Chapter 50 - Arrested in Turkey

New Life Church is rocking. Our Wednesday night prayer meetings led by Pastor Ted Haggard are attracting hundreds of people. He usually teaches 20 minutes on how to focus and pray in unity on one subject for five-minute intervals. Then--as the band plays worship music in the background, one person prays out on the microphone and we all agree, loudly or quietly. He admonishes, “Five hundred people participating multiplies out to 2,500 minutes of prayer. That’s over 41 hours of intercession rising to God’s throne! Intensity and agreement do matter…the bowls of prayer should be filled so they can be poured out upon earth in answer to our cries.” (Rev. 8:3-5)

Often, there are 1,000 believers walking—or sitting and rocking—in the auditorium. There is a roar of intercession above the worship music. When the Gulf War begins, a bulletin board is hung where people can post their soldier loved ones’ names. Many put their hands on the cards, praying fervently. We are amazed and grateful when the conflict ends…God is answering our prayers!

In 1995 Pastor Ted organizes prayer journeys in conjunction with Louis Bush’s 2,000AD Prayer Movement. The goal is to send a team to every nation to pray on site for each people group in that country to be reached with the gospel by the year 2,000. Larry, Jared, and I join Beverly Peguese, Jim and Judy Orred, and others on a prayer journey to Turkey. Landing in vast Istanbul we sightsee for a couple of days—visiting the Topkapi Palace and the 3,000 year old Grand Bazaar. Istanbul is a cross between modernity and ancient Islamic quaintness. Then, crossing the Straits of Marara by ferry, we travel by van to the seven church sites mentioned in Revelation chapters 2-3, interceding at each location.

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After we all return home Larry and I keep praying for Turkey. There are 62 million Turks in spiritual darkness, and according to statistics less than 1,000 Christians in the country. Friendly, hospitable people who need truth. On that trip we had not passed out any scriptures, and hardly witnessed to anyone. “Lord, would you want us to return next year and pass out Gospels, just the two of us?” Larry prays.

After inquiry we find we can purchase Turkish New Testaments in Istanbul. So, for the next four years Larry and I return…we are friendly tourists who drive in ever larger circles throughout western Turkey. We shop, giving Injils (New Testaments) as gifts after we buy souvenirs or eat a snack. Driving through the countryside we stop and take pictures of shepherds and farmers, giving them our Injil thank you gifts. Most are friendly and curious. And we pray over those New Testaments. “Lord, help each person, each family to read these books. May your Word illumine their hearts.”

One year our friend Susan Finney travels with us, and for a few hours we lose her in Bergama (Pergamum). We have split up to shop—but she never shows up at our meeting place. We stand, earnestly praying, then drive through the town slowly, looking for her. My gut is tight with anxiety.

We finally find her standing alone on a different street, and I relax. “I must have left that one shop through the wrong door,” she laughs. “I got confused, turned around.”

“I’m SO glad we found you.” I hug her. “I was imagining you whisked off by a carpet merchant, married, and taken on a caravan to Persia. Your family might not have accepted it!” We laugh with relief.

On our fourth trip to Turkey in 1999 we meet up with Pastor Ted and Ross Parsley (our worship leader) in Izmir (Smyrna) where they are arranging the large 2,000AD meeting at the ruins of Ephesus. Thousands of Christians are to gather from all over the world in the ancient amphitheater where “great is Diana of the Ephesians” had been shouted for two hours in opposition to the Apostle Paul’s teachings.

We all eat dinner that night in downtown Izmir. Later in the evening Larry and I walk the streets while Turks celebrate joyously--with cars honking in the streets. Turkey has won a big soccer match over Germany!

The next summer of 2000, we take a team of six to the large prayer gathering in Ephesus. The magnificent ruins are brilliant in the hot sunshine as we gather in the huge amphitheater. Thousands of Christians from all over the world are seated on the ancient stone risers, many holding up their country banners.

There is worship, then a choir from South Korea sings Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus, accompanied by their orchestra. Peter Wagner speaks, as does Luis Bush, and Pastor Ted…culminating in a roar of spiritual warfare and prayer. At the end of four hours a generous offering is taken for Turkey’s recent earthquake victims. We leave sunburnt and filled with joy.

Our team travels on to Bergama (Pergamum) the next day to pass out Injils. That evening I am getting ready for bed when police knock on our hotel doors, informing our team we are under arrest. The officers are brisk and pleasant in leading us to the police station. A Muslim person has been offended and complained, so they are investigating. After examining our passports and faxing headquarters they are suddenly friendlier, especially after we explain we have been a part of the large Ephesus gathering. Perhaps headquarters has informed them that the Ephesus group gave $10,000 toward earthquake victims.

