One more thing...

This morning I decided to take a look in the "shoe shop" in the hotel to see what I might find that I can't live without! (Matt will be happy to read that!) However, I walked in and was pretty quickly greeted by Ali, the shop owner.

Ali is from Turkey and pretty quickly in our conversation he figured out that I was with the "missionary women." He was excited to tell me about his spiritual awakening over the past few years and that he believes in one God. He was raised with Muslim parents although I don't believe he actually practices their faith although I can see how it has influenced him. He was happy to share how he believes there is only one true God and I think he enjoys being able to say that with all the other missionary women who are wandering around here.

He commented about how amazing it was that the church supports the women to be a part of a conference like this and started asking about giving within the church. He was asking how it could be that in our economy we would do that. After fumbling around trying to explain how and why we tithe, I was feeling like I wasn't making much sense and hoping God was at work in our conversation in spite of my lack of words.

He has been "seeking a religion" over the past few years and it was quite an amazing conversation. He apologized for not having any coffee to share with me so I think I will need to take my own beverage and visit him in his shop and carry on our conversation while I'm here. I understand how quiet it can be in a shop like this since I worked in one similar in my own past so it will be fun to keep him company here and there. Pray for Ali and my conversations with him while I'm here and for his business - pretty slow with the poor economy and lack of tourists.