Istanbul, Turkey and Beyond

It was 1999, when an organization I was involved in decided to take a trip to Istanbul, Turkey for fall break. I was 19 years old and so stoked about my first trip out of the U.S. Shortly before our scheduled departure, an 7.2 magnitude earthquake aftershock struck in Duzce. I don't remember what our original plans were, but they quickly became earthquake relief.

It was November and growing increasingly cold, so we bought blankets to distribute. On our third day, my team went out to the earthquake zone to distribute the blankets.

I think that day and the following days changed me forever. I saw the complete devastation with my own eyes. Buildings flattened, families on the street, the smell of death in the air, and some people still buried underneath all the rubble. It was unimaginable for me, but it was a complete reality for the people of Turkey.

I distinctly remember one place that we stopped for distribution. The people there were living in a self made tent city. Their shelter was comprised of found materials. During the distribution, I spent my time talking to people, playing with children, and throwing a football in a nearby field. I was invited, along with some friends, into one family's tent for tea that afternoon. I was completely blown away by their hospitality in the face of such desperate circumstances. They had nothing, but they were still very quick to offer up what little they had to us.

Later, we returned to our bus. At that moment, everyone was standing around waving and watching us leave. I know we were a spectacle there, but I felt completely helpless as we left. I wanted to do more; I didn't want to leave. I cried for a long time after that; I couldn't help myself. I tried to stop, but I couldn't get over what I had seen and experienced.

On a semi funny note and to make matters worse, our guide told us that the field we played football in was where they were throwing out their waste. That's right, I had played in feces. Not only were we filthy, but then we didn't go back to Istanbul. We stayed in a hotel for the following two nights without a change of clothes because commuting back to the city was just too far. This hotel smelled like death, had no hot water, and no electricity. They also kept serving hard boiled eggs for breakfast; I'm pretty sure I didn't eat anything but oranges I bought on the street for three days. Despite all of that, I still felt like the luckiest person on earth.

One thing I learned and continue to learn is that life is short; it can be gone in an instant. I'm doing my best to make the most of what God has given me...right here, right now!