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Many of you have asked me about my friend Monsignor Luigi Padovese, the Catholic bishop of Anatolia and President of the Catholic Conference of Bishops in Turkey, who was killed on June 3, 2010 in Iskenderun, Turkey outside his residence. He was stabbed by his driver.

This sad and tragic event has taken the life of an important leader in the church and especially Turkey. Last year Monsignor came to hear me preach after Mass at his church and was very supportive and encouraging. On another occasion in 2005, he accompanied our team on an evangelistic home group visit. But it was last year's event that prompted the Life in the Spirit seminar we just completed 3 parishes  and their priests from his diocese. He lent his support to our idea of a pilgrimage/retreat to Cappadocia and had expressed an interest in coming along. Since the Pope was to be in Cypress in June he wasn't able to commit.

Finding church leaders willing to support our work in a country like Turkey isn't easy. We've lost a very good man. Please pray for his soul to quickly see the Light of Christ. Also, please pray for his chief assistant Sr. Leonora. She's from Massachusetts (like me) and has been working with the Monsignor for many years. Sister and I have become good friends and I'm not shy to say that she loved the Monsignor like a mother. She never missed an opportunity to tell everyone what a fine and hard working man he was.

As for the man who killed him, Murat Altun had been Monsignor's driver for 4 1/2 years. His brother-in-law also worked at the church as did his father (now retired). The Monsignor had been trying to help him for a while. I spoke to one of my priest friends in the area two days before the murder mentioned to me that Murat was having serious issues and to please pray for him.

Contrary to at least two news stories, Altun was not a convert. I seem to recall having prayed with him and/or other family members on a recent visit, but none are Christian. 

The murder was very likely religiously inspired. Again, because many papers reported early on that both religious and political motivations were not in question because of the drivers apparent unbalanced mental state, confirmed by Sister Leonora, I initially concurred. But more recent articles and conversations with a friends in Turkey have caused me to reconsider. The ritualistic way the Monsignor was mutilated and Altun's shouts of "Allah Akbar" point clearly to a religious motive rather than "depression." A friend who is very close to the situation told me that Altun had been medically evaluated recently and received no such diagnosis.

Some of you have sent me articles stating that the government had chosen the driver. This is false. Monsignor picked Altun to be his driver 4½ years ago, not long after arriving in Turkey. Monsignor allowed Altun to accompany him everywhere, including two trips to Italy. Many have told me that M. Luigi really loved him as a son and trusted him.

The question of whether this was an independent act of one individual probably won't ever be known with certainty. I'm not the type of person who tends to suspect conspiracies, but I don't know and don't care to speculate.

What is clear is that Monsignor Luigi is a martyr and I will regularly be
calling on his intercession. I will also pray that Altun comes to repentance.

I would like to address those who call or email me with safety concerns. It's not uncommon for me to receive pleas from friends and family, especially Armenians, to not go to Turkey before each trip. By some "strange coincidence" something often happens in Turkey that makes international headlines just prior to one of my planned visits. The bombing of foreign banks in Istanbul, the journalist Hrant Dink's murder, and now this, just to name the ones that immediately come
to mind, all happened within a few days or weeks before departure.

As for safety, I know there are significant fundamentalist and nationalist elements in Turkey but I can honestly say that I can't recall one occasion from my 20+ visits in which I or my team felt we were in danger. We have traveled all over Istanbul and to many parts of Anatolia. We've spoken in many venues, but almost exclusively in churches and private homes.

Please understand that I'm not trying to argue that there's no danger. We just haven't seen any nor has anyone we cooperate with there ever said that what we are doing is dangerous. I've also asked leading lay people, pastors, priests, bishops and the Patriarch (all from Turkey) if they think we are exposing ourselves or them unwisely. Believe me, when I first started traveling to Turkey and acted more as a guide than a leader, I was looking for good reasons (excuses maybe) for why I shouldn't go. I've never come up with one and not once have I heard from a leader, from the US or there, that we shouldn't be doing what we do because it's dangerous.

