How are they to hear?

Romans 10:14, “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?”

After arriving in Çanakkale, I sat and watched the sunset after playing a little basketball with DDC. They continued to play but I wanted to marvel at the colors that painted the sky as the sun set behind the mountains which sat across from us, separated by a wide channel of the Aegean Sea (pictured above!). God, the Maker of the heavens and the earth, is too glorious for us to fully comprehend. Still, there’s something special about sitting and wondering at the mysteries of who he is and who he has already revealed himself to be. I listened to the waves hit the shore, writing a love song to their Creator. I gazed at the sun sinking behind the mountain, obeying the cycle set in place by the One who holds time in his hands. I watched the birds hover over the water, mimicking the Holy Spirit during the creation of those very waters. I heard the laughter of my brothers playing together, revealing the joy that comes from on high. All things are made by God and through God and for God.

Sitting in gratitude and awe of my Father, I prayed over the next few weeks that we’ll spend in Türkiye. What an honor! What a privilege it is to be here for the sole purpose of bringing the good news to these people. I prayed for opportunities. I prayed for boldness and confidence to share the Word. I prayed for a deep understanding of his love and grace for us as we hit the streets and face challenging conversations, rejection, cultural differences, and more. Almost like clockwork, two men walked on the path in front of me and I greeted them with a Turkish hello: “Merhaba!”. This sparked conversation and I came to learn that they are both Muslims, one from Türkiye and one from Afghanistan. I told them that I am a follower of Jesus, a student of the Bible, and pointed to my six brothers playing basketball (a few drinking Turkish tea) and explained why we are here. We exchanged Instagram’s and planned to play basketball with the boys in the next week or so.

This past week, Jaden, Banks, Michael and I met up with the man from Afghanistan (in this blog, we’ll name him John). For nearly three hours we played basketball with John. He taught me technique, we laughed over the fun of the game, and we listened. John had much to share about his experiences and why he has found refuge in Türkiye. When I asked him if Allah helped him during the attacks he faced, he explained that bad things are bound to happen in the world and Allah does not help him when they do. Throughout the conversation, we shared about what we believe and how we have seen God save, protect, heal, and comfort us in affliction. One of the most valuable things we’ve learned in sharing the gospel here is to talk about the Bible. Because if a person comes to believe that it is truth, the Word will speak for itself and through it the Spirit will turn hearts of stone to hearts of flesh. So, we learned about his religion, and we shared truth from the Bible and shared bits of our own testimonies. As we finished playing basketball, we made a deal: we’ll read the Quran and he will read the Bible. I sent him a link to the You Version Bible app.

We messaged back and forth, and he sent me a screenshot of the downloaded Bible app on his phone. He said, “will you teach me how to read it? I will show you about my religion and you show about yours also”. What an opportunity! So, yesterday, Banks and Elijah and I met John at a coffee shop overlooking those same waters that we’d first met him at. Our conversation began very simply. It was the first day of Ramadan, and we asked him about their fasting and the rules during Ramadan. We shared about the freedom that we experience in the invitation to fast according to the Bible. As the conversation advanced, we began discussing good vs. bad works and assurance of salvation. There is no assurance of salvation in the Islamic faith, what a weighty thought. I remembered a verse I had read in Proverbs just a few days prior, and asked if he wanted to read it with me. He said, “yes but please show me how. I have never read the Bible”. Woah. My heart raced and my eyes welled with subtle tears as I watched Banks help him navigate the Bible app and change the language from English to Farsi for the first time. John read aloud the verses and he continued to read more than I had suggested. After all, that’s what the Word does, right?! It draws us in and quenches our thirst. It’s a fountain of life and a light for our lives. I sat across from John and watched him read the LIVING ACTIVE HOLY Word of God for the very first time. I was filled with a peace that passed my understanding and an awareness of the Father’s presence with us on the patio of that café. I was (and still am) just so humbled that God would allow me to participate in the story he’s writing in John’s life. John has now not only encountered the Lord through creation, but also has encountered the Spirit of the Living God through His people (us!) AND has access to the very Word of God. And how would he know unless we did not go? How would he have heard unless we told him?

This story has encouraged my spirit to continue running the race with endurance and strength from God. It has challenged me in my own view of the Word and it’s pricelessness–I never want to take the access I have to it for granted. It has stirred my affections for the Lord and his grace on us. It has reminded me why I am here and what really matters.

God is moving here in Çanakkale, Türkiye! He is winning hearts and minds.

• Please join me in prayer for John. Pray that he would continue to ask questions, that we would listen well, and that he would read the Word of God. Pray that God would reveal himself to John through dreams and visions.
• Please join me in prayer for our friend Mark (name changed for blog), who similarly has read very little of the Bible but joined our team for a Bible study this afternoon.
• Please pray for strength for our team, wisdom from God, and a fresh wind from the Spirit in our own lives. We are desperate for the Lord.

Thanks for reading this testimony of what the Lord is doing here! I love you & I’m grateful for your continued support and prayers. You matter to God, so you matter to me.

With love,

Kara Grace <3