Ankara day 2 and 3

Our second meal at this establishment; the waiter, who had been on duty when I hobbled on a sore foot the day before, was quite kind and sympathetic when he saw the cast and crutches.  Wonderful shish kabob and egg plant and whatever the rest was.  Just good food! Above all, great fellowship and sharing about the day ... started "where did we see God working today? ...

With approximately 5 million inhabitants in Ankara, large apartment complexes are the norm.  This is the view from our host's sunroom.



We leave soon to go to a local shopping area, then plan to visit Ulus castle, a museum (so much of Biblical history occurred here!  We are in the Galatian region), and visit a mosque.  Since the castle is up a rocky hill, I will meditate in a park or restaurant.  Crutches + rocky hill = Yeah/NO!  After lunch we'll have opportunity to hear Janice and Norma's host's testimony. 
Yesterday we enjoyed a similar privilege when we met a Turkish couple and son who work with CC.

It is a sweet delight to watch God's sovereignty play out!  This trip has been committed to Him and even when we think, "Bummer!" ~ He uses for good!  And He is in the midst of all.
My delightful and fruitful trip to urgent care could have ended unfavorably ~ we were told the x-ray machine was broken, so leave and come back tomorrow.  Not my intrepid hostess!  She boldly (but politely and meekly) walked into the doctors exam room, explained the situation, and asked if he could at least look at my foot; he agreed!  That's when we had the joy of visiting with the two gals in the other picture, and the gentleman I mentioned.
After more than 1.5 hours, (it's about 4:45 p.m. at this point) I was able to see the doctor ... who said the x-ray machine was JUST FIXED!  So downstairs we go (walking, all this time, on a foot with three fractures; things are done a little differently here ...), then back up stairs (thank God for elevators) to the news of a triple fracture.  NOW walk a ways again to the room where they will apply the cast ... then be let go to hop, hanging on to my still intrepid hostess and my husband ... until I can't do it anymore!  Guess what?  right where we stopped were two wheelchairs!  ... still not sure why we weren't offered one, but as I said, things are maybe done a little differently here.
And we only needed to move out of the way once for the driver who needed to get out of his parking place next to the building by driving up the side walk in front of the clinic; made perfect sense since he wanted to go the opposite way of rush hour traffic  ...
Meanwhile, our intrepid host is leading our stalwart team on their particular journey.  They walked some hefty hills, according to Neal, and were able to enjoy walking by and learning about schools, parks and other local life settings!
After all this our beautiful hostess fixed a delectable Turkish-style dinner.
All in all, it was a very fruitful day, filled with lots of laughter, love, tenderness, and caring!  Much done in the heavenlies and wonderful connections made on this earth.  God is sovereign and we get to have the joy of experiencing it :)

A few years ago I read a question that gave me great pause to ponder, and I've adapted it for my own life challenge and inspiration to grow and always be open to attempt new challenges and experiences.  So, on the desk-surround in my office I have this question posted:  "When was the last time you did something for the first time?"   On that paper I have written several life "firsts" that I've done the past several years ... parasailing in Vietnam, riding the sling shot at the fair, buying a motor cycle ~ AND learning to ride; the page is full!  So, when I go home, I'll add SEVERAL first just from the last 24 hours!

• Visit Friends in Ankara
• New restaurant with great food
• Take a swan dive OUT OF instead of IN TO a pool ... okay, a tub, but it was a really HIGH tub ...
• proceed to hurt my foot and get a doozer bruise on the hip
• proceed with our planned outing/walk with J & D
• enjoy that first meal mentioned above
• decide a trip to urgent care is in order as the foot is feeling progressively worse
• visit an urgent care in Ankara!
• make wonderful connections with gals, AND a charming 91 year-old Economist ~ that will now and till heaven be part of my prayer list!
• ride a wheelchair out into the fringes of Ankara rush-hour traffic ... "with a little [lot of!!] help from my friends"
• Proceed tomorrow (?) with touring and walking/gliding/swinging on crutches, praying, for this land that I love so much!

God doesn't waste anything, and this day was not wasted.  Amazing diving appointments, and He alone knows what the result will be!  And, I have been humbled in the need to ask for so much help, and humbled in the realization that my own attitude is not always good when I am assisting someone else (God gave me a photo flash of something; love the way He does that!).  God doesn't waste anything!  This day has been a grand adventure.  And the rest of the group accomplished their abbreviated team

goals.

Lovely view from our friends' 4th story window this morning while saying good morning to Ankara!.  Neal, Sherri & Bermet staying with J & D this week, and Janice and Norma with another couple.  Lazy morning while we try to catch up on a busy couple days, then on to sight-seeing, walking and visiting!  Pray for me ~ Careless this a.m. and fell pretty hard coming out of the tub.  It is much higher than ours at home ~ you know the sensation of stepping off a step that is much farther down than you realized?  I way prefer sky-diving or the sling shot at the fair!  So, swollen and very sore left foot might make it a little uncomfortable and slow to do all the walking we anticipate ...

Good morning, Turkey!

Lovely view from our friends' 4th story window this morning while saying good morning to Ankara!.  Neal, Sherri & Bermet staying with the Boettchers this week, and Janice and Norma with another couple.  Lazy morning while we try to catch up on a busy couple days, then on to sight-seeing, walking and visiting!  Pray for me ~ Careless this a.m. and fell pretty hard coming out of the tub.  It is much higher than ours at home ~ you know the sensation of stepping off a step that is much farther down than you realized?  I way prefer sky-diving or the sling shot at the fair!  So, swollen and very sore left foot might make it a little uncomfortable and slow to do all the walking we anticipate ...

We are in His hands; God is in control!  What peace and joy to know that every gift comes from Him, every trial is filtered through Him.  His Holy Spirit lives in us, His Angels surround us.  We are His people, Sisters and Brother of Jesus Christ.  And we are eagerly anticipating this incredible journey He leads us on.  We look forward to where He will take us and what He will speak to and through us;  how we praise Him!  We look forward to seeing our Friends in Turkey.
Thanks Dave & Donna Dougall for taking us to the airport.  Now for the fun of people watching and great NW coffee!  We are (almost!) off!

We have been so blessed by the scriptural prayers, love and support from our church!  So many of you are praying, so many ask questions and are excited, and many have given the most thoughtful gifts to our team!  A gift card to Starbucks for airport down time and another gift bag full of delightful treats - and an additional Starbucks card - and helpful travel aids!  You Gals who gave so lovingly have definitely traveled before ;)

Soon and very soon we'll have the privilege of visiting special friends and seeing the sites of the history we cherish, where many of the heroes of our faith walked, preached, and wrote the Word we live by.

Meanwhile ... there is still much to accomplish - tasks at work so our beloved volunteers can function without chaos, packing to do ...

Lift-off, rather Take-off, minus 2 days!

Okay, so ... it's only been three years since I created this Blog.  Hopefully posts will continue at a much faster and informative pace!  Two days, almost to the minute, until we head to the airport for our trip to Turkey ... land of beauty, history, amazing historical ruins, wonder and where so much of early church life took place!  I look forward to sharing sights, insights, sounds and pictures from this amazing adventure to a land where "to be Turkish is to be Muslim".