Eyes Opened. Heart Softened.

Today was another great day, and probably my favorite day in Bursa so far! God worked in extreme ways and provided amazing spiritual conversation with a group of students we met last night in Gurokle. It all started last night. Larisa (one of the girls on our team) has really wanted to learn the game OK, commonly played at cafes and resturants in this country. So we used this as a way to meet people. Larisa, Nick, Allison, Kristina, and I walked around until we found a group of people playing OK and eventually we found a group that spoke some Eglish and was willing to teach us. Nick knows some of the native language so this also helped when it came to communicating. After learning the game, watching them play for an hour, and giving up hope that there would be any spiritual conversation we were all getting tired and about ready to leave. I personally was exhauted from the day and just wanted to go home. As we were leaving one of our new friends insisted that we come to her apartment so they could make us a traditional meal. (Again, the people in this country are so friendly and hospitable. So kind.) But because it was late and we were tired we told her would couldn't tonight, but if they were free tomorrow then we would love to get together.

That brings us to today. This morning Larisa, Nick, and I met Tugo in Gurokle and he walked us to Halime's apartment where we spent the day with our new friends. When we got their the girls were cooking us a commonly eaten breakfast meal and cayi (word for tea). When it was done they laid a blanket on the floor and had breakfast in a picnic style. It was awesome! Because their apartments are relatively small and there isn't a kitchen table, this is how they eat a lot of their meals. It was fun and I was really enjoying myself. Our friends then made us coffee, and read our fortunes. How they do this is with the remaining coffee grounds in the cup. They tip the cup over onto a plate and let the grounds gravitate down the walls of the cup. After a few minutes they tip the cup back over and read your fortune. Halime read mine. She saw a lion, which means strength. Then she saw something about a boyfriend and money. Hmmm...I guess two out of three isn't bad haha.

While hanging out with our new friends, God really broke my heart for these people. "Pray for us." Three words. Three words that really opened my eyes. Three words that made my heart hurt. These three words have been stuck in my head since they were said by my new friend Tubo. Now, sitting in Starbucks, reflecting on the day. All that has happened on this adventure to a completely different culture. Place. World. My heart aches more for the lost right now that it has on this entire trip. Thinking about these three words. "Pray for us."

After we ate breakfast at Halime's apartment, after they made us coffee, and after they read our fortunes the conversation turned towards God. During all of this you're sitting there. Just praying. Praying that God will give an opportunity to bring these people closer to Him. And then it happens. The opportunity to share. And you take it. Out of no where, God makes Himself so present. When you're scared. Nervous. You take this opportunity because it isn't you speaking, it's the Holy Spirit speaking through you, leading these people closer to our Lord.

The six people we were able to share the Gospel with considered themselves Islam, and they made it quite clear that they are Islam, because they are Muslim. Seems to be a common theme. Not a choice, but because of where they were born. They were able to tell us about their religion, what they believed, and they even though they were Islam, they didn't practice it very much. They haven't done the five principles needed to be completed in order to go to Heaven. But, they did pray to God. We were then able to share about Christianity, and being a follower of Jesus Christ. We explained to them that Jesus died for all of our sins so that we can live with eternal life in Heaven with Him. This blew their minds. The fact that we already knew that one day we would be in Heaven. They don't know this about themselves because they spend life earning that right.

My brain was then challenged. Questions were asked that I had never thought of before. Tubo asked us if we already knew that we were going to Heaven, why are we even on earth? What's the point of living a life in a natural body? Why not just be in Heaven right away? This is a good question. One that we know that answer to, but one that at least for myself that I had never really thought about before. We told them that the reason for our existance on earth is so that we can spread the good news. The good news about Jesus. And to worship Him by bringing others closer to Him.

I then asked Tubo and the others what the point of them being on earth was. And they didn't know. They couldn't think of an answer. And that's when Halime told us that we must be so relaxed. So relaxed because we know we are going to Heaven after we die. She told us that they do not know if that's where they will end up. She told us that they go through life trying to be a good person and praying that they have earned their way to Heaven when they die. My heart hurt. It broke. Because you know how much God wants to know them. And you know that all they do is have to do is make a choice to accept Christ into their lives. But it isn't that easy. It isn't that easy because that isn't what they believe. And that's the point of our existance. To let God work through us so our friends can have eternal life. It's cool. It's powerful. The power of the Holy Spirit.

We then asked them if this was scary. Not knowing if they would go to Heaven. And they all answered yes. And that's when Tubo said the three words that have stuck with me for the remainder of the day. He may have said them with a smirk, or a little laugh, but all the same. They stuck with me. "Pray for us. Pray that we will end up in Heaven when we die." But little do they know that we already have been. Praying to meet people who God has prepared to hear His story. Praying to be given the opportunity to share the Gospel with them. Praying for God to open their hearts to the idea of Him. The whole conversation was filled with God's presence. There wasn't a point where I felt alone, because God is with you during these experiences. He leads the conversation. He never leaves you. He is always present.

So please pray for my new friends. Pray that God continues to find a way into their hearts. Pray that they know that they have a choice. That they have a choice, because Jesus died for our sins. Not just our sins, as Christians, but all of our sins. Believers, and people who don't believe. Please pray for them. The seed was planted, and now the fruit is up to God.

#middleeast