Being a Layover Tourist....

On the way back from our conference in Germany, we had a rather long layover in Istanbul where after a bit of sleep at the hotel, we went to see the sights of the city.
 
Evidence of Egyptian and Roman influence can be seen throughout the city. There was one spot where you can actually see where the Roman chariot races took place. Oh, the stories that place could tell.
 

 We toured the famous Blue Mosque which was built over a 7 and a half year span in the early 1600s by a 19 year old Sultan of the Ottomans.
 
 
After covering our heads with a scarf and taking off our shoes, we entered the mosque. It is truly a work of art.....stained glass windows and beautiful blue tiles everywhere you looked. There are 21,000 of them...I wonder how many times they lost count while counting them.
Before leaving, we paused to pray for the Light to shine in the hearts of those entering this place and for the Christian schools and churches in Turkey to continue to spread the Truth.
God certainly paints beautiful pictures in Turkey.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Welcome to my home......

Image
    Welcome to my new home!   Come on in and sit for awhile. It is a cozy apartment with 2 bedrooms so if anyone would like to come and visit I have a room ready and waiting.   Here's my room. There is a nice big closet and shelf just outside the picture. Yup......indoor plumbing is a wonderful thing. Toilet handle is on top of the toilet. Shower is there behind the shower curtain. The next post will show pictures of the kitchen.....
Read more
Image
Once upon a time there were 3 suitcases.....doesn't that sound like the beginning of a great story. These 3 suitcases hold all the supplies I will need for the next 2 years.....well, chances are I will need some more as time goes on. After all the planning and packing, the time has finally arrived for the "see ya laters". Those are much easier to say than good-byes. So here I sit at the airport with a long layover, a few hours to reflect at what the Lord has done and anticipate what He will do in the next 2 years in Niger. There is something about Africa that captures your heart, perhaps it is the happiness of the people. Happiness not based on possessions or wealth. There is a joy in the people that comes from a much deeper Source. So as I begin this journey, I will do my best to bring you along with me. Through weekly blogs and pictures, prayer letters and facebook the distance will not seem so great between us at all.  
Read more

Welcome to my Kitchen...

Image
Preparing meals in Niger is......challenging. The produce, that has been bought at the local market, needs to be soaked in a solution of bleach and water for 20 minutes. Then rinsed with filtered water, lettuce needs to be rinsed especially well.....lesson learned just recently. There is no microwave in the kitchen....so planning meals ahead of time is a must. Rice is aplenty here. Before cooking the rice, it needs to be rinsed several times to dispose of the weevils that might be abiding in the bag. Freezing the bag after purchasing, it kills the larvae, so we just need to get rid of the adult black bugs. Flour is frozen and then sifted before use to avoid and critters in the baking. Pork is now available here, surprising for a mostly Muslim country. You can buy your chicken frozen at the grocery store or alive at the local market. I prefer the frozen kind, no defeathering required. I have a gas stove for the first time. I'm trying to improve my record of 4 matches to light
Read more