The Malatya Martyrs: one year later

This Friday heaven will celebrate one year since the arrival of three men who lived for Christ on earth and died for Him last April 18^th in the offices of a Christian publishing company in Malatya, Turkey. My heart has gone many times this week to the families of my three brothers—Tilmann Geske, Necati Aydin and Ugur Yuksel—because this day will remind them of their loss and loneliness since husband, father, son or fiancé entered eternity that Wednesday morning.

I remember reading with horror the story last April, the story of three men tied to their chairs and brutally murdered. For some reason the story grabbed my attention and my heart, and a couple months later I was sent by VOM to meet with the families and hear their stories…stories of victory and forgiveness in spite of their suffering. The trip, from start to finish, was a God-ordained miracle. It was amazing the doors that He opened, and it left me blown away by His power and grace.

Each time I travel I call on Christian friends and relatives to pray for my journey, and when I return I send them an email report of the results of their prayers. In the case of my Turkey trip, I couldn't wait until I got home to write the report: I literally started writing in the airport and on the plane home. I want to share that report here, to honor the memory of my three brothers and to remind you to pray for their widows, children and families this week. It is a long report, and it is deeply personal. But a short, impersonal report would not accurately have communicated the awesome way God worked.

I'm not yet home, but I am so excited about the results of this trip and the doors that the Lord opened that I didn't want to wait to start writing this letter to tell you about it.  I also want to express how grateful I am to those of you who have been praying for me as I traveled. I have SENSED and FELT your prayers being answered in numerous ways, large and small, during the past seven days.  I suspect this letter will be somewhat long; there is so much to tell and I don't think a simple, quick thank-you note could do justice to the things that I've seen and heard. If you don't have time to read it, then simply know that your prayers were answered, that the trip was successful beyond even my hopes.

        In order to tell the story of this trip, I have to back up a little bit, because this trip has been deeply personal to me. In April three Christians—two Turks, Necati Aydin and Ugur Yuksel, and one German, Tilmann Geske—were knifed to death in the offices of a Christian publisher in Malatya, Turkey.  The attack was big news in Turkey, but because it happened the same week as the Virginia Tech shootings, it got almost no attention from the media in the U.S.  The attack happened on a Wednesday, and on Friday a Turkish pastor called VOM, and his call was put through to my office. He shared some information about the case, and invited us to pray that things would go well at the final of the three funerals, scheduled for the following day. He especially wanted prayer that the gospel would go forth, as he knew there would be Muslims attending the funeral and he wanted this opportunity not to be missed. I sent a note to my colleagues at VOM, and that weekend I did think and pray several times for the funeral in Izmir, Turkey—a city I visited in 2001.

        The following Tuesday, I received a letter that graphically detailed the suffering of these three Christian men. Some of the details, which had appeared in the Turkish press, were unimaginably horrible, and I felt that their last moments on earth had been particularly painful and difficult.  I had a hard time shaking that image, and found it heavy in my thoughts, along with the thoughts of two women left without husbands and five children left without their fathers, the rest of the day. That evening after dinner we opened the Bible to read, and the story we read was the story of the final moments of Elijah's life, and of Elisha asking for a "double portion" of his mentor's spirit. As I read that passage, I thought of the suffering of these three and their families in Turkey, and I began to weep. I think that my family thought I might be losing it, but as we finished and prayed together, and later that evening, I thought about the passage we'd read. I prayed specifically that God would grant a double-portion of their father's spirit onto those five children; that He would bless their lives in amazing ways in honor of the sacrifice their fathers had willingly made.

        As I read further reports of the case, I was amazed at the gracefulness of the families in this tragic situation. Both widows, on national TV, offered forgiveness and grace to the young men who had murdered their husbands. I had a great desire to go and meet these women, to hear their testimonies of how God had encouraged and strengthened them to be able to respond with love and grace at such a time. I wanted to tell their story to our VOM readers, because I knew they would be blessed by it.

        I talked with leaders at VOM about it, and began working with contacts in Turkey. There was some question whether or not the families would even want to talk to me, to share their stories. I heard that at least one of them would, and I booked my flights. But in the weeks leading up to my departure there was different information coming my way. At one point I thought I'd meet with both widows, and then within a day or two it seemed like neither of them was willing. One day I had a contact that would take me to Malatya, and days later it seemed that no one wanted to go with me there. Through these ups and downs I tried to stay positive and to pray about the trip continually, but I was a little worried that I would come up empty, and have wasted the time and money to go. I still had a burning desire to tell these faithful Christians' stories.

        Three nights before I departed, my wife and I attended a time of prayer with VOM's directors and board members. At that prayer time each person was given a bookmark, and on the bookmark were pictures of the three men who had been killed in Turkey. As well was a quote from Isaiah 61, which Tilmann had written about in his last journal entry before his death. As we prayed through that chapter for the persecuted church and VOM's work, a phrase grabbed me: "double portion," which is mentioned twice in verse 7.  The very words I had prayed for the children of these men were in that passage, perhaps the last Scripture that Tilmann read before his death.  It seemed more than coincidence to me, as my thoughts and heart were very much focused on my trip.

