkish has been taught by men so my sixth persona appears to be a turkish male!  There are also a lot of koreans in turkey who are working out here and apparently they pick up the language very quickly.  Peter Brett commented that i spoke turkish with a korean accent, when i first started practising the language. Hmmmm.... i just think that he's surprised with how quickly i've picked it up.  But it's not just me - we're all making an effort with learning the language.

On a more serious note - thank you for all your prayers so far.  I am really enjoying my time out here.  This morning i was thinking how God has good and perfect plans for each and every one of our lives.  4 years ago, i was at a mobilise seminar at which the Bretts were sharing about their experience of church planting in turkey.  At that time, i never imagine that i would come to Turkey on a lifechange team.  And i know with such conviction that this is exactly what God had in store for me this summer.  My faith has grown some more in resting in God.  On our first proper day in Yalova, Peter encouraged us to just be ourselves with our personalities and our spiritual giftings, which personally encouraged me to just step out and God is just absolutely amazing.  I'm praying for a heart change in me. 

My teammates are great fun and i hope that he keeps knitting us closer together as a group.  So far team dynamics have been good.  Matt's doing a great job getting on with 2 girls and we've had some absolutely hilarious moments.  I'm so encouraged by each of them and i really thank God for them.  Hmm... however, we still have an 8 hour bu s ride tomorrow on the way to Izmir that we need to survive!  I've drummed up some games for us to play, which isn't normally my role, but they go along with it.  Please keep praying for team unity.

In terms of lifechange..?  Well i've only been here 1 week so far.  I love the church out here.  I've never really been in a churchplanting situation before either and i think that my experience here has definitely grabbed my interest in this.  I've been challenged again about persecution and martyrdom and church planting amongst unreached people groups.  There are so many more things that i could write about but i'll save them for another day.  So, i'll leave you with some photos.

learning to make borek (a traditional turkish dish) with Carol

Tolu and me at the pazar (market) buying various vegetables for each of our meals.  I made a korean dish and Tolu made a nigerian meal.

Joy, me, Tolu and Matt with our 120 clean plastic chairs!

Tolu, me and Matt being tourists in Istanbul.  The blue mosque is behind us.

Haha.. It's been such a long time that i've written on xanga!  It's the first time that i've written on the new look webblog page.

Well, i'm going to run another half marathon.  Have you heard of the Great North Run?  It's a famous half-marathon than takes place between Newcastle and South Shields in the north of england.  You can find more information on http://gnr.realbuzz.com/ 

I'm running to raise money for the cystic fibrosis trust.  My housemate, Janet, has cf and this charity has really supported her and her parents with conferences, newsletters, money etc.  They sound really good.  you can check out the trust on www.cftrust.org.uk.

You can also sponser me online too at www.justgiving.com/duracellbunny  I work at Coventry University and i think that they've agreed to match whatever i fundraise out of their corporate charity giving.  So lets get the university to donate lots of money for a good cause!

So, the story to how i'm running a half-marathon again..?  Well, back in January, my friend liza came up to visit me from Oxford and we met up with another friend, Antony.  We all lived together in our first years.  Over curry, we talked about running the great north run together and what a laugh that would be.  A few days later, i get an email from Liza saying that she's applied to take part in the great north run and now - its our turn!  Eeek - so i panic slightly but sign up anyway with the teeniest bit of hope that maybe my ballot will be refused.  It isn't.  So now i'm running 13.1 miles on Sunday.  I'm quite nervous.  I haven't been able to do very much training for it because i've just come out of working the busiest time of my job - orientation and registration.  But nevermind!

So anyway, what are you doing?  Check out my fundraising page and give Coventry University some real money to match - www.justgiving.com/duracellbunny.

Thanks,

I went to work today in such a mood - didn't realise it was until i went swimming during my lunch hour and got out of it.  Later on, Delphine and I had to do a welfare from the international office presentation and welcome dinner.  Sofeena and I laughed so much - i forget how important it is to laugh sometimes!  I felt so much better at the end of the evening!

Also, now i know how it feels for lecturers or preachers when people fall asleep in your lectures!  We had to do a presentation on immigration, travel, culture shock and one of the boys fell asleep hehehhehee... Bless him, it had been a long day, no doubt.

My sister is awesome.  She just wrote in her blog about love one another.  When you meet someone, rather than trying to think - what can i get out of them?  Think - how can i edify them.  It takes the focus of oneself and glorifies God.

Just come back from watching The Chronicles of Narnia.

  It's fabulous and powerful!  Need i say more?