This has been a wild ride week. A sad event put us into motion. Our country director for the Humanitarian missionaries, the husband of the tiny lady in this picture, passed away very suddenly. We happened to call when they were still trying to revive him. We quickly made the appropriate phone calls and got ourselves to the airport to fly to Istanbul to help. Duard was amazing with making the connections that needed to be made with the Embassy, consulate, and the local authorities in order to get the body out of Turkey in a timely manner. We were then asked to accompany her home so she wouldn't have to travel alone. After making sure his body was on its way home the three of us boarded a jet and headed to Tulsa, Oklahoma. As she was from Joplin, Missouri, Tulsa was the closet airport.
This is the couple from Moscow on the left, the Holmes. Ara an interpreter and very strong member of the church, and very tall. Sister Nickolaisen and Duard and Sandy.
This is one of the two most famour mosques in Turkey. It is called the St. Sofia. It is now a museum. Originally it was a church, but after the Ottoman's, it was turned into a mosque, and now it is a museum. So beautiful.
This is part of the aquaduct system that is still standing that they used to bring water into the cisterns that held the water. This aquaduct is so large that the cars drive right through it as you can see.
This is inside the cistern. It can hold about 200,000 tons of water. There is just a small amount of water in the bottom now. This is the largest of over a hundred known cisterns that are beneath the city. It is really breathtaking to be down there and see just how huge this cistern is. It was forgotten about for 100's of years and one day a man saw people dropping their buckets down these holes and coming back up with water. He searched around and finally found an entrance down to the inside of the cistern. It is not used now for water storage, but I think it still could.
This head of Medusa is at the bottom of one of the columns and there is another of her head that is sideways. They don't know really why this is like this, but it is very interesting.
This is the couple from Moscow on the left, the Holmes. Ara an interpreter and very strong member of the church, and very tall. Sister Nickolaisen and Duard and Sandy.
This is the Branch President and his family from Istanbul. This is a very beautiful and strong in the gospel family. They are so wonderful. He sends us referrals almost every week. What a strong man he is. He was converted in Norway and Duard loves that he speaks Norwegian. His name is Murat Cakir.
This was when Sister Nicholaisen's family picked her up from the airport. They were very compassionate and sweet to her. They had brought a larger van so they could give us a ride to our hotel before they headed of to Joplin. Our hearts ached for her loss, but her strength was amazing. She was constantly lifting others. She said, "He died doing what he loved. I know where he is, because he was a righteous man. What else could I ask for".
We landed late on Tuesday night in Tulsa, spent the next day in Tulsa and on Thursday morning we headed back to Ankara. I only got a little teary as we passed over Maryland and then landed in NYC for just a short time. So close to loved ones and so far away. Missing everyone is very hard at times, but I know I am doing the right thing by being here for a short time.
We went shopping at Walmart in Tulsa. What a treat! I didn't ever think I would say it, but oh well. We bought too much stuff and ended up having to buy a suitcase. (we had only brought carry on's so Sister Nickolaisen could use our suitcase quota on the airlines to bring both hers and her husband's things home). On the way back to Ankara our suitcases took a trip of their own to Amsterdam and Munich. We don't know how they did it, but they were only one day behind us getting back to our apartment.
When things were calm in Istanbul we stole away for a few moments here and there to see just a little bit of Istanbul. What an incredible city. There is so much to see here. I think you could spe
nd a year here sight seeing and never see all of it.
nd a year here sight seeing and never see all of it. This is the doorman of our hotel. I wanted you to see the Santa (which is a female store mannequin with a Santa Suit on). You can also see the poles decorated with trim and a star on a wall. Interesting since they don't celebrate Christmas.
Come on Du, look at all this stuff and I only want this hat! (no, I didn't get it). This lady was rolling out the dough for this restaurant. They roll things out with the flat little rolling pin she is using. I have tried to use it, but still can't get the hang of it. I just thought she was so beautiful.
This is one of the two most famour mosques in Turkey. It is called the St. Sofia. It is now a museum. Originally it was a church, but after the Ottoman's, it was turned into a mosque, and now it is a museum. So beautiful.
This is part of the aquaduct system that is still standing that they used to bring water into the cisterns that held the water. This aquaduct is so large that the cars drive right through it as you can see.
This is inside the cistern. It can hold about 200,000 tons of water. There is just a small amount of water in the bottom now. This is the largest of over a hundred known cisterns that are beneath the city. It is really breathtaking to be down there and see just how huge this cistern is. It was forgotten about for 100's of years and one day a man saw people dropping their buckets down these holes and coming back up with water. He searched around and finally found an entrance down to the inside of the cistern. It is not used now for water storage, but I think it still could.
This head of Medusa is at the bottom of one of the columns and there is another of her head that is sideways. They don't know really why this is like this, but it is very interesting.
Duard loves the fact that a James Bond movie was filmed down here. "From Russia With Love", there is a seen where Sean Connery is rowing around columns in a canoe.
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