Hello friends and family,

First, I want to apologize for the lack of updates this past month. Our ministry became very hectic, and our days were jam-packed with meetings and opportunities to share the Good News. With everything happening, sending updates slipped down my priority list. Thank you for your grace and understanding.

Last Wednesday, my team said goodbye to Kyrgyzstan, and we are now officially in Turkey for the next month. Kyrgyzstan went by so quickly and was such a beautiful country. Some of my highlights from this past month included hosting and leading our in-home youth group, leading English clubs, engaging with college students, teaching culture at a local university, and participating in our squad worship nights. Through these settings, I was able to form deeper relationships with students and had opportunities to encourage them with the gospel in more personal environments where I could speak freely. Often, this looked like getting coffee, macarons, or bubble tea together.

Our home group was also a central ministry focus for our team. Each Tuesday night, we hosted between fifteen and twenty-five predominantly nonbelievers at our house for dinner and meaningful discussions about life. Everyone who came was eager to learn and talk through some of life’s hardest questions: Is there a God? Why am I here? How should I view myself and others? Why do bad things happen to good people? What happens after I die? These are just a few of the topics we explored in our small groups.

While in Kyrgyzstan, my eyes were opened to the reality of spiritual warfare and the effect it can have on individuals, groups, and even atmospheres. I personally felt the weight and intensity of spiritual darkness at times. Witchcraft is very common there and is practiced openly in many places. My team and I quickly realized how important it was to be intentionally covered in prayer before stepping into spiritually heavy environments. As we began praying more fervently and consistently putting on the armor of God each morning, we felt a shift. The spiritual heaviness lessened, and we experienced the victory and peace that come from the Lord. Each day, we prayerfully put on the armor of God and prayed over the spaces we were entering.

During my time in Kyrgyzstan, I also experienced the power of God in new ways. To be honest, I used to struggle with fully believing in the active power of the Holy Spirit. But during this season, God revealed Himself to me in very personal and undeniable ways.

One of my favorite moments happened while our team was walking back from a lunch event at a university. We passed a restaurant with a peacock logo, and one of my teammates felt strongly that the Lord had been speaking to her through peacocks and that we needed to go inside. We walked in, and immediately the atmosphere felt spiritually heavy. Even so, we sensed we were supposed to stay. We went upstairs and sat down.

Our waitress, Acema, came to serve us and was immediately drawn to our group. She ended up staying to talk with us for a long time. Before we left, we felt prompted by the Holy Spirit to ask if she was experiencing severe neck pain. She said yes. We asked if we could pray for her, and she agreed. As we prayed, she encountered the love of God in a powerful way. When we said “amen,” she looked shocked and said, “I don’t understand. I don’t have any pain anymore. How did you do that?” We explained that it was not us, but God working through us. We shared our personal testimonies of how God has transformed our lives, and she began to cry and was very open to what we were sharing.

Although she did not declare her faith that day, something shifted in her heart. Her countenance changed, and her heart softened. Please continue to pray for Acema, that she would encounter God again and fully accept Him as Lord over her life. That day deeply impacted me and showed me just how powerful the God we serve truly is. It is such a gift that He chooses to use us as vessels to accomplish His purposes.

Although I am sad to say goodbye to all my Kyrgyzstan friends, I am very excited to see what Turkey holds. I also want to start out by saying that given the political and safety situation in the Middle East, our groups safety and well being is being monitored very closely at many different angles, keeping an eye on developments in the Middle East and sending us updates when needed. As of now, we are continuing with the vision we have for our time here in Turkey.

We will be traveling as a full squad, and going to different cities, specifically those where the seven churches in Revelation were located. We will also break into smaller teams for day-to-day evangelism and ministry. We strongly feel that the Lord is calling us to move and go and not grow complacent in one spot. The ground in Turkey feels ripe for harvest, and we are already meeting many who are eager to hear the Good News. Matthew 9:35–38 has taken on new meaning for us, especially the verse that says, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” The people here are searching for truth and hope. My team and I are so excited!

We are also praying about what it would look like to approach this season similarly to how Jesus instructed His disciples in Matthew 10. This may mean leaving most of our belongings in a trusted place and living simply out of a backpack, possibly sharing with a partner. We would prayerfully pack only what the Lord highlights for us to bring. Our desire is to grow in deeper intimacy with God and greater dependence on Him and the body of Christ. Please join us in praying about this vision for our time in Turkey.

I truly believe that our team being here during this time of war is not a coincidence. With everything happening in Iran, there is an influx of Iranian refugees coming into Turkey. We have met individuals who are stranded here and deeply grieved over what is happening in their country and to their families. In just a few days, we have had the opportunity to share God’s love and bring hope to some of them. We have also prayed for and encouraged many who are facing persecution and suffering. Despite the heaviness, my spirit feels encouraged and at peace. There is a spiritual depth in this land, and I sense both sorrow and hope present here.

Please take time to pray for our squad and for the people in Turkey and the Middle East. My heart breaks for every individual, regardless of their beliefs or background, and we are called to love them all. Pray that we would continue to walk in peace and gentleness, especially among those carrying heavy hearts. Pray that we would handle wounded and hardened hearts with tenderness, intentionality, and wisdom.

We are not currently under a host, which means we are ATLing, asking the Lord and doing what He says. Each day, we spend extended time in worship and intercession, asking God where He wants us to go and what our daily assignments are. Pray for increased discernment within our squad and boldness to share what the Lord is placing on each person’s heart. With the recent outbreak of war, we want to remain prayerful and cautious, seeking God’s guidance daily while refusing to let fear, anxiety, or emotion dictate our decisions.

Finally, please pray for our sister in Christ, Sarah, and her family. They are originally from Iran and faced severe persecution after converting to Christianity. They fled Iran and came to Turkey legally as refugees in 2014 and have been living there since. Recently, their refugee status was terminated. They were detained for a time before their case was appealed. They are now in irregular migrant status and risk detention and deportation back to Iran, where they could face imprisonment, torture, severe punishment, or even death. Our team is praying and exploring ways to support her case through U.S. advocacy and potential sponsorship. Please pray for wisdom and guidance as we seek to support Sarah and her family faithfully.

Thank you all so much for your prayers and support. It truly means more than I can express.

I am also starting a WhatsApp update page for more frequent and shorter updates, as well as easier communication. If you would like to join my WhatsApp prayer and support group, please click the link below:

https://chat.whatsapp.com/I0QQRdPlpFoCWaL15hH6Nh?mode=gi_t