Update from Turkey

Dear friends,

It is Feb 12^th and Greg I are sitting in our hotel room in Istanbul, Turkey. The last call to prayer happened a little while ago. The famous 6 minaret mosque is across the road from here. We have finished meeting with our friends and will meet with them again next Saturday before heading home on Sunday. They were fun to spend time with and I think we were able to help them which was the main point of our coming. These next days we are tourists and are enjoying the city and relaxing together. Tomorrow we plan to see the sultan’s palace. This is an amazing place. It feels safe and the people are kind. The kindest ones are the carpet salesmen who are very nice to you and then try to get you into their shops so they can sell carpets to you. We are not in the market for a carpet, but it has been interesting to learn how they make them and the different types. They are really beautiful but not in our budget!

The kids are doing well at home. Jesse and Jenni are with Laura and she is in charge. We still need to do some processing of our own lives and would appreciate your continued prayers for that as this week unfolds. We got an email from the I-360 board last week which included these statements:

…After looking at the latest analysis of our financial situation and activities, we realized that we had to make an excruciating decision to begin the closure of I360 as it now exists unless the management team's efforts succeed in bringing other organizations alongside who are willing and able to help. Several organizations are in talks with the management team now, and the board is hearing from others who just want to know how to help.

It appears that after everyone's best efforts, I360 is not to be – certainly not as envisioned…

Wow, that was a sad email. I am having to process this 27 years of work and relationships being gone. 104 people no longer having employment with this company who did 6 weeks ago. No office to go to, friends and co-workers scattering, all of us trying to figure out what to do now. This is hard, but I still know we are in the arms of a loving God who will take care of us. So losing this ministry is very sad, but was taken totally out of our hands, and there was nothing we could do to prevent it. I am sure that the Lord will take us and all of our friends and co-workers through this. I don’t know how much processing I can get done this week, but I do ask for your prayers.

I met a man named Mohamed today at the bazzar who also has experienced cancer. I just felt I should mention mine to him and he poured out his story of a brain tumor he currently has is his head. I asked if I could pray for him and he let me. It was a very special connection. He calls me Mrs. Nancy. Who knows who God has for us to meet here this week. I will write again when I get the chance. Blessings- Nancy