Shut Down But Not Silenced

From 4 to 15 April, our group of 12 left Istanbul and headed east for our first Turkey tour of 2018. We called this the DDUM Tour since our show consisted of Drama, Dance, Unicycling and Music.

Once we reached Malatya, we paused to rehearse at the church, then moved on to Tunceli with 6 bold and active church members who supported us for events in this part of the largest unreached country on earth.

We passed through several check points on our way to Tunceli, the last one at the entrance to the city where police thoroughly investigated our literature, equipment and passports. We had planned on doing spontaneous shows but after police videoed themselves telling us we could not perform without permission, our leaders went to work seeking approval. Amazingly they were quickly granted permission from all the necessary officials which led to some of the best events we’ve had in Turkey.

Two nights in a row we presented in Tunceli to over 800 people who were very open and interested in our presentation and we didn’t hear one complaint!

We had many great conversations with people eager to learn more about Jesus. After our first show, one guy who had been encouraged to ask God to show Himself, actually saw Jesus in a dream that night! Our friends from Malatya Church didn’t waste any time following up on dozens of interested people. They are really hoping to plant the first church in the city from those new contacts. Previous outreaches in Tunceli have been met with apathy and hardness so it was refreshing and encouraging to see so much receptiveness and be part of the special work God is doing there. Tunceli was a tour highlight for most team members.

Eleven years ago, 3 Christians were martyred in Malatya. God has turned tragedy into good and this is now one of the easiest cities for workers to serve, since the city is trying to repair their negative reputation. We presented at the Malatya Church for their Easter Outreach. It was a cozy space so we adapted our show but still had the opportunity to encourage church members and help connect 20 new people.

  

In an unprecedented request, we were thrilled to be invited to teach Christianity through seminars and our show at a school in Viranşehir. Though our team drove 5 hours on hilly, windy roads just for this event, the school made excuses and cancelled the event the night before and try as they might, our leaders were unable to obtain permission for any replacement show. A Malatya church member had driven an additional 5 hours to seek permission to present in Ovacık since a policeman who worked there had seen us perform in Tunceli and wanted to help us get permission to perform in his town. Permission was granted on all levels and the municipality even offered to promote our show over loud speakers! However, another official learned of our plan, stating he “knows who we are”, complained to the governor and managed to get all permissions thrown out the window.

We felt a bit deflated, but we know things don’t come easily when we are directly attacking the enemy’s strongholds and dealing with officials who hate what we are doing. Though we were denied performing in a few cities, team members still took opportunities to share Jesus with people they met along the way, so not all was lost.

In Ankara, Turkey’s capital, we presented late at night downtown after the police had gone home. Church members, many of whom are new believers, were very excited to help us present in their community.

Team members had very meaningful, personal conversations with individuals whom God seemed to have prepared for that moment. Though we had a small crowd and our show wasn’t in the best part of town, God reminded us that Jesus came for the drunks, rose sellers and cheaters. This evening showed us some of His generous heart and the lengths He will go to reach people.

We drove back to Istanbul for our final shows. After one by the seaside, we presented without incident to interested people, but afterward police came in a huff and detained us as they looked at our literature. The finally let us go but not before cursing and spitting at a team member.

To wrap up the tour, we partnered with Life Church in a bustling, wealthy area of Istanbul for 2 shows just below their church. Several hundred watched, no one complained, and some were interested in learning more about Jesus. The pastor said it was very inspiring for the church to see bold, public proclamation of the Gospel to the crowds they usually only see passing by below as they look out their window above.

In all we had the opportunity to share with over 1,500 people in 7 presentations. Turkey is a tough place to minister on a good day and with the state of emergency looming over people, it’s even harder. Police and passport checks became routine, we struggled with sickness and discouragement, and we just might be crazy for even trying to publicly share Jesus in Turkey. Yet we saw God at work and use our efforts to specifically reach people with His great love and truth, and that made it all worth it.

Please pray for:

-Those in Tunceli who saw our show and are now studying the Bible with believers. Pray that a church will be planted from these contacts.
-All those who heard the Gospel and received literature from us (police included) to grow in their understanding of God’s love.

