Here I Go Again

 Well, I made it to Germany. It was a process but I’m excited for what God in store. 

Tricia and I drove from home to Boston with plenty of time to catch my flight. I would love to have family or friends with me, but I’m alone on this trip. When we arrived Tricia spotted that my flight was already delayed by almost one hour. I checked my baggage and when The clerk asked about how I was paying for my extra bag I told her I wasn’t able to pay online, I’d have to pay at the counter. With that she said she would waive the fee. That was a great sign. This flight with Condor Airlines was off to a good start. 

Then every hour after that the flight to Frankfurt was delayed again, but rest assured I had plenty of time to make my connection to Düsseldorf. After a couple of gate changes at 11:45 we finally started loading the plane. We took off 4 hours late. Now my connection would be tight, but doable. No problem. 

Upon boarding with my carry-on I had everything I needed. I found my assigned seat. It was next to the window, over the wing. Just the way I like. I was now glad that I didn’t pay the optional $50 to choose my seat. The seat back in front of me was fully equipped with a touchscreen, power ports and a remote control. It was a long delay, but things were looking good. No problem. 

After we took off and a few attempts had passed I realized that touchscreen was not going to turn on. It wasn’t just mine, but everyone’s. No inflight movie and no charging. That was fine, I was now glad I hadn’t paid the optional $25 to get the advanced movie selection. I had my phone and an extra battery to charge it with. I put my headphones in and fell asleep. No problem. 

I woke up when dinner was coming around. It smelled good and I was thirsty. I found out a vegetarian pasta dish was the only option. Since I am a vegetarian this worked out well. I was now sad I had paid the optional $10 to request a vegetarian meal. I ate my meal and watched some videos on my phone and fell back to sleep. No problem, I guess. 

We landed just before 1 and my connection to Düsseldorf was at 1:15 and had been delayed to 1:25. I could just run to the gate because my luggage was checked all the way through to Düsseldorf. No problem, except…

I soon learned that between me and my new gate was a passport checkpoint with a long line. I didn’t make it to my flight. I found a Condor service counter and she said they would give me a train ticket to Düsseldorf if I liked because that was quicker than waiting for the next available flight. I just needed to get my luggage and hop on the train next door. Two large bags and a carry-on on a train? No problem. 

Hallway B belt 16 was where my luggage would be. I found it easily and stood there for a while waiting for my two large bags. Then I sat there for a while waiting for my two large bags. Then I walked around there looking for my two large bags. The travelers in hallway B were polite and kind, but belt 16 was not polite nor was it kind. In an hour and a half it had vomited up 5 suitcases that endlessly circled its dark carousel taunting me and my well equipped carry-on. Problem. 

Those bags contained equipment that far exceeded the value Condor would likely refund me. So I made my way to the lost luggage counter. A kind German woman with halting English filled out the form to request my luggage be returned from where it was put. She told me I should have done that an hour ago.  She also informed me that because of staffing shortages that I will need to wait at least one more hour. Problem 

In total I afforded them 4 1/2 hours to bring me my luggage. They never did. Belt 16 is a dismal place. I went back a filled out a lost luggage form that would get my baggage delivered to the place I was staying. I took one more lap around hallway B and silently cursed belt 16 as I passed. Finding nothing, I was off to find a train. 

In all honesty I’m being a little dramatic here. At this point I was hopping on a high speed train in a country I had never been in with only my well stocked carry-on to worry about. I was excited by the experience and admittedly a bit nervous about the equipment in my bags. The biggest problem I had is that I don’t like to be pushy when I need to be, and Condor airlines put me in a position where I had to be. 

I made it safely to the church where the rest of the team was already. The next step was to meet a dozen new people and figure out how to communicate with Colombians in a Turkish neighborhood in Germany. No problem. 

I’m writing this 4 days later and am still waiting for my luggage. 

A Cop Out?

