I owe something to these people! I owe it to them to share my gift, my joy, my hope in Christ! As SAT-7 TÜRK, we owe it to them to share the precious gems we have, such as peace, hope and joy! We owe it to them to share the real truth! This is why on screen we are transparent and honest with them. It reminded me again that I need to be more transparent about my godly gift of Christ. Although the locals are surrounded by churches in this town, most know nothing of what happens inside them, nothing about Christians, and nothing about the cross that hangs over the entrance. I had very emotional and fruitful conversations with some of them and it reminded me of a surprising fact. It was also interesting to meet many Muslim visitors who come to this church out of curiosity. It was a special moment to see a growing church in this city with these lovely young people. Many young Christian people from different parts of the country, especially from the eastern region, were there to support this church and to be part of this Christian Youth Awakening Gathering. It was a restored Orthodox church which last served the area 50 years ago and has been used as a warehouse since then. It is the first Protestant church in the whole city. The Protestant church where the Youth Awakening event was held, only opened this year. And this brings peace and holiness.“ New beginnings When I asked locals about the reason for this peaceful environment, they replied, “Being faithful to God brings toleration and love for each other. Despite the ethnic mix and in contrast to the surrounding chaos, Mardin seems one of the most peaceful cities in Turkey. Since July 2015, the city has been bordered by areas increasingly affected by clashes between Turkish security forces and Kurdish separatist militias, and it is right next to the Syrian border. Nowadays, it is home to around 87,000 people with a wonderful mixed population of Christians, Muslims, Yezidis, Kurds, Turks, Arabs, Armenians and others. Settled around the 11th century BC, it has hosted many civilisations over its long history. Mardin is one of the most important historical locations in Turkey. Revd Enver Peker welcomes Youth Awakening delegates. A SAT-7 TÜRK team member joined the first national gathering of young Turkish Christians in the city – hearing their journeys of faith and meeting non-Christians curious to learn what it is that Christians believe. Mardin, in south-east Turkey, has lately become a haven from surrounding conflict.
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