 -Many more in Turkey to see dreams and visions of Jesus that will open their hearts to His salvation.

-Churches in Malatya, Ankara and Istanbul to continue to make bold efforts to reach their community with the Gospel.  

Testing the Times in Turkey

As has been the case for a decade, we have gladly been utilized as "guinea pigs" with TACO, as they sent out the UniShow to new areas, testing the response to outreaches.  This year, our scheduled tour in Turkey occurred just one month after the July 15 coup attempt and during the 3 month state of emergency in the country.  Permission had been received for shows in many cities and venues around Turkey but under the circumstances, all but 2 cancelled.  Since things seemed to have calmed down enough, and we still had these opportunities, our team of 9 decided to proceed, hoping to present 5 shows in 2 cities, Çanakkale and Istanbul, in 4 days.  These were the first public outreaches TACO had done in Turkey since the coup so we didn't know what to expect.

We had permission for 2 nights of shows in Çanakkale on August 19-20.  We presented in a great location along the seaside in a basketball court with surround seating next to the big wooden horse from the movie Troy.

Our 2 shows the first night in Çanakkale drew over 1,200 people total who were attentive and engaged.  With boats and sea as our backdrop, a team member shared how Jesus is her lighthouse in troubling times, before performing her song on harp "Ready for the Storm".  A lady later said she brought a friend to the show who was facing some difficulties and 'storms' in her walk as a new believer.  Her friend said our team member's music was "so encouraging" and she felt the song was sung "just for her".

Another team member won the crowd over and some were even moved to tears as she shared how her great, great grandfather was an ANZAC who fought and lost against the Turks in this area and died as a result, but because of the grace and forgiveness of Ataturk in victory, she and other Aussies have been welcomed with open arms back into Turkey.  She connected this forgiveness to how God wants to forgive each of us and show us His grace.  Dustin wrapped things up with a clear Gospel presentation while the audience listened to every word.

While most people were very positive about our presentations, there was one very verbally aggressive man who caused a scene after our second show the first night and tried to get others upset with what we were sharing.  Our translator called the police who came and eventually took the man away because the law is actually in our favor to share our beliefs freely.

Our plan the second night in Çanakkale was to do two shows again.  The first show went great with an enthusiastic and responsive crowd of 550.  However, afterward, a few angry and threatening people stirred things up so much that our leaders had to spend several hours in the police station correcting false statements that were made about what our group was doing.  Though several hundred people were awaiting our second show that night, it had to be canceled.

Once again, the uproar provided opportunities for us to share more with people.  As people approached one team member asking what the problem was, she told them some were upset that ironically, we had been sharing a message of peace and what God has done in our lives.  Those she was talking with thought it was terrible others would react that way.

A man, offended by the irate reaction of a loud minority, asked Katie what was going on.  Though he claimed to be an atheist, after she explained the Gospel which was causing the division, he said, "Don't give up; keep sharing this important message!"  He thanked her for their conversation, saying several times that it made him feel new.  He then connected with a local pastor and said he would join the fellowship meeting on Sunday.

Two other team members individually connected with students after shows and met up later with them to continue discussions about faith.  They plan to stay in contact with their new friends to keep building these relationships and speaking into their lives.

In total, after the 3 Çanakkale shows, 81 people filled out surveys and received packets with a DVD and other literature; 31 of these people said they were interested in talking with someone more about what we had shared!  These open shows in Çanakkale were a test of sorts since they were the first we've done in Turkey since the coup.  Çanakkale is one of the most open and liberal cities in Turkey so the negative reactions were unusual.  It's a shame that hundreds of people were happy with our presentations and 5 were not yet it prevented us from proceeding.

For our 4th and final show of this mini tour, we presented in a new neighborhood in Maltepe high on a hill in a plaza between shops and restaurants with the most amazing view of Istanbul any of us have seen.  A suicide bomber had killed 51 at a wedding in Gaziantep, Turkey the night before and often 3 days of countrywide mourning follow such a tragedy.  The venue organizer didn't mind us proceeding so the show went on.

