Pray for Gaziantep

I live in Gaziantep, a city near the Syrian border — a meeting place of nations, stories, and sorrows. Our land, Turkey, carries the legacy of Scripture: nearly 60% of the places mentioned in the Bible lie within our borders. This was once a land of apostles and churches, where the Word of God spread like fire through Asia Minor. But today, the landscape has changed. Minarets rise on every horizon, and the Turks remain one of the largest unreached peoples in the world.

Gaziantep is known for its warmth, its food, and its resilience. Yet beneath the surface, there is deep pain. More than half a million Syrian refugees now live among us — families who fled war only to face new struggles here. Their presence reminds me daily that this city is both a place of refuge and a field ready for harvest. As Turkey stands between Europe and the Middle East, both the currents of Western progress and Islamic tradition flow through us, shaping a culture full of tension and possibility.

I believe God has not forgotten Turkey. The same Spirit that once moved through Ephesus and Antioch is moving again. In Gaziantep, I see small gatherings of believers — Turks, Kurds, and Syrians — worshiping together, praying for healing, and daring to believe that Jesus can rebuild what war and religion have destroyed. My prayer is that one day, it will be said again of this land: “All who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord.”