Cappadocia

Every morning after breakfast we have a devotional worship service. I love these because I am not leading them! It is nice to worship and just sit there and take it in.

Then Pastor Don, our leader, tells us some things from the bible that took place where we are going to be that day. I HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH! The New Testament is coming alive in a way that suddenly makes everything fit!

Today we were in the region of Cappadocia. This is in Southern Turkey and is in a region that received volcanic ash years ago and then it turned to rock, but not a very strong rock. Just strong enough that people could carve out homes in the hillside. This may have started just after the time of Moses about 1300 BC.. But what is more important to us is that during the first few centuries AD Christians lived here and lived here until 1920!

There could have been up to 30,000!

The area of Cappadocia is mentioned in Acts at Pentecost as one of the languages that were suddenly understood because of the Holy Spirit.

We walked into several churches carved into the rock with paintings of Paul, Jesus, the disciples, Mary and even Onesimus. He is in the bible twice. Look him up in I Timothy 1:10. He is a runaway slave that Paul saves and befriends.

The whole valley is filled with holes were homes, churches and resteraunts once were. Pretty cool....

We also went to a Turkish rug factory. We bought a small rug that was within or budget, but that was not easy as they were all so beautiful and hand made.

We also went to a jewelry store and bought nothing because none of it was in the budget! But all of it beautiful! Turquoise was dominant there because it originated here in Turkey. The name tells you! Turq or Turk and quoise or quaw which means rock. So Turkey rock! Did not know that.

We just returned from a cultural evening where we say Turkish dancers perform. It was amazing! The dancers were very good.

I will have access to a camera in a couple days, so the pictures are coming back.....be patient.

Blessings

Pastor Dave


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