        When I left on Sunday, I had pretty firm plans to meet with one widow, but wasn't sure about the other one.  When I arrived in Istanbul, I had a text message and it seemed that even the one I was sure about had fallen through, and I wondered again if I had come in vain. I flew on to meet up with some Christian workers who were to take me to the meetings, and we discussed our trip and our options. I placed a call to Susanne Geske, and she agreed that the next day would work for her and that I could come. Praise the Lord!

        I went to bed about 11:30 that night, after traveling for 26 hours. We left the next morning at 6. I couldn't imagine how I would function with so little sleep, but I felt amazingly alert and clear-headed.  We drove the several hours to Malatya, and actually arrived early. This gave us a chance to visit Tilmann's grave, a simple mound in a rocky Armenian graveyard in the city. Officials wouldn't allow the body to be buried in a Muslim cemetery, but Susanne insisted that her husband be buried in Malatya. There is a blank concrete headstone at the site, and just beyond the walls on either side of the cemetery we could see the towering minarets of mosques. As we stood at that spot I was again thankful to God for the witness of this man; a man so passionate about those who'd never heard the gospel that he willingly came to a place of great risk to be a light amidst that darkness.

      When we arrived at the Geske home, we were welcomed with kindness and graciousness. I told Susanne a little bit about VOM, and about why I had come. She shared a bit of her testimony, how she came to know Christ and how He eventually brought her and Tilmann to Malatya.

        The thing that grabbed me about Susanne is that she was so calm, so unrattled. She had such a deep sense of confidence that God was still in charge, that He was still on the throne, that nothing could shake her.  She admitted that going on national TV and forgiving the men who'd taken her husband's life wasn't humanly possible, but said that really God had helped her almost immediately work through any anger or bitterness; that she felt only pity for these boys who were likely put up to the attack by someone else anyway.

        Susanne said her goal is to stay in Malatya; it is the place where God called her to go, and it is the place her children think of as home. She was thankful for those around the world that were praying for their family, and she also had a challenge for them: live every day as if it might be your last. Because it might be.

        She is a gracious, courageous woman, and I was honored to meet her. But that was only the first door that God would open while I was in Turkey.

        Later that day I met with the parents of one of the Turkish martyrs: parents who are still Muslims. Their loss was palpable, and they expressed anger at the situation. In the end, we assured them that Christians cared about their family, and one of my hosts gathered us all for a prayer. I couldn't understand his words, but the attitude of the parents was noticeably warmer when we left than when we'd arrived.

        Finally that day we met with the fiancé of one of the martyrs. She was young, pretty, and clearly heartbroken. Their marriage had been scheduled for this summer, and apparently they had been waiting in order for her family to bless the union. In spite of her tears, she expressed her confidence in God. She didn't seem bitter or angry. On her cel phone she showed us a brief video clip of her fiancé, smiling and laughing. She talked about what a kind person he was; how he honored her during the courting process.

        She shared that she had been in church on Easter, when the killers came posing as "seekers" to strike up a friendship with the Christians. She also said one of the attackers had been at a Christmas service, showing that the attack had been in the planning stages for some time.

        We prayed with her also, and especially for her protection. Her status as a Christian believer had not been widely known before the attacks, but in the news coverage about the attacks she has been named and because of that has come under pressure and persecution since then.

        Before leaving Malatya we met with another man who worked at the Christian publishing company. Normally he would have been at work that morning, but by God's divine plan he wasn't. He had been scheduled to have a knee operation last December, but the doctor was called out of town. The operation was rescheduled to April. On the day of the attack this brother was flying back to Malatya after having surgery; one of his coworkers picked him up at the airport to drive him home. Otherwise both of them would have been at the publishing house that morning, and likely both would have been added to the victim list.

        I asked if he felt now that each day was a gift from God. No, he said, not any more than he had before. He went on to share that he'd been persecuted before, and had faced threats because of his outspoken witness for Christ. Even before the martyrdom of his friends, he already KNEW that each day is God's gift; we cannot take any of them for granted.

        Before leaving the city we went to the scene of the attack, and even to the door of the publishing office. It was an odd mix of emotions to stand outside that door; to know that my brothers had entered heaven just a few steps from where I stood; to wonder what their final thoughts had been. I also wondered how no one had heard anything, how no calls to the police were made when there were people in the office next door, as well as above and below. But I was reminded of Susanne Geske's attitude: that this was God's plan for these men; that their steps, even to the very end, were guided by the Lord.

        I left Malatya and Eastern Turkey to return to the western part of the country. There was one more courageous widow I hoped to visit.  My flight arrived, and I was met by a contact. As we stopped for a snack, his cel phone rang. I couldn't understand the words, but I could tell just from his face that it wasn't good news.

