First of all, I have to say what a blessing it is to be back here. When I arrived in Chicago and was entering the International terminal I caught a glimpse of the plane sporting the "Turkish Air" logo and my heart literally skipped a beat. I was excited and thrilled. I do like it here very much. When Renata first saw me she said "it's seems so normal to see you here." I have been warmly welcomed by one and all, it feels as if I never left.
The day after my arrival I was invited to join a group of 10 others to go and see the beachfront camp where every year for 9 years they hold a Youth Camp during 3 weeks of the summer. Atttendance is generally 110 kids and 40 staff, it is a huge undertaking. It's about a 50 mile drive west of Antalya.
It is an idyliic setting, covered trees for shade, plenty of land to run, the sea a short walk away and a citrus grove resplendent with blossoms that perfumed the air. Here is Jim greeting one of the owners of the camp where they are housed and fed, one of the year round guests and a small sampling of how fat the blossoms on the trees were.
After a picnic lunch we left Jim and Renata alone to have a meeting with the owners and set out for the beach; a beautiful stretch of the Mediterranean, the waters of which are a captivating turquoise color. Lovely!
Then we all went for a hike up the mountain behind the camp and in the shadow of 10,000 foot, snow capped Mt. Olympos in the Taurus mountain range to see the eternal flames. At a crest of the hill we found the ruins of a monastery and evidence that this sight is very sacred. With views of the Mediterrean in the background Jim proceeds to tell us some of the history of this area including how the natural methane fire pits were used for ship navigation as mariners could see the flames from their ships and know exactly where they were. Spiritually this holy ground has seen many forms of religious ceremonies including human sacrifice some babies or young people marching up to their final resting place. Jim's vision is for this ground to become fresh with the Spirit of the One true God as they bring more and more of His holy people to pray over and sing His praises here.
And if all that wasn't enough we then went to a restaurant, one of many that line one of the rivers that feeds into the sea. Here they farm raise trout right in the river and upon ordering they end up on your plate! The dinner was served family style with 3 courses: appetizers, salad and then the main course: TROUT and all served with their homemade bread hot out of the brick oven. Food doesn't get much better, we drove home in the dark all quite happy about this unforgettable day.
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