We are careful to follow certain protocols like not passing out literature or preaching in public and we don't refer to ourselves publicly as missionaries.

I'm not trying to say by all this, that Monsignor Luigi did something wrong or that there aren't any risks in going to preach in Turkey. It's a big country (over 75 million people) and 99.9% Muslim. Although the modern Turkish republic's history and a large portion of the population is very secular, its violent past and official denials of the Armenian massacres are never far from my mind.

But I want everyone to know that I feel called to go there. By called I mean that I believe God is encouraging and inspiring me. When I'm there I really sense a deep joy and peace. There's also a sense of anointing I experience that I don't have when I'm at home and the fruit that's being born from our work there is touching many lives.

I know it's out of love that people have for me and our family that leads them to express concerns for our safety. But I feel it's important to recognize that all Christian mission work includes the possibility of harm. It's part of the Gospel.

The important questions for me are:
1. Are we taking uncalled for risks?
2. Are we wantonly putting ourselves in harms way? Ignoring danger?
3. Are we letting our zeal blind us to reality?
4. Are we acting independently without the authority of the church?
5. Are we breaking any laws?

My answer, after careful and prayerful thought to all these questions is "no."

This doesn't mean that I don't have fears. I do and I think healthy fears are important and helpful. I can't say "nothing's going to happen" or "you have nothing to be concerned about." But I can say that based on what I've seen and experienced in Turkey, I don't believe we should refrain from traveling there and continuing the work. Our contribution to building God's Kingdom in Turkey
is small, but I think it's important and shouldn't cease because of what happened on June 3rd.

I do want to say thank all of you who have expressed your sincere concerns. I know you want the best for me and my family. I just don't share your level of concern, but I will continue to be open to new information and reevaluate each time I travel there.

A full Sunday schedule today.  Liturgy at the Armenian Church this morning, just down the street from where I’m staying.  It’s so cool to just roll out of bed and be at church in a few minutes.  The small church was packed.  Seeing so many familiar faces and praying with friends is just such a great blessing.

This afternoon Fr Bruno invited everyone on his mailing list for an afternoon gathering (talk and prayer) followed by tea.  Tea and finger food is part of almost every gathering in Turkey.  We weren’t expecting a large crowd because there were so many other things going on.  The nearby Armenian Church was electing a new leadership group followed by a visit from a bishop, others were at a Foculari event and a bus load of locals were away on a pilgrimage to Antioch and won’t be getting back until tomorrow.  Yet we still had a full house in the downstairs conference area.  About 60 people.

I preached for 45 minutes and then prayed with folks for another hour or so.  Many here have a big problem with forgiveness.  The culture teaches more of an eye for an eye mentality and to just let something go is often viewed as a weakness.  So if we’re just going to do a one segment program it’s good to hit the topic somehow.  At the end I gave a short testimony on how forgiveness has healed me and changed my life.

This evening, more friends came by and joined me for dinner and we chatted until late.  I’m quite tired and have a big day ahead tomorrow.  Meeting with Fr Drtad in the morning (his invitation), visit the Armenian old age home in the afternoon and then a prayer meeting at the Patriarchate at night.

Please join me in praying for strength.  I was feeling a bit under the weather today.

My first correspondence for this trip.  I’m in Adana.  A place of note both personally and historically.  I’ll get to why, but first want to journal the last 24 hours.

No hitches on the journey to Istanbul.  Arrived on time and got to the church guest house in Yesilkoy at 3pm.  Three cardinals were visiting as well for some meetings with the Ecumenical Patriarch, Bartholomew.  Don’t think I’ve ever been in a room with three cardinals before.  After a short rest, I went to evening Mass and visited with Fr. Bruno and another friend until dinner, then retired to work on my talk for Sunday afternoon.  Father has asked me to preach on the topic Jesus Christ true God and true man.  I brought along a few reference materials and they’ve been great for meditation; sections 456-483 from the Catholic Catechism, an outline of the talk Who is Jesus? from the Basic Christianity Course we used back in college and  Peter Kreeft’s book on apologetics.  I don’t usually experience preparing for a talk as being very peaceful.  Quite honestly I’m usually scared.  But this has been very good.  Kreeft’s book is nothing short of awesome!  I think I’m going to buy several copies when I get home to give as gifts.  Chapter 7 is so clear and insightful in explaining the Christian understand of Jesus.  I strongly recommend it to everyone.