        "She is too tired to meet with anyone, and doesn't want to see you," came the interpretation. Uh oh. I was disappointed in this result, but knew that I had an amazing story already. I silently prayed, "Well, Lord, You've opened SO MANY doors on this trip already. If You choose to leave this one closed, that's ok." I started to think about what I would do, and we began driving toward my hotel. A half hour later, his cel phone rang again. She had changed her mind, and we were welcome to come.

        His English was limited, but he knew both "Praise the Lord" and "Hallelujah," sentiments that I heartily agreed with. The Lord had opened yet another door, one that seemed to have been closed before.

        When we arrived we were welcomed and introduced around.

        I was introduced to the widow, Semsa, and then her children came down the hall. When her son was introduced to me, can you guess what his name was?

        Elisha.

        I had prayed for this boy, and the other children, weeks before, asking the Lord that they would be blessed with a double portion of their fathers' courage and faith.

        And his name was Elisha. The sense that God had ordained my trip and this meeting literally left me light headed.

        For the next four hours, we talked with Semsa about her husband, about their life together and their Kingdom service, and about his death. She was sad at his loss, but not at their ministry. "I'm still not sorry that we moved to Malatya," she said.

        Semsa told us about how Necati had come to Christ...after she started to witness to him when they rode the same bus in their home town. When he became a follower of Christ, his entire Muslim family rejected him. They began to work spreading the gospel. In 2000 or so Necati spent a month in prison after being arrested distributing Bibles and Christian tapes. At the time Semsa was four months pregnant. She said after her husband's release they talked about what they should do. (Interesting aside: I met and interviewed his "coconspirator" in that case in 2001.)

        "When he came out of prison, we had to make a decision," she said. "We could just work a normal job and go to the church, or we could work spreading the gospel."

        They both knew the risks of being involved in gospel work; but to both of them the choice was clear: we must answer the call God has placed on our lives. They both knew that it could mean more arrests, more prison time, or even death. "This danger begins the moment you accept Christ in Turkey," she said.

        Again I was in awe of her courage and faith; there was no sense of "why me?" and no sense that somehow God had let her down the day her husband was killed. Only faith and confidence in Him.  I spent about four hours hearing her story, drinking tea and taking pictures. Finally, we prayed together and I left. My heart sang out in praise at the doors the Lord had opened, the stories He had allowed me to hear.

        My trip wasn't over. In my final days I met up with several Christian workers in Turkey to fellowship with them and to gain more insight on the state of the church in that country. I also spent some time with a team of students from Indiana Wesleyan University which was visiting Turkey and learning about serving Christ in a Muslim country. I shared with them some of the things the widows had told me, and encouraged them to consider that God might have in mind for them to be involved in His work overseas...even though it might cost them something.

        My final night I walked among the amazing beauty of Istanbul; the majesty of the Ayasophia and the Blue Mosque. I praised the Lord for the clear sense that His hand had been upon the trip, that He had opened every door. As I looked back, I couldn't see anything that could have gone better; the days were simply a string of answered prayers and opened doors.

        I know this re-telling is long; if you've gotten to this point, thank you. I know that your prayers played a role in the success of my trip, as well as in the safety of my family back home.

        Thank you for praying. I experienced the answers to your prayers as God moved during my trip.

        Each day I was in Turkey I read Isaiah 61, the chapter that Tilmann had written about in his final journal entry. I want to close this letter by sharing the words of that chapter. May they bless you, and I encourage you to let them guide your prayers for the brave families of these martyrs and for the believers in Turkey.

 

Isaiah 61: The Year of the LORD's Favor

    1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,

       because the LORD has anointed me

       to preach good news to the poor.

       He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

       to proclaim freedom for the captives

       and release from darkness for the prisoners,

    2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor

       and the day of vengeance of our God,

       to comfort all who mourn,

    3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion-

       to bestow on them a crown of beauty

       instead of ashes,

       the oil of gladness

       instead of mourning,

       and a garment of praise

       instead of a spirit of despair.

       They will be called oaks of righteousness,

       a planting of the LORD

       for the display of his splendor.

    4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins

       and restore the places long devastated;

       they will renew the ruined cities

       that have been devastated for generations.

    5 Aliens will shepherd your flocks;

       foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.

    6 And you will be called priests of the LORD,

       you will be named ministers of our God.

       You will feed on the wealth of nations,

       and in their riches you will boast.

    7 Instead of their shame

       my people will receive a double portion,

       and instead of disgrace

       they will rejoice in their inheritance;

       and so they will inherit a double portion in their land,

       and everlasting joy will be theirs.

    8 "For I, the LORD, love justice;

       I hate robbery and iniquity.

       In my faithfulness I will reward them

       and make an everlasting covenant with them.

    9 Their descendants will be known among the nations

       and their offspring among the peoples.

       All who see them will acknowledge

       that they are a people the LORD has blessed."

    10 I delight greatly in the LORD;

       my soul rejoices in my God.

       For he has clothed me with garments of salvation

       and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness,

       as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,

       and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

    11 For as the soil makes the sprout come up

       and a garden causes seeds to grow,

       so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise

       spring up before all nations.

 

Thank you again for your prayers as I went.