Because this was a new contact, we kept this a closed event, as far as sharing.  One team member connected with the audience in a beautiful way, dedicating her "Ready for the Storm" solo to them in light of the recent difficulties, sharing how God is her strength in scary times.  Dustin shared how God will always be with us in trials to give us strength to go on. 

Afterward, many had great conversations with those in the audience.  Then our hosts provided a delicious meal for us at a nearby restaurant, apologizing that they couldn't give us more. They were very impressed and were not expecting such a quality presentation.  They definitely want us to return to put the great, underutilized venue to repeated good use.

Though we didn't have many shows on this tour, we are thankful for the opportunities we did have to share God's love during this tough time in Turkey.  We know God was at work through us and touched people with his love.

A Wheely Magical Time in Turkey

From 9-23 June, seven of us set out on an outreach tour around Turkey. From beginning to end, we faced spiritual warfare which made this one of the more difficult tours many of us have experienced. We pressed on and know God was at work in spite of our difficulties and touched people's lives for eternity.

This UniShow tour unified the arts of unicycling, illusion and dance. World-Class illusionist Adrian Van Vactor wowed crowds with his mind blowing magic. World Champion unicyclist Dustin Kelm made jaws drop with mad skills balancing on one wheel. Katie assisted them both and filled in the gaps with a dance or two. Resident TACO members Dave, Safak, Hannah and Rosa joined in on the fun, as well.

Just before our flight from Istanbul to Diyarbakir in south eastern Turkey, a bomb was set off at a political rally in Diyarbakir, killing 4 and injuring over 100. Needless to say, the atmosphere in this city was tense at best. We went to Diyarbakir anyway hoping things would calm down but we were unable to do either of our scheduled shows since the performance location was across the street from the deadly bombing. Targeted retaliation killings on both political sides continued. Most of our 4 days in Diyarbakir were spent in the church because it wasn't safe to venture outside. We could hear clashes with police at night which resulted in more deaths.

From Diyarbakir we began zig-zagging our way back to Istanbul. Our first show was in Mardin in front of their museum. One man was really impacted and wanted follow-up information about Jesus immediately.

For our next outreach in Gaziantep we were joined by church members, increasing the diversity of our group to 12 nationalities. Many of the members of this only open church in Gaziantep are believers as a result of past TACO events. A guy who happened to be at our spontaneous show had been carrying Dustin's testimony/tract card in his wallet ever since the last show we did in the area 5 years ago!

In Antakya (Biblical Antioch) we performed in Palladium mall. Church members came to help out and connect with people. The mall organizers really liked our show and invited us to come back and perform the next night. The mall senior management didn't approve our return however, so instead we did a spontaneous show at a nearby park. There were many Syrian refugees in the area who were very responsive to our message. A Turk came to Dustin and Safak after the show wanting to discuss what he read on Dustin's testimony card. The man said that Jesus didn't die but was taken up to heaven. By the end of their deep discussion, the man really wanted a Bible so he could learn more about Jesus. After he received one, he was beaming, proudly and boldly displaying it for all to see.

Our next show was schedule to be for the Ramadan opening ceremonies in Manavgat. However, the festivities were canceled due to nationwide mourning for the death of a former Turkish president. We moved on to Antalya for our show at an amphitheater in the harbor where Paul and Barnabas set sail in Acts 14:25. Katie had a great discussion with a diamond expert and his friend who asked her to pray for them to soon become believers in Jesus because they wanted to but didn't feel they could yet.

When we arrived at the Sumer Park Mall in Denizli we learn that our show was scheduled 3 hours earlier than we thought. Thankfully we had arrived early and because the mall was impressively organized and prepared for us, we were able to start at their advertised time. There are only a few workers serving in this city. Two of them came to our event and will be following up on the many who turned in surveys requesting more information about Jesus.

We then performed at Next Level Mall in Turkey's capital, Ankara. This was the least open show of the tour as no surveys, DVDs or literature were handed out and the translator censored Adrian and Dustin's messages. Afterward, Adrian had a great conversation with a couple who seemed very close to giving their lives to Jesus!