I flew in this morning to Adana and took the bus to Mersin.  This was a first.  I’ve never used public transportation in this part of the country.  It was an easy hour-plus ride, but I had no idea where I was when they dropped us off.  But after a short ten minute walk to the boulevard along the sea, I got my bearings.  Since it was quite far from the church, I took a taxi.

Several priest were there having lunch together; Fr Francis from Adana, Fr Roberto from Mersin, Fr Dominica from Antakya (Antioch) and the Franciscan superior of Turkey who lives in Izmir (Smyrna) – I don’t remember his name.  Since the plan was to visit individually with Frs. Francis and Roberto, this was providential.  The purpose of the trip is to discuss the possibility of taking people from all three communities on a pilgrimage/retreat for later this year.  Knowing that the 3 local priests are firmly on-board with the plan is essential.  From all external appearances I think they are very supportive.  Fr Francis is fluent in English and Italian so his presence made my job much easier and I was sure nothing was getting lost in the translation.  I have one more meeting with Fr Joseph in Iskenderun tomorrow and then hopefully the three of them will discuss together the best time to do it.  I’m hoping we can do it in June.

Fr Francis and I returned together to Adana by train and had a nice conversation all the way back.  His friends picked us up at the station and then came into the church to pray the Stations of the Cross with us.  The Catholic Church in Adana is very beautiful inside.  After having fallen into significant disrepair, it was renovated about 6 years ago.  I first came here in 1999 and it felt like a spiritually dark city.  I’m sure it’s infamous history (thousands of Armenians were killed her in 1908-09 and the church has experience a some scandals here recently) has contributed to that sense.  Recent trips have been better, but it’s never really felt right here for me.  Fr Francis seems like a really good man so I’m sure that’s making a big difference.  He’s from India and has been here for only a year.  He already speaks Turkish very well and has a real heart for the few local Christian families.  There are about 40 for Sunday Mass.  He also celebrates Mass every Sunday for the troops at the American airbase in Incirlik about 15 minutes away.

Tonight we went to visit 10 of those friends who were gathering just across from the base entrance at a carpet store for dinner and going away party.  I got to meet the temporary U.S. commander of the base, a woman.  They said they’d get me a pass to visit the base next time I come.  I hope so, it sounds exciting.

When we got back to the church, Father gave me a tour.  The highlight was a small room in the attic that he’s turned into a personal chapel.  It’s about the size of a large closet.  He has statues of Mary and St Therese whom he relies on for responses when he celebrates Mass in there.  He also explained that Armenians were killed in this church 100 years ago and he prays for them and with them often.  Very interesting to think about here as I get ready for bed.  I don’t think I’ve every slept in a place were people were martyred.  Come Holy Spirit!

Tomorrow morning it will be just the two of us of Mass here at 7:30 before I leave to catch the bus for Iskenderun, a 2 hour drive.

God is so good!

Saturday November 7

For the last two days we have been in Mersin, a city of maybe 900,000 with over half under the age of 24. It's a very pretty setting right on the Mediterranean Sea along Turkey's southern coast. I first came here in 2000 when Fr Bruno was the pastor here and subsequently visited 4 more times until he was moved to Istanbul. That coincided with an increase in activity in the Armenian community which took much of our attention. Now that things have slowed down with the Armenians, Fr B really wanted us to return to the south which he loves so much. He would come back here in a heartbeat if the bishop offered it. Kindly enough, he came with us on this visit to lend credibility among his brother priests and to call all his old parish members to come to our programs. More and more he has become a strong advocate for us.

