Day 27
Türkiye
Nine months after the devastating earthquakes that claimed more than 50,000 lives, recovery and rebuilding are ongoing. Though the response of the international community was generous, the clean-up and recovery process are ongoing. Many are still without new homes, and economic recovery in the affected areas is slow. Turkish Christians are actively participating in the recovery process by providing practical assistance and trauma counseling to those affected. This disaster brought Turkish Christians together in unprecedented unity. Additionally, the response has opened doors for the Gospel to spread. Let us pray for an abundant harvest of souls (The Bible, John 15:2).
Source: Six-Month Anniversary of the Türkiye Earthquakes and the UN Response (UN) and Christian workers in the region
Once the land of Paul’s missionary journeys, Turkey is now predominantly Muslim. Following a failed coup in 2016, President Erdogan began irradicating anyone deemed to oppose his regime, increasing the atmosphere of state control over the last 7 years. Dozens of long-term Christian missionaries have been deported or refused entrance, however interest in the Gospel among Muslim Turks has soared. Predominantly Syrian refugees that overwhelmed Turkey were a financial and infrastructural burden on the nation. As a result, anti-refugee attitudes have increased in the wider community, though Christian ministry amongst the refugees has been fruitful. At the start of 2023, Turkey was devastated by a massive earthquake that impacted the lives of more than 14 million people and resulted in the deaths of more than 50,000 people.
