Day 27
Turkey
Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is in an increasingly tight spot as he looks towards the next elections in 2023. The economic situation in Turkey is rapidly spiraling, with inflation increasing 80 percent each year and the central bank running out of foreign exchange. Erdogan is increasingly strengthening ties with Russia, developing an economic partnership that could bring in $100 billion. Pray that any unholy alliances will be broken. Pray that the Kingdom of God will continue to experience new growth and churches will spring up out of this difficult season Turkey has been in for the last 6 years since the 2016 coup (The Bible, Matthew 19:28-29).
Source: Erdogan and Putin: Complicated Relations With Mutual Benefits (New York Times)
Once the land of Paul’s missionary journeys, Turkey is now predominantly Muslim. In response to a failed coup in 2016, Turkey has continued to clamp down on anyone President Erdogan deems an enemy. Anyone seen to be anti-Erdogan can be arrested or removed from their positions, increasing the atmosphere of state control. Dozens of long-term Christian missionaries have been deported or refused entrance. Predominantly Syrian refugees have overwhelmed Turkey, numbering about four million – the most in the world. Due to the deteriorating situation, the UN pulled out, and the Turkish government stopped registering refugees and closed camps forcing refugees to find work in the cities or risk being deported. As a result, anti-refugee attitudes have increased in the wider community. The COVID-19 impact has been significant across the nation, both on the health care system and the economy. Interest in the Gospel has also increased significantly in recent years.