We've has programs here the last two nights. Last night there were about 25 people and topic was forgiveness. Nancy gave the talk and did a great job. Tonight's theme was on how love needs hope, hope needs faith and we come to faith by believing in Jesus. Life transforming change occurs when we have an encounter with him. Each of the team gave their testimonies on that personal encounter. There were about twice as many people tonight. We also set up a projector so the Greenhaws could show some footage of Renewal Ministries work in Africa, namely in Ghana and the Sudan. The folks liked the videos.

I'm more and more convinced that this people has grown in their trust for us. I think our faithfully returning has built a trust. Turks, Kurds, Armenians, and probably people of the middle-east in general, are very skeptical and suspicious. Although they can be very warm, show world class hospitality and practically talk your ear off, trust is built over a long period of time. Given the history, it's understandable.

Tomorrow we travel back to Iskendrun for Mass and then a program immediately after. We then fly back to Istanbul in the late afternoon.

I think the visit here was a success. There are new young, energetic priests in each of the three parishes (Adana, Iskenderun and Mersin) all who have arrived in the last 2-4 years. All of them are speaking and preaching in Turkish. They are from India, Poland and Italy. The bishop, who is also in Iskenderun, has given us his blessing and encouraged the priests to receive us. With Fr Bruno's backing and Dcn Hagop knocking on doors and making phone calls to get people to the programs, I really feel that coming back here should be a priority. With Antioch and Tarsus so close by, it makes it interesting for team members as well.

November 5, 2009 Mon, Tue, Wed & Thu (Nov 2-5) The time is flying by on this trip. Our days have been so busy with hardly any time to write. For the last three nights we’ve been busy with ministry late into the evening, not getting back to the guesthouse until after 11, and not having had dinner yet. I’m just going to cover the highlights from Monday through today (Thursday).

In addition to a home prayer meeting Monday afternoon, we went to my friend Garo’s house for desert. He, his wife Anet and their son Natan live in Yeshilcoy where we stay. They invited us over to surprise Lloyd and Nancy with a small party for their anniversary (45 years this week).

Anet had made a cake, bought a cake and made noodle boreg and stuffed peppers (knowing that they are two of my favorite dishes). This was supposed to be a dessert! The best part of the night was when we prayed over Garo and Anet for God to bless their marriage. All day Tuesday was spent at the Armenian old age home which is run by the Little Sisters of the Poor, an amazing bunch of holy women. Every time we go there we expect to work hard and we do. Yet at the end of the day we leave refreshed. The sisters were in a celebrative mood because their foundress, Jeanne Jugan, was canonized a few weeks ago. We were there for eight hours praying with each of the sisters, attending Mass, visiting and praying with each of the 70-80 residents and doing a short meditation. At the end of the day Mother Philomena gave each of us a first class relic of St Jeanne Jugan. Wow! What a wonderful surprise and grace.

We raced out of the hospital at 6:00 to get to a prayer meeting with the local Nigerian community which meets at St Antwan’s Church in central Istanbul where our good friend Fr. Anton is the priest. These young men use Istanbul as a way-station while they attempt to reach European Union countries (EU). There are between 70-100 in Turkey at any given time. We’ve visited them on many occasions over the last 5 years. I don’t know what the average stay is, but whenever I ask how many guys remember us from a previous visit only a handful raise their hands. Most are in their twenties, scared, lonely and poor.  They're looking for greener pastures. Although it's a very tough situation, and your heart breaks for some of these guys, praying with them is totally invigorating. After having made a trip earlier this year to Liberia, certainly one of the poorest countries in Africa, I concluded that contrary to American opinion there is no connection between monetary wealth and joy. And when they worship you can’t help but want to move and sing. Though my Armenian self doesn’t seem to be able to catch the syncopated beats so well, it doesn’t slow me down. After all, as some of the members of our team concluded, I don’t think a single one of them can hold a tune yet they all sing their lungs out and you can’t tell unless you get real close to them. They’re also capable of repeating the same phrase a hundred times without getting board and being totally into the worship.

