ISTANBUL IMPRESSIONS 2

Going underground. Becoming child-like.

 We met in an underground sort of setting. - Christians are a clear minority in Turkey. Christian Turks however are accustomed to encountering interested curiosity in their non-majority faith: Christianity - what again was that? Isn't this the immoral religion with the three Gods: Father, Son and Mary? In fact, the vast majority of Turkish population does not have a much better understanding of I'slam either while providing great entry doors to the kingdom news. Here is the advice we got: Do NOT associate yourself with Christianity. Do NOT call yourself a "Christian" here. It will be misunderstood. Rather describe yourself a "follower of the teachings of the Prophet Isa". Powerful thought, not only for the M-world...

The place we met was actually the kids' sunday school rooms. We chose this unusual seeting not only to exchange static plastic chairs against comfy carpets and pillows, but also felt becoming child-like would be a fitting "anti-imperialistic" statement in the "City of Empires" as Istanbul/Constantinople/Byzantium prides to call itself. A good place for relearning the kingdom ABC. - Unexpectedly this setting did later on provide some strong out-of-the-comfort-zone challenge for some of us. Glad it worked out great.