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Since up to 98 percent of the population are Muslims, Christians are obviously a minority religion in Turkey. Because it is a secular country, the only Muslim country in the world that has no state religion, the Constitution guarantees religious freedom, and tolerance is the rule. The population includes members of the Armenian Apostolic and Greek Orthodox churches, Roman and Eastern Catholics, and Jews. Today, approximately 120,000 Christians and 26,000 Jews live in Turkey, out of 73 million of the total population. There is a 0.1% chance of being a Christian in Turkey
Source: Urban Dictionary
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CHRISTIAN CHILD - TURKEY You feel like an outsider because you are different. You eat different foods, you wear different clothes, you speak different languages. During the school day, you are required to learn more about Islam, because that is a subject taught in your public school. At times, the teacher uses you as an example: “Class, who in this classroom is going to hell?” The class answers that you, Christian, are going to hell. Recess is a lonely time. As with children around the world, the children in your class are frightened by the fact that you are different. Some ignore you. Others bully you. A few are kind to you, but they don’t include you in their group of friends because, once again, you are different. In the back of your mind, there is a constant worry. Your dad works for a Christian organisation. Lately, he has been getting threatening phone calls. You wonder if this will be the night when he doesn’t come home from work because he has been attacked or even killed. Nothing about your life is easy. Turkey is a country where 99.8% of the population is Muslim. While in the USA, there can be a certain amount of fear associated with the terms “Muslim” and “Islam,” it is important to point out that most Muslims are not terrorists. Most are peaceable people going about their everyday lives. In fact, many Muslim people view the term “Christian” in a similar way that we view the term “Muslim”: they have seen attacks by people calling themselves “Christians,” but we, as Christians, condemn these attacks because we know they are not Christian acts. We have a mutual fear of each other because of a few radical people carrying out atrocious acts in the name of their religions. Children of Turkish Christians do feel different. I.N. Network Turkey has developed a children’s program to help these children find a place to belong. The ministry includes a summer camp and festivals for Christmas and Easter. The holiday festivals help Christian children to celebrate the meaning of these holidays in a country where Christmas and Easter are not observed. Serap is one of the dedicated children’s workers at I.N. Network Turkey, and she has a moving story about what I.N. Network summer camps mean to the children: “I had the opportunity to spend individual time with a few of the children in the second week. When they shared from their lives and told me how happy they were to be here, I was very happy. I chatted with an 11 year-old child named Can while we played basketball. When I asked him how I could pray for him, he asked me to pray that he could play on a good basketball team when he grew up. “‘Can you join a basketball team at your school?’ I asked. “‘My mother and I saved up the registration money, even though we were having financial difficulties,’ he said. ‘ But I couldn’t go to basketball camp because the camp took place at the same time as this children’s camp. I preferred to come here.’ “I was surprised to hear this. Can said that the main reason for his choice was that he felt great peace at our children’s camp and that he learned about God, prayed, and praised Him with other kids. He also said that he liked the games and the tournaments. “I was very impressed! God showed me that my efforts were not in vain and that some great seeds were planted into those kids’ hearts. God reminded me that He would grow those seeds so they would bear wonderful fruit for His future glory. “Some kids at the camp had serious family problems, which I learned during our Thursday service where we invited them to make a commitment to Jesus Christ. They were able to be away from their problems during camp and pray for their families and the struggles they were having. Many children were moved to tears during the service and shared the burdens of their hearts with me. “During the weeks of summer camp, God showed me that He has been preparing His children even now to demonstrate His sovereignty and glory in Turkey.” Children rely on I.N. Network Turkey children’s events to experience being with other children like them, forming friendships, worshiping God together, supporting each other, and basking in the attention and support of Christian adults like Serap. Imagine again that you are the child, Christian. All year you look forward to summer camp. You hear that because you invited Jesus Christ into your heart, you are going to heaven! You play games with other children your age and, for two precious weeks, you are NOT different. Is God urging you to help with the I.N. Network Turkey children’s ministry? Please call us on 1300 731 550 to ask how you can help. |
 Being a Christian in Turkey has thus for a while now meant running some risk of death. And not only that, but one can be deported just for not being a Muslim.
Source: AsiaNews.it Turkey's Christian community has been targeted in a spate of attacks over several years, prompting concern among human rights groups and the European Union. Source: Reuters Factbox |
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