I got to preach and talked about the life of St Augustine. Since he was from the city of Hipo in Africa (present day Algeria) and faced some of the same types of challenges these guys face I felt he would be a good example for them of what can happen when we come into contact with the living God. Lloyd followed up with a ministry time while the team went around and prayed with each of them. At the end, a visiting priest from Zambia asked us to pray with him. So the team gathered around him.  Afterward he told the story of how he was attacked while in his church in Zambia five years ago by robbers who hit him on the forehead with a hammer. After a long recovery he was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. He shared about the challenge of keeping his glucose in control while being station in three different countries on three different continents with very different foods all the while begging the Lord to heal him. Last year God did heal him, but he was afraid to tell anyone just in case it relapsed. This evening he was making it public for the first time and giving glory to God for his healing. Halleluiah!

On Wednesday, while the team rested during the day, I went off to visit Sister Gayane. Gayane is the only Armenian sister in the Armenian Orthodox Church in Turkey. Maybe the only one in the world. We have been close friends for many years and I love visiting and praying with her. We met in the apartment where she and her mom live in Bakircoy, not far from Yeshilcoy (2 train stops). What a joy to have time with this holy sister. She is so loving and encouraging. What a special friendship.

Wednesday night we were invited to the Istanbul Vineyard Church in the Kadecoy district of Istanbul. Kadecoy, the ancient Chalcedon, is where the third ecumenical council took place in 451 and, unfortunately, is the place where the first split in the church took place. The pastor of the church is a Muslim convert named Levent. Levent is a very good friend. He was one of the first translators for Randy Cirner and I back in 2000. In addition to the spirit filled worship, Levant opens his pulpit to us and Lloyd lead a healing service. I preached a message on why we would want to be holy and suggested it as a path to reconciliation. Given that we were Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox joining together in prayer I felt it was an appropriate message.

This morning we left Istanbul for Adana. I had been dreading this part of the trip for a few reasons. First, because it’s always a bit tough for me psychologically to get on a plane and head further away from home halfway into a trip when I’d rather be heading back home. The additional issue here is that it is the 100th anniversary of troubles in Adana where some say upwards of 25,000 Armenians were killed here. It appears to have been a precursor to the greater problems that began in 1915. Fr Bruno decided to join our group for this trip which is a tremendous help. Nothing like having a priest along when you visit a church. We pitch the local priest on the programs we might offer to help with evangelization and Father works them for choosing a date and time when we can come back. Other than a few Protestant “home” church’s in Adana, a city of 5 million, there’s only one Catholic church left. It’s had many priests in the last 15 years, some who’ve not been very helpful with the locals. The priest they have right now seems to be a very special man. He’s only been here for two years and Mass attendance has gone from and handful to over 150. He learned enough Turkish to start giving sermons after only four months. He’s very interested in having us back. God willing they will keep him here for a while. We prayed with him and departed. On the way to Iskenderun, where we had a program scheduled for this evening, we stopped at the ruins of an ancient Armenian castle about a half hour northeast of Adana. The Turkish name for the place is Yilankale which means snake castle. Lloyd and I climbed all the way up to the very top where there still remains a room that was obviously the church. We went in and I sang the Lord’s Prayer in Armenian at the top of my lungs. My guess is that those stone walls hadn’t heard that hymn for a long time. I felt like the stones were rejoicing with me. If you’d like to see some pictures of the place you can just Google the name and click images. We took some great pictures and I’ll try to get them on line soon. This evenings program was a small one. We’re going to be doing another one here on Sunday after Mass so we treated this as a warm up. Hopefully there will be a larger group in a few days when we come back. Tomorrow after Mass and breakfast we head to Antioch. We’re going to visit the oldest part of the city and the Grotto of St Peter. It’s probably the oldest church outside of Israel. In the evening we have a program in Mersin. Antioch is over an hour south of here and Mersin is three hours to the north so it will be a long day of driving. Lord help me it’s already after 1am!