Peace be with you from our Savior, Jesus Christ. We’re so thankful for the awakening happening here due to your helpful support. Since the year 2023 began 166 people have chosen to be baptized and 5 more are preparing to be baptized next week.

When we first began ministry in this area it was just my family and 6-7 other believers from other countries gathering together to worship God. Now in answer to your faithful prayers, church fellowships have been established in Samsun, Ordu, Chorum, Amasya, Sinop, Erzincan, Aksaray–7 cities! Yet God is not finished with His plan to build more church groups here because in the City of Chankiri a home fellowship has begun. Pray with us as we’re seeking to find a place to rent for believers in the cities of Tokat and Giresun, which will bring us to 10 Churches that have been established in this area at God’s anointed timing.

We bow our knees to our Lord and lift up praise to His Name, as like myself who is a sinner saved by grace, God is using all of us sinners saved by grace to see these miracles of salvation shared abundantly. We thank God first, but then we also thank you for your part in this awakening.

I’ve begun with the wonderful things our Lord is doing here, but some hard trials have come to us just as God is doing wonderful things. The authorities in the City of Sinop are ultra nationalistic (very conservative Muslims and strong Nationalists) and they organized a meeting of many people talking only about us and the church meetings.

They said, “We are aware that Orhan has come from Samsun to Sinop to help us with our needs, but if they don’t stop coming we will do what was done by Topal Osman, who was the army soldier who killed all the Christians living in this area nearly 100 years ago.”

And he even mentioned the names of two of the local ministers in the Sinop Church. We immediately revealed this to the police and they increased their watchful care over us and the church attendees.

Yes, our protector is our Lord Jesus in whom we trust. They expect we’ll be fearful and flee from them. We’ve experienced hardships in the past, like when stones were thrown at our church so policemen began protecting us with God’s help.

And once a young man had a gun attending our church for the wrong reason, but he was discovered in time. My urgent thoughts were, “Yes, how can we serve our Lord in meeting the needs of those hurting ones?”

As a believer in Jesus Christ redeemed from my own sins but still subject to fear, I did as you’ve taught me to do, and focused my attention only on Christ. I’m not fearful of what would happen to me, but I’m concerned about my wife. Please pray for her and pray that I cast my worries on Jesus. Also if any murderous action happens pray that the new believers not be fearful but carry on strong in their faith.

When we are attacked by satanic forces we know that God’s ministry will continue, as 2 years ago in the City of Amasya a small gathering of refugees started, and as we worshiped with them Turks were invited to join us.

As these Turkish friends heard the Gospel 6 of them came to faith in Christ and the church has continued to grow. Actually, the problem I love coping with is when the church building that we rent becomes too small for us.

I praise God for this problem. Her testimony is so different. Her father sells Tea at a place just across the street from the church, and she was watching those entering and leaving our church, but was reluctant to ask any questions.

One time as I was leaving the church, I noticed that she had attended listening to the message and expressing a desire to chat with me. Her first question was, “Why are you helping poor Muslims with their food needs? You are only 30-40 people in the City of Amasya with 250,000 Muslim inhabitants so why don’t they care for themselves?”

I just handed her a NT asking her to read it to find the answer to her question. She could then chat with me next week when I come. That next week when we arrived we found her sitting on the front row of the church and when the service ended she came to me explaining what she believed. I asked her what influenced her the most? Was it just because we were giving out helpful nutrients to people? She said, “No, you didn’t claim to be Christians, but we call you Christian.” We only claimed that we are following Jesus as He helped others.

She then added “There is one thing that influenced me the most. Jesus was so different from the other prophets in that he didn’t build a home for himself, he didn’t leave money for His Mother, and his only possession was his clothing, which the Romans took from him when they put him on the cross.

He showed Himself to be the true Lover and Savior of us all.” It was when she saw the incomparable love from Jesus that brought her to faith. We are so grateful to you for your support which helped us rent this building for worship and purchase helpful supplies for the refugees–all that this young lady witnessed that brought her to faith in Jesus.

We had a 3 day camp next to our church building for the 7-12 year olds this summer. We’re obeying Christ’s words, “Let the children come to me.” In photos 6-8 you’ll see the woman who came to our church sharing her dream. She said, “Jesus Christ told me to come to this church without telling me why. A few days later I saw the same dream again but I was afraid to come to the church.

I came by with my little brother to receive a NT from the stand in front of the church asking him to get the NT and bring it to me. I took it and began reading it in my home.

As I was reading it, a time came when it was like my dream where Jesus was explaining His plan to me asking me to be baptized and saying to me that I must believe in His Salvation so I can be rescued from my sinful ways. She said to us that she’d like to be baptized, and we questioned her to be sure she wasn’t just wanting this as a passing desire or feeling and we watched her reactions.

She came to worship every Sunday, and read the whole NT going through the 16 steps to prepare for baptism. This beautiful girl completed all the steps to learning what God’s plan was for us so she was baptized in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

There is someone named Orhan at the Chorum Church who makes a living shepherding sheep. While shepherding he reads a lot searching for truth but is a very Socialist person demonstrating his socialism in lots of ways like visiting prisoners in prison.

He had said to himself that he wanted to live up in the mountains somewhere to begin shepherding sheep. While on the internet he ordered for himself a NT, and read it many times.

He then came to the Chorum Church and said that he read how Jesus said, “I am the Good Shepherd.” But now he said that he wanted to become one of Jesus’ lambs. So we took interest in him and began Bible studies with him.

This good hearted man brought his son and daughter to the Church and they put their faith in our Lord Jesus. His wife also comes to the church but she’s still reluctant to believe, so please pray with us that she decides to follow our Lord Jesus.

Everyday now about 30 people come to our church asking questions about Jesus Christ, and we’ve let some of those who have come to Christ share the Gospel daily bringing others to faith in Jesus.

So everyday we plan different meetings for people eager to grow in their faith, like for new believers to grow in their faith, both for men and for women, as well as teachings on how to prepare sermons, like theological training times. Personally, I was late in coming to Christ (I’m now 51 years old, and I came to faith 28 years ago).

I can share how God led me with these believers, as we eagerly pray that they grow in their faith and share the Gospel with people in other cities around us here. Your prayers with us for disciples that are fruitful will be such a blessing as there are many cities around us without any anointed shepherds to share their faith with the lost ones.

After our morning meeting in Samsun, we take a trip of about 200 km to visit church fellowships in different cities around here. Your prayers that we have the strength to continue this ministry are so helpful.

I never thought churches would multiply this quickly, but God is answering your prayers, and we’re noticing how each church is increasing in numbers. May there be more workers coming to help under Holy Spirit anointing is a prayer we hope you’re praying with us. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you do to help us here. May God bless you and your families wonderfully.

With your prayers and help, we distributed winter shoes to our refugee children.

Thank you God and thank you for helping these people meet Jesus Christ and grow in Faith