Suffering, Persecution and Martyrdom in Turkey

On April 18, 2007, some terrible news shook and changed the course of the missionary movement in Turkey forever. I was driving my car to the service of the funeral of a dear brother’s father when I got the call. It is not advisable to answer such a call when one is driving. Just after the incident occurred, this brother, A.S., was telling me, “Three of our brothers from Malatya have been killed, they have been slashed by the throat!” More calls followed, “Are you sure? Who are they? But, how? Misinterpretations rose, “Four were killed, not five; no, they are not dead; yes, they are all dead, but one…” One of the first persons I called was the pastor from our church in Izmir, brother in law to one of the victims. From the vague news, I tried to comfort him, reassuring him that he was still alive. But, the fatal truth was about to come…