Tuesday 3 November 2009

Turkish delight!





Well folks we are now ın Antakya! We are on our fourth day in Turkey having slept in 3 different beds in 3 consecutive nights. Don't worry, I won't show you a photo of the beds! On our first evening in Istanbul on Monday, we caught up with a friend who told us much of what he ıs doıng and plannıng. Tuesday we then flew on here to Antakya, formerly Antioch, a city of 180,000 people. We are staying with Josef and Elin who invited us here when we met last July. Antakya is in Hatay province next to Syria. The weather has just changed from the heat of summer to the rain and mildness of winter, though still warm when the sun comes out. After catching up with each other on Wednesday morning we then went to a friends house in the afternoon and helped them install a sob, a stove that warms the house. As more and more people came so we shared some things with the them that are on our heart. Later in the afternoon we went onto a sea side town called Cevlik which was formerly Seleucia, where the Apostle Paul set sail for Cyprus, Acts 13 v 4. There we met some more friends from a number of different countries and had a meal together. We all stayed overnight, and then spent Thursday until mid afternoon talking, singing, praying and encouraging each other. Four of our friends were baptised in cold water as the sea was too rough! It was great to make new friends and a challenge at times to communicate with many different languages being spoken. After this Ann and I did a spot of sight seeing! In Roman times Emperor Vespasian ordered a tunnel to be cut through solid rock to divert flood water from Seleucia to the sea. It was finished by his son Titus, hence Titus's tunnel. It is 1,500 yards long, 23 ft high and 20 ft wide and is impressive. We walked part of the way up the tunnel cum cutting clambering over boulders and rocks which are strewn all along the tunnel floor. This is not Ann's favourite cup of tea! Back then to Antakya, supper and bed. Now, Friday, we are about to go to the local bazaar. Will be in touch soon.

1 comment:

  1. Great to see you guys back in the land of Blogging.!! Its always a spur to pray for you both and for the many people who you reach and teach.

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