Questions and Curiosity: How Nehemiah is Building Cross-Cultural Relationships

It’s a beautiful afternoon in Istanbul. The team is up the hill in the Grand Bazaar area, initiating conversations with Muslim shopkeepers and tourists alike.

As you know, we arrived Sunday evening tired but well. We took Monday off to rest and get oriented with the area before moving into an active ministry phase. Because it’s a Muslim country, our ministry has to look different – it is conversation-based, relational, and low-key. 

students on a mission trip go on a prayer walk in the city
Going on a prayer walk!

Engaging In Conversational Ministry

On the first day out, I assigned the team to find out more about Turkey: what is family life like, what is important to Turks, what place Islam has in their life, and other questions like that - looking for individuals who are interested in having a conversation. And from those questions, deeper topics of faith may come. It has been a unique experience for the team, and each day, they have become more comfortable in initiating conversations and following up with shopkeepers they may have talked with earlier.

We prepared for this type of conversational ministry in a couple of ways. First, we read the book Tactics by Greg Koukl. In it, he describes ways to keep conversations going, avoid arguments, and subtly direct the dialogue through questions in a way that allows for constructive and productive spiritual discussions. And the emphasis is not on “harvesting” but on planting seeds. It has been extremely helpful for everyone.

Immersed In Culture

Though we are only a 15-minute (steep) uphill walk to the Grand Bazaar and the Blue Mosque, our hotel is in a busy residential/shopping area. It actually isn’t a hotel, but apartments that we have rented for our time. Each unit has a kitchen, and from one of them, we usually cook one to two meals a day for the team. There is an upper-roofed area where there are couches/chairs, a clothes washer, and areas where we can string lines on which to hang our wet clothes to dry. We eat our meals and meet as a team up here, and from where I am sitting, I can see across the (narrow) road into at least half a dozen other apartments. 

students on a mission trip partaking in a shabbat dinner
Happy Shabbat

The residents tend to keep their shades open so we can see all variations of life – dinner time, kids playing, laundry hanging. And there is one guy who carefully brushes his hair at about the same time each night. Below, there is a lady who sells delicious handmade spinach and goat cheese things that are a lot like quesadillas. Sorry, I don’t know the name – I just point! There are watermelons ringing the corner grocery store and cafes where men drink tea, smoke, and play cards, and kids play in the streets till late at night. We are between two mosques - one just ½ block away - so when the call to prayer comes, it’s an amazing competition of noise that echoes loudly down the narrow streets. In short, we’re not where the tourists are but where the people live. And I like it that way. So does the team! Today, we split into two groups and did a prayer walk all-around lifting the people up to our Father, another way of bringing the presence of Christ into the area.

Tomorrow, we’ll take a break from ministry, become tourists, and head to the Hagia Sophia. We are also working on setting up a visit and possibly volunteering at an organization that works with those caught in the sex trafficking industry. I’m waiting to hear back from them.

students on a mission trip discussing the bible
Debriefing quiet time!

An Interesting Interaction

Lastly, I’d like to share a cultural moment. Yesterday, Kylie wasn’t feeling well (she's better now) and stayed back at the ranch while the five others went out for ministry. While walking, a young man called out, “Hi, sweetie!” to Mackenzie. Nathaniel, being the only guy and male protector, glared at him. 

He responded by saying, “You are so young and so many women! Are they all yours? 

“YES!” Nathaniel replied forcefully and with as much conviction as he could muster. 

Pained at the inequities of life the young man cried out in distress and sadness, “But I only have ONE!”

He proceeded to follow the team, claiming he was a rich man and had money until Nathaniel ended the drama by holding up his hand and saying “No!”

When I heard the story last night, I had Nathaniel show the rest of us his glare of intimidation. It scared all of us! That said, it has not felt unsafe here for our females, just culturally different.

For the Nehemiah Team,

Tom