Asia Minor

We won’t be doing any official ministry in Turkiye (pronounced Tur kee ya), but we’ll be heading to the eastern European country of Moldova to do outreach. 

We’ll be based in the tiny village of Bravicea, partnering with Pastor Sergiu. He’ll keep us busy working in the surrounding villages. These villages are tiny, and many of the people are poor and lack resources, so you might find yourself chopping firewood for an elderly widow, distributing food, or praying for someone who is disabled and bedridden. Our ministry will most likely involve a weeks’ outreach in a Roma Gypsy village.

The earthquakes in Turkiye were in the far eastern portion of the country, over 1000 km away from where we’ll be and did not damage any areas the team will visit. However, Royal Servants takes the safety and health of each participant seriously and goes to great lengths to ensure that participants remain healthy and safe throughout the trip. So we’ll keep an eye on Turkiye!

For now, the team is scheduled to go to Moldova. But if the situation with Russia or in Ukraine deteriorates, we’ll pivot to another country, most likely Albania, where we have strong ministry contacts. If a situation arises that threatens the security of the team, either politically or from environmental conditions, the team will be moved to a stable location.

You’re going to be strolling down the streets of ancient Ephesus, walking among the columns of biblical Laodicea, and getting hopelessly lost inside Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar. You’ll be exploring Hierapolis (a UNESCO heritage site), where wounded Roman soldiers recuperated in the hot springs, and one of the early disciples, Phillip, was martyred for his faith, as well as venturing out into the rolling hill country of Moldova. And those examples barely touch the experiences you’ll have on this amazing trip!

Most people who travel to Turkiye are tourists, but you’ll be going as a traveler! That means eating at small, local food stands and restaurants, staying in simple hotels where the locals live, and traveling by taxis, trains, and city buses. The reality of Islam will confront you at every turn, with the Muslim call to prayer reverberating through Istanbul and Izmir’s streets and alleyways.

In Moldova, we’ll make Bravicea (population 2000) our home base. Village life is a cross-cultural experience in a whole new way! Pastor Sergiu once apologized for the warm milk during dinner … he said they had just milked the cow!

“I would advise students to go because you dig deep into the Bible. Visiting the churches from Revelation brings the New Testament to life, and throughout the trip you see God work in yourself and others.”

We really will take a deep dive into Scripture this summer. We will get through most of the New Testament, many times studying books like the Gospel of John, Ephesians, and Colossians in the very region the book was written. 

We want you to feel free to ask the hard questions without fear. Next summer, Holly and Tom (your trip leaders) want you to hear more from the Word than from them. And when you go home, our goal and prayer are that you don’t see reading Scripture as a duty, but as a desire!

The team is limited to those who are 16 years old and older. Those who will do well on the team are individuals who get excited thinking about spending significant time in the Word and are willing to fully join in on the daily discussions. 

And you can’t be afraid of a lot of travel! 

If you are also teachable, open to input, willing to learn from each other, and want to understand and develop more in your unique leadership strengths, this team might be a good fit.

In Turkiye, we will be staying in small hotels or hostels. In Moldova, we’ll be sleeping in dorm rooms at the church. Easy-peasy. 

But the food? We know all the good places to eat! Maybe you’re out and about in Istanbul and are in the mood to try a Turkish doner? We can show you where to find the best - stuffed with chicken, veggies, fries, pickles, and hot sauce (my favorite!). Considering a grilled sheep head in Pamukkale (pronounced Pa-moo-ka-lee)? I don’t advise it, but if you’re in the mood and willing to give it a go, I’ll point you in the right direction. 

Once we get to Moldova, it will be a big shift. Food will be simple, filling, and delicious. And that means it’s all about the meat, potatoes, and, of course, dairy! In all likelihood we’ll have one of the local women making us amazing, home-made food. It provides employment for her and very full and happy stomachs for us!

Coming home from an overseas mission trip can be a difficult transition to make, which is why we believe debriefing is crucial. We want to make sure you process your summer and take time to reflect on all that you have experienced before returning home. We will be heading back to Istanbul for debriefing, which involves fellowship, reflection, decompression, and laughter! It will be the perfect closure to a mission trip where you will see God at work in mighty ways in and through you.

After exploring the Biblical sites in Turkiye, the team will fly to Moldova for two-weeks of hands-on ministry. We will partner with Pastor Sergiu and his small but energetic congregation, reaching out in many of the Roma Gypsy villages that surround Bravicea. Sergiu is a pastor, missionary, and evangelist who has a special heart for the Roma, and hopefully we’ll get to visit one of the Roma churches he planted in Scinosa and hear the story about the church’s beginning. Hint: It may involve an angry Roma male, an ax, and Sergiu as the intended target … but it has an amazing ending! 

You’ll leave the tiny little country of Moldova tired but satisfied, knowing that together with the Moldovans, you made a difference for the Kingdom.