5 May, Tue

Golden horn grant bazaar outside grant bazaar inside grant bazaar traditional smoke pipe traditional musical instrument cloth jagung stall open space to smoke unknown monument from Egypt monument from rome cute kebab restaurant market in a tunnel spice bazaar turkish delight spices turkish delight spices traditional clothing restaurant on a boat transportation map street in the city local fruits,very rich soil various kinds of nuts elaine, hilal and i armanian hymn special lunch ISTANBUL The testimony from Bro Yeung's family, " we were saved when we were youth. At that time, Bro Lee already mentioned about body of Christ and propagation. So, the vision we received is the Lord wants to gain His body and being expressed in different localities as the golden lampstand. Both of us have the burden for propagation. Sis Elaine joined FTTA at 1992, then, served in the church. Bro Timothy is serving in the church, mainly on literature work. From 2004 to 2005, in the Lord's recovery there is a very strong burden on our consecration. At that time, we already own two childeren, together in a family, we all consecrate ourselves together. Then, the ministry also speak strongly regarding the Lord's second coming. At the young on-jober's training in Taiwan(Sep 2006), Bro Andrew Yu encouraged all the saints from various locality to pick up a burden for another locality where the testimony of Jesus is not yet established and start to pray, seek and move. There were 30 saints from Hong Kong who joined that conference. The brothers felt let's chose a place with the most population, therefore, we pick Turkey. We started to pray and seeking before the Lord for Turkey. If we compare the percentage of population and the pergentage of Christian in that country, Turkey is among the top, where they have very little Christian, almost the same as Israel. Furthermore, if you compare the percentage of Christian who is Turks with the percentage of the population of Turkey, Turkey is the TOP country where it has the lease Christian who are locals. Yet, Turkey is also the place where Paul ministered and raised up many locality like Colossae, Phillipi, Ephesus and etc. It can be considered as the where the early church life in the Gentile's world begin. Yet now it is considered as a muslim country. How can this be? At December 2006, we joined a trip to Turkey, another couple also come along to support us. Bro Timothy felt that he should get back into the campus to get a valid visa for our stay in Turkey, so, he started to apply. In April 2007, he came to Turkey for a test, in September, our whole family moved to Istanbul, Turkey. It had been almost two years now. We had gone through various kinds of situation and things.Thank the Lord, now we have 9 saints meeting together for the group meeting. Turks have their own kind of living, they are very proud with themselves, therefore, they are satisfied with their present situation. If anyone seeking for changes, they will be discriminated by the majority. So, it is not easy to preach gospel to them. " Actually, Malaysia is also a muslim country, therefore you will find that their lifestyle is quit similar. Even the pronounciation of the language is almost the same, just the grammer and word they used are different. It should be quit easy for us Malaysian to cope the life in Turkey if compare with those who comes from other countries. After fellowship with the saints, i really see that the Lord grand each one of us a different portion in the body. Every one of us do have a piece of land which is assigned to us from God. Though the lands might be different, but the burden is the same. To some, the "land" might be propagation, to some is DCP, to some is publication, to some is translation, to some is kitchen service, to some is arranging the chair in the meeting hall.....etc. To bro Desmond, the Lord puts Lyon in their hearts. To bro Yeung, the Lord puts Istanbul in their hearts. Do I have a space in my heart for the Lord? to put a land also in my heart? Lord, I open to you, may the zeal for the building of Your house devours me!! Let no other things, matters and persons occupied my heart!! but You and Your desires alone.

4 May, Mon

borek topkapi palace topkapi palace topkapi palace hagia sophia monument Blue Mosque galata bridge ship tourbuilding on asia continent Dolmabahce Sarayl modern building building on europe continent ciragan palace hotel kimpinski kucuksu palace bosphorus bridge(1st) and faith bridge(D 2nd bridge that joint the continents of Europe n Asia) building on continent of europe small boat port puppet shop small path up the hill brosphorus sea after the rock is black sea anadulu kavagi view from anadulu kavagi beautiful scenery next photo is the ferry i took for this trip, next next is a very interesting scene of those people lying up fishing on galata bridge rich dinner in love ISTANBUL, TURKEY Lords Day evening, right after the Lords table, i rushed to the airport to catch the flight to istanbul. So, when i reached the destination is already night time. And everything is very smooth, the timing is just nice, when i came down from the bus, walking to the Mcdonald(Sis Elaine suppose to meet me there), before i go in, some one appear at my right hand side, Sis Elaine!! We introduced ourselves to each other than, she bring me home. What a day! Finally i came to Istanbul!(after cracking my head to search on the information, other travellers comment, tickets and etc to make a detour to istanbul and romania before continue with my original plan)There are saints in Istanbul! Wow, its really wonderful. Malaysia is consider as a muslim country, therefore, i know it might be not easy to "survive" here. Anyway, there is a good news for you all, altogether, there are 9 saints in Istanbul(during that time. one months later, i received a news saying another brother baptist, Praise the Lord! the number is increasing!) We do have some fellowship about the culture, habits, people and language here. The saints have burden to translate the hymns into Turks. Please pray that we can get suitable translator for this, and the work of translation will be smooth. When i take a boat ride on Bosphorus Sea to explore the historical heritage, i was listening to bro James Lee. "Brothers, we are here not to be one new man, build up the body, no! not only that! we are here to cause Satan to suffer lost!" Those words captured my heart! we are here to cause satan to suffer lost!!! When i am sitting under a tree at Anadulu kavagi waiting for the ferry, those words keep sounding in my ear. and a voice ask me, " when you argue with the sisters, are you causing satan to suffer lost?""when you insist to do it that way, are you causing satan to suffer lost?"when i keep all the negative feeling in me, not willing to let go, am i causing satan to suffer lost? the question pop up one by one, i cant even resist it. Tears fall off my cheek. i know that waiter is looking at me, a lots of people is walking around me, but i just cant help. Am i causing satan to suffer lost? Even, the boat ride i take this time, am i causing satan to suffer lost? I had to admit, most of the time, what i do , what i speak and decide, cause the body to suffer lost, but satan laugh. Lord, have mercy on me!Brothers and sisters, we are here to cause satan to suffer lost. when we prophesy, when we pray, when we shepherd others, when we propagate, we are causing satan to suffer lost! we are not for prophesying, praying itself, but to cause the satan to suffer lost. for we are in a battle! how much we realise this will save us! May the Lord gain what He want through us, for we are those who cooperate with Him, causing satan to suffer lost all the time!