How meaningful now it was to read this wonderful account after my leaving Turkey in 1968 to be discharged and enter civilian life. My mother and my sister have been there since, 30 some years after I was there, with memories of Turkey being their best of the tour to the Middle East--because of the great beauty of this country and its wonderful people. Though almost all Muslims, the people are warm-hearted, extremely hospitable, and very polite. They go out of their way to make you feel at home when a visitor, it seems, and my mother loved it there, taking many pictures of the people and the incredible gardens of the sultans in Istanbul's Topkapi and around St. Sophia Church Museum (it has since been "converted" back to a mosque, the museum status retracted by the Islamicist strong man ruler, Erdogan). It is so good, after praying some times for the salvation of souls in Turkey, to hear that God is indeed working there.

To think many years after I trod on that mountain this university student (who was about my age when I up the mountain and climbed all over taking pictures of it) came to the same spot, probably the same lodge, and Jesus appeared to him! Then his mother, becoming a believer like him in Jesus, has led person after person to faith in Jesus. His legacy continues, you see. His life was not in vain--all because of Jesus. I must take the liberty to share this in turn to students of the Emmaus Walk, for I know you all will be greatly blessed.--Ed.

This university student shared the experience with his Muslim mother. She was puzzled, but not angry. Two days later, he went back to the university and soon was hit by a train and was killed. The details of the accident are not known, because he was alone. After this tragedy, the mother wanted to find out about Jesus; but where?

There are about 120 Believers in the city of around a million people (circa 2005). Her other son said he thought he knew where there was a church and so "let's go and try to find it."

Ramazan, the pastor, was there. He comes to the church every day with one day, Saturday, off. So he was there. He spent two hours with the mother and shared Jesus with her. He also gave her a Bible. A short time later, she came back and wanted to become a Believer; so Ramazan led her to the Lord. Her husband did not become a believer for 6 months, but came with her to church.

After that time, the mother has shared the Gospel with many, many people and around six people have come to know Jesus in this short 2 1/2 years.

Because I have experienced death with a loved one, we have become good friends. Even though I can't imagine what it would be like to lose a son, I do understand the loss of a loved one. Yesterday, they asked me if I wanted to go with them to the cemetery. I said, yes. What an experience I had.

We first went to Larry's grave, and they cleaned the marble and garden part and we stayed there for a few minutes. Then we went to their son's grave. The first thing I noticed was that their son's birth date was written on the stone but no death date. I asked why?

They said that was because according to John 11:25, 26, which is on Larry's grave, even though you die you live and he was living; he was just living in a different location with Jesus.

Wow, what a testimony. She said she has had many opportunities to share with people at the cemetery because they all ask why no death date.

Then she started to pray. She thanked God for taking her son home, even though she missed him so much, but it was worth it to find Him.

I was really blessed by the maturity of this wonderful mother. I am not sure I could do the same. Later she started reading the Bible out loud and then we sang some hymns. What a wonderful experience.

With each believer there is a story; but, this one I was privileged to be able to experience some of the sorrows and joys of this story. I thought you might like to read about it.

Just one side note. Often when a Muslim has a bad experience like a death of a loved one, if the loved one becomes a believer, then [they believe] God is punishing them for leaving Islam. So this story is extremely unusual."