In any case, they shake hands with us, saying, “Thank you, thank you.” The policeman smiles. “You are free to go now. Have a good journey.”

The next day we head to Denizli, a larger city further southeast. We still have more than two boxes of New Testaments to distribute, plus those in our backpacks. We’ve been told that Turkey has freedom of religion, so in a trial we cannot be sentenced to prison. Since these Injils are printed in Turkey, they are not illegal. Beside--Turkey wants to join the European Union…surely they don’t want any bad press.

We check into a large hotel and the next day after prayer split up into three groups. We are still friendly tourists shopping for souvenirs. All goes well for several hours until a plain clothes policeman asks Larry and me to get into his car. Someone has complained they’ve been religiously offended. Bernie and Hannele see us and walk over as we wave to them. The policemen search our van, taking the last two boxes of New Testaments. We then give the van keys to our team members before the police drive us away. I feel tense, but hopeful. Turkey claims to have freedom of religion!

In Denizli the police station is much larger, five stories high. We ride the elevator to the fourth floor where more officers gather around us, paperwork is generated…and no one speaks English well. We know only a few words of Turkish, so until an interpreter can be found, we wait and silently pray. I watch an officer at one desk interestedly read one of our little red books.

When a teacher of English is found from the local high school, we are questioned thoroughly. Finally, one officer asks, “Who paid for these books you are giving out?”

“My mother,” I answer. “She wants the people of Turkey to also know the stories of Jesus in the Injil.” He looks surprised.

“We hear you have freedom of religion here,” I continue. “In America we do also, and you could stand on a street corner and pass out the Koran in English. No one would stop you.”

After some hours it is decided we can be released. We are told to appear before a judge in the morning and pay a fine. We can leave, but they will keep our passports for the night.

Something breaks in me. “I will not leave my passport. I will stay here for the night. I am not going.”

“Marti,” Larry interrupts. “It’s going to be OK.”

“No, I’d rather stay here.”

After more discussion in Turkish the police agree to give me back my passport—they will just keep Larry’s. We watch as our cardboard boxes of New Testaments are tied up with brown twine and the knots sealed with red wax. I am fascinated…it looks rather medieval!

As we are leaving, someone from the newspaper wants to interview us, and bring an Islamic scholar in. “He wants to ask you questions about Christianity,” the teacher explains.

“Sure,” Larry answers.

The newspaper reporter drives us and the interpreter to an office where an Islamic scholar arrives. As he questions, I’m amazed how the Holy Spirit gives us answers. I consider…this must be how the disciples felt when they were brought before authorities.

Someone brings up President Clinton and refers to his recent affair with Monica Lewinsky. Larry begins to weep. “We are ashamed of how he has been acting in his presidential office,” he explains. “God wants us to live holy lives. We should obey him, and leaders especially should be an example. I apologize for President Clinton.”

All in the room are quiet, slightly embarrassed, and the meeting closes. As we leave the interpreter invites us to his comfortable flat and serves us tea. His young wife and child are polite and friendly.

We take a taxi to the hotel and the team welcomes us joyfully. “We were so worried about you,” Hannele says, hugging me.”

“We were going to fast and pray until you were released,” Mike Harwood laughs, “but you’ve come just in time for dinner!”

We feast in the large dining room with other tourists and describe our strange adventure. “We were wondering what the jails in Turkey would be like,” Bernie jokes. “They might not supply toothbrushes.”

The next morning we sit before a sober judge who eyes us solemnly. “Uncross your legs!” he commands, looking at me. Shocked, I quickly obey. It must be a mark of disrespect to sit that way, I consider.

We pay the $70 fine and drive north with the team, grateful, praying for direction. We have about 15 Injils left in our bags…we distribute them carefully in our last few days. Lodging in Iznik on the east side of a lake one night, we view the ruins of Nicea, the site of the historic church council in 325AD. Asia Minor (now Turkey) had been scattered with churches then.

Some 700 years later the Oghuz Turks displace them, eventually building mosques. Even the vast St. Sophia Church in Istanbul is turned into an Islamic place of worship. As we drive on winding roads I reflect on the battle between light and darkness through the centuries. We are a small band of Christians sowing seeds of truth in the year 2,000.

“Lord, let these seeds grow into a large harvest of believers,” I pray.