November 2001
A phone card.
It may seem like a small blessing, for us, it turned out to be a BIG blessing.
The events of September 11 make this Thanksgiving season one of the toughest experiences in our Nation's history. How is it
possible to count one's blessings when people from 80 countries were murdered? How can one be thankful when remembering
that 5,000 or more persons were murdered just 6- 7 weeks ago?
Life is not simple or easy. Not to recognize this tragedy is not fair.
However, to let it stop our giving of thanks is not a way to healing. So it may be one lesson we can all learn this Thanksgiving, is
to thank Almighty God for every blessing, including those which seem small.
I am grateful to the Union City United Methodist Church congregation for the ministry and educational opportunities afforded
me, October 1-14. And that is where this seemingly small blessing comes in.
Three of us, one from Alabama, one from Illinois and myself, felt it would be all right to keep the original schedule of going to
Israel and on to Turkey. In Turkey, we would visit three of the cities John the Revelator wrote of in the book of Revelation - -
Ephesus, Smyrna and Pergamum. (Others in our group felt unsafe and flew back to the US from Istanbul. )
We flew from Istanbul to Izmir (Smyrna). The return flight to Istanbul, we were able to schedule earlier than the itinerary stated.
The problem was how to let the person in Istanbul know that we would arrive on an earlier flight.
None of us spoke the Turkish language and we had no interpreter.
We went to a shop in the Izmir airport (pop. nearly 2 million) I purchased a phone card. How does one use this phone card to
call and make arrangements to have a person meet us? A man with a guitar, and no case, was seated in the phone area. I asked
him if he spoke English. Since he did, "How do we use the phone card?" Providentially, he had a cell phone.
Without hesitation, he called the number of the travel agent in Istanbul.
What a thrill it was to let him and the agent( ess ) make the arrangements !
Between sign language and broken English, I was (reluctantly) returned the cost of the card.
The flight from Izmir to Istanbul was without incident. The question, would some person be in Istanbul to meet us? What a thrill
to see a man holding a sign, printed in large letters "John Moore". THANK YOU, LORD!
Though Turkey is 98-99% Muslim, the people of Turkey treated us wonderfully. Flights from Chicago to Istanbul, from
Istanbul to Tel Aviv (Israel), Tel Aviv to Istanbul, Istanbul to Izmir, Izmir to Istanbul, Istanbul to Chicago, went very well.
Turkey has a wonderful Airline. I recommend them as wonderful people to fly with.
For everyone who prayed for me, I am deeply grateful. Some of my colleagues are in that group.
The songwriter has written, "Count your blessings, name them one by one, Count your many blessings, see what God has
done."
Part of the song continues, " And it will surprise you what God has done !" God grant you a wonderful Thanksgiving, wherever
you may be. In His great Narne, AMEN .
your friend and Pastor, John
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