Advocates are people just like you who take a step of faith to set their feet on foreign soil to hear and see what God is doing along the Silk Road. Lainey is one of those people who came all the way from Atlanta to Central Eurasia to join us on an intensive.

When I boarded the plane at 10 o’clock in Atlanta, the only things on my mind were excitement and angst at getting on an 11 hour flight, and soon being able to experience a different culture in Turkey. During the flight, I prayed the Lord would have something waiting for me when I arrived; a word, an experience, anything. I am on staff for a Chi Alpha and I, along with two others, were leading two students on this trip. I often feel like I’m struggling to lead, protect, AND hear from the Lord as well.

When I stepped off of the plane and into our host home, some of the first words that I heard spoken to me were, “The Lord wanted you here. He has something that He wants to speak to you here, and if you listen, you will hear from Him and experience Him.” So I listened, and waited on the Lord to speak to me. If it wasn’t just chance that I was asked to help lead this trip, I wanted to hear from Him.

I soon realized that if I didn’t hear from the Lord on this trip, I would have to be spiritually deaf. We went out daily to observe Muslims, learn to actively engage them in conversation, and we had the opportunity to share our faith with Muslims and pray for them. One of the women I met was a refugee from Somalia named Nesne. We met her and her family in a McDonald’s and engaged her in conversation with a translator. We soon learned that she could speak English very well. She was one of the kindest, warmest people I’ve ever met. Her smile was big and inviting. We began to ask her about her head covering and what it meant to her. She shared her faith, and we shared a little of ours as she was headed out of the door.

She seemed excited to meet a Christian because “My religion is similar to yours,” she said to us. “I can see that you are not immodest and you are genuine Christians.” she said.

She walked out of the door very quickly chasing her children down as we waved goodbye, sad to miss the opportunity for a longer conversation, but praying for her to meet more “genuine Christians” in Turkey. It’s unlikely that Nadia will hear the full gospel, because there are so few workers in Central Eurasia, and there are so many Muslims in Turkey and the surrounding countries. God is calling people to this country. What a worker said while I was here rings so true,

In every generation, Muslims could have been won to the Lord, there are just not enough obedient believers.

Maybe the Holy Spirit will bring Nesne to Christ. I hope. I pray. I am believing that is the case, but I’m believing the Lord for many people (myself included) to open our ears and hear the call of Christ to win beautiful Muslims for the Kingdom of God.

Are you willing to open your spiritual ears too?