Update for 6/22/07 (previous update is for 6/21/07)

We had free time until noon yesterday so Theo, Randon, and I went exploring around the Marina near our pansiyon. It was beautiful! I think it finally hit me that we're in Turkey. The mediterranean Sea is more amazing than I remember and the water temperature is perfect. We explored for about an hour and then talked with a Turkish man, Ahmet. He was very interesting, very, talkative, told us to find some russian women ("very good" were his exact words) and he was a Kurd living away from his family. He liked America and wore a yankees hat but didn't know who they were. He offered us Cimits (a type of turkish bread) and Theo accepted not realizing we didn't have money to buy it so he gently reclined. We took a picture with him and said goodbye. We then spent the day with our worker friends in Antolya and Our friend Irena from Albania. They helped us orient ourselves around Antalya and for our cultural linguistics program that starts in a couple days. And Theo, Randon, and I decided to have a contest. There are 3 turkish football teams or soccer teams, Galatasaray (Theo), Ferenbahçe (Randon), and Beşiktaş (Seth or me). So any new friends we meet we ask them who their favorite team is and we're keeping score. So far theo and I have 4 and Randon has 3. Turks are really into football here so whenever we mention their favorite team they get really excited. Its so fun. Hyrie (sp?), a converted muslim who was baptized in may, told us his testimony. Very inspiring to hear how much they, as Turkish believers, have to give up to follow Jesus. (He's a beşiktaş fan by the way.) We attended the youth group and a band named story box played a concert of turkish and english worship songs. At the end of the service we split up into prayer groups to pray for some Turkish believers. I got to pray with a couple turkish friends (2 who were also beşiktaş fans). It was the first time I had heard a prayer in Turkish and though I understood very little it was amazing and beautiful to listen to. We haven't even begun our linguistics program and Giod is already opening our eyes and hearts to the Turkish people and their love. Oh yeah Theo made a friend who sells ice cream on the street corner. Mehmet, who sadly is a galatasaray fan is convinced theo is fluent in Turkish. And we found out yesterday that theo's turkish nickname, teoman, is actually the name of a Turkish popstar!!! Mehmet called the American Tarkan because he didn't know my name. One of the guys who runs our pansiyon, Salim, calls me "tall man." And he asked if he could join us at ch on Sunday! It was so cool! The turks call me "Set" because the "th" sound is difficult to say. But set in Turksih means dam, wall, or barrier so when I say, "I'm Set!" they say..."No you're not". It's great fun and I really love this place. God is amazing and this culture is so beautiful (I know i say beautiful but i don't know how else to describe it.) That's all for now. Peace out and God Bless!

Seth Knox