T hat’s what our taxi driver revealed as we drove through the city. One of our three major questions we were seeking answers to on our research trip to Turkey is why Turkey has one of the highest missionary attrition rates in the world. Central Asian Regional Leaders and team leaders in Turkey shared that the average time long-term missionaries manage to stay in Turkey is 3-4 years. Language school is typically 2 years long, so this means that language proficiency is just barely reached before workers leave.
So why is Turkey such a “difficult” place? Come on, it’s got everything for ease of living…McDonalds, Burger King, Subway, Starbucks, Gloria Jeans, Ikea (3 of them!), any household and clothing item desired, great Turkish food, manicured highways, an incredibly efficient transportation system, tons of culture and history…it’s a fabulous place to be. But as our Turkish taxi driver announced, “It’s all theater….the economy is very bad.”
Facing the Giants
As one missionary to the Turks told us, “For the body, Turkey is heaven-on-earth. But for the soul, Turkey is hell.” Why? The Turks are a highly resistant people group. There are approximately 2 Turkish believers for every 1 worker. There are between 1000-2000 workers.
To be a Turk is to be Muslim. But Turkey is also a secularist state, a culture saturated with sexual perversion, rampant immorality, indecency, and coarseness. Prostitution is legal there. It is considered more sinful in Turkey to eat un-Halal (pork), than it would be to hand over one’s wife to another man to sleep with.
Because it appears so easy to be there, frequently workers are not prepared well for the onslaught of spiritual warfare and the heavy oppression. During our short time visiting with leaders we heard horrible stories of what some workers have gone through, both in related to ministry focus and as well as family issues, team conflict, and more.
What can we do stop the attrition? What can do to help global workers become more resilient and develop anchored faith that will help them prevail when the difficulties come?
We are indeed facing giants in the land. Like in the story of Gideon and his soldiers, 300 against tens of thousands, a few empowered by Him will prevail.
What can we do stop the attrition? What can do to help global workers become more resilient and develop anchored faith that will help them prevail when the difficulties come?
We are indeed facing giants in the land. Like in the story of Gideon and his soldiers, 300 against tens of thousands, a few empowered by Him will prevail.