Finally, we did two spontaneous outreaches in Karakoy, Istanbul, drawing our biggest crowds of the tour. It was special to see the dozen local workers who joined us, conversing and connecting with those in the audience. We were completely open in both shows and many requested more information about Jesus! Several interested people have already begun meeting with local believers.

In these 15 days, we traveled thousands of kilometers and performed 9 shows around Turkey. In almost every show the Gospel was shared openly. Thousands of Dustin's testimony cards, other literature and approximately 300 "More Than Dreams" DVDs were handed out in return for 256 completed surveys with 167 people requesting more information about Jesus!

On our last night in Istanbul before returning to the States, we connected with Ed Pratt who is trekking around the world on his unicycle.  It was fun to share stories of cross-country unicycle trips and hear about some of his adventures thus far.  He is about 3 months into his 2 year journey.  Cheer him on by clicking here.

Hello Turkey!  First show of the tour - Mardin.

Fun spontaneous show in Gaziantep.

Fans in Antakya.

Up close and personal in Antakya.

Good times in Antakya.

Chilling in Antakya.

Mall show in Denizli.

Adrian entertaining at the mall show in Denizli.

Freaking out the crowd at the mall show in Denizli.

Mall show in Turkey's capital Ankara.

Final spontaneous street show in Istanbul.

Our new friend Ed Pratt who is unicycling around the world.

ANZAC Turkey Tour 2015

2015 is the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Gallipoli when Australia fought and surrendered to Turkey. Ataturk, Father of the Turks, said back in the day that Australia’s sons are Turkey’s sons, thus welcoming relationships between the two countries over the last 100 years.

We partnered with a group of 40 Australians who came to Turkey to commemorate ANZAC Day (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) and a century of peace. But more importantly, our collective purpose was to share how to have lasting, true Peace with God.

The Australians brought many great musicians which made up 5 different bands performing various styles, including Reggae, Blues and Pop.  On stage throughout each show, an artist painted beautiful art, shared the meaning of the picture with the audience and gave away her painting at the end.  Katie and an Aussie lady danced and of course, Dustin’s unicycling was a highlight and he shared clearly and openly during almost every event.

We started the week with a few street shows around Istanbul before hitting the road for performances in Bursa, Bandirma, Canakkale, Izmir, Kusadasi and Selcuk.

Canakkale was a highlight. The Australians were especially moved to be performing in this area where the Gallipoli Battle happened and so many of their ancestors gave their lives. During the shows, they emphasized that 100 years ago they came with guns but now they have come with music and God’s love.

In Canakkale, we did a show at the University then 4 shows on the seaside next to the horse used in the movie Troy. Since we were in the area multiple nights, we had the privilege of connecting with a few people in-depth. Various members of our team had tea with a couple individuals on different occasions to talk about God and these interested individuals even joined us for a service on Sunday for the first time. Please pray these people will see God clearly and boldly follow Him.

A local TV station filled their entire 53 minute program with our show and interviews of our team members. Click here if you want to check out some of it.

The weather didn’t cooperate for our 2 scheduled shows in Kusadasi. The first day we didn’t even set up since it was so cold and windy. The second day we pushed ahead in faith. As we were setting up, the sun began to warm things up a bit. After 2 hours of set up we made it 20 minutes into the show when everyone and everything was literally blown away! The wind was crazy and started blowing things over on and around stage, damaging some of our equipment. We had to tear down quickly as it started to sprinkle rain.

Fortunately we had one last hurrah in Selcuk (Ephesus) and it was actually warm, people were out and about and they responded to our performance and message of God’s love. Many indicated interest in learning more about what we had shared.

Please pray that the thousands we had the privilege of sharing God’s love with will experience His lasting Peace. Next up…stay tuned for Albania UniShow tour…

Street Show in Istanbul drew a great crowd.

Street Show in Istanbul.

Dustin's new friends in Bursa.

Bursa.

Dustin sharing a message of hope in Bandirma.

University in Canakkale.

One of the great Aussie bands we performed with.

Performing next to the horse used in the movie Troy.

Canakkale.

Interview for Canakkale TV show "The Microphone is Yours".

Final show in Selcuk among ancient ruins and castles.

Final show in Selcuk among ancient ruins and castles.