14 Nov Update from the Earthquake in Turkey

I received this update, dated November 11, from Lori Wenzel of IN Network. We are in the early stages of starting ministry in Turkey in partnership with IN Network. Earlier we invited individuals and churches to contribute toward earthquake relief, which we are coordinating with IN Network.–Jeff Bleijerveld

Early this morning I talked by phone with Behnan who had just returned from the area where the earthquake struck in October in Eastern Turkey.

A 5.7 earthquake took another 80 lives that are documented and others are being searched for in the new rubble. More houses were destroyed and a multi-level hotel collapsed.

The people are experiencing a great deal of fear and are quite exposed to the winter snow and temperature. Behnan told me that the Evangelical Church in Van has been serving over 300 meals a day, and teams from the church are going out into the tent cities offering blankets and warm clothes to the people who are camping there and have lost everything.

We are receiving funds from many of you and your churches, and those gifts are being coordinated by IN Turkey to be sure they get where they are needed most. These gifts are important as the Church reaches out to their neighbors who are Christians, as well as to Muslim brothers and sisters.

In his latest email, Behnan reported, “Tonight in Van another earthquake took place (5.7). There are newly collapsed buildings. We were able to reach the believers and found that they are okay, but this sparked a lot of fear again. Right now everyone in Van is in the streets, and it is freezing cold. People are really in a desperate state. Please pray for Van and may God show His warmth to the believers and people of Van.”