This tour has kept me very busy so far.  Too busy to write a post here, unfortunately.  David Pierce, the leader and lead singer of the band, No Longer Music, that I'm touring with, writes a blog and currently has two posts up that tell about their arrival in Istanbul and the two concerts we've had so far.  Please take a look.  He has better pictures than I do.

http://steiger.org/nlm-blog-14/316-a-fight-from-the-start-first-concert-in-turkey

http://steiger.org/nlm-blog-14/317-the-holy-spirt-moves-in-a-conservative-muslim-neighborhood

Going Home and Leaving Home

Arriving in Istanbul has definitely changed for me.  The first time I showed up here, I was full of wonder and suspicion.  My eyes were huge as I tried to take everything in.  My curiosity was overwhelming.  I also had some fear of the unknown.  Over the next few trips my suspicion and fear subsided.  My wonder remained.  In preparing to return I got excited, like a kid on Christmas morning.  I couldn't sleep well before the flight.  Every new experience was like a gift to unwrap.   But now... now the experience is like walking into a different room in my own house.  It's still home, but it's just different. 

I arrived on Friday, got settled in a picked up a few things, like cookies, that I needed to get back into the house when I return to New York.  Saturday was a little more of the same until the band showed up.  This tour is with a band called "No Longer Music."  I've heard about them because they come to Turkey quite often, but this is my first chance to work with them.  I've used a few different term to try to describe what kind of music they perform, but until I hear more of it over the next 9 days I can't really describe it well.  It's edgy, intense and comes with quite a stage show. It's been good getting to know them.

Our first concert was scheduled to be here in Istanbul, but as with all things in Turkey it wasn't definite.  Since Sunday was election day, getting permission to do a large event was difficult.  Sometimes riots break out.  The people here are actively passionate about politics in a way Americans can only dream about.  As of Half an hour ago our concert is back on after having been cancelled.  This is a result of perseverance and prayer, lots of prayer.

So we're about to go into our first concert with a band of people I don't know well, and a bunch of gear that the band doesn't know well.  A lot is going to depend on grace, patience and professionalism, and everything is going to depend on God.

So, How Was Your Trip?

This is a question I love, and dread.  I love chances to talk about what's happened.  I love letting people who are interested get a glimpse into what I've seen and how God was working.  I dread the awkwardness of going into details and then realizing someone was asking to be polite.  In either case there's never enough time to go into all the details and I have to guess what that person is interested in.  It's like me saying, "What's in this picture?"

Some people will say, "It looks like some sort of shop."  Others might be drawn to speculate about what the men are talking about.  Even still others may have their eyes drawn to the lamps,  or tea sets.  No matter what you do though, unless you're talking for an hour, you will miss a detail.  If it takes that long to just describe one picture, how can I describe over two weeks worth of experiences?  Nevertheless, I try.  I try to guess what gets people excited, or at least what keeps people interested. Someone once said, "When you speak be inspirational.  If you can't be inspirational, be funny.  If you can't be funny, keep it short."

"1, 2, 5." "Three, sir."

Last time I told you we were going into the "home stretch" with 5 concerts left to go.  Well, we did 3 and that was enough.  Saturday afternoon, around 3, we went to set up our late night performance.  To get there we walked 10 minutes to a ferry, from the ferry it was another 5 minute walk to a train in a tunnel, then on to a trolley.  A short walk down the street and up a flight of stairs that took us to and elevator.  Up the elevator, then up another flight of stair and ta-da!  There you are.  Easy peasy.  So we set up and sound checked.  Once we were ready there we raced out the door at about 7pm to go perform at a dinner that was 50 minutes away by car.  We get to that diner with 5 minutes to sound check before we get on stage.  All goes well we get to eat and head back to the first venue via a car ride that would be an entire post unto itself.  10:30pm comes and we are ready to start our second performance of the day.  When the day was all said and done it was 3am that I went to bed knowing that I needed to get up in 3 1/2 hours to repack the truck and drive 7 hours the next day.

I don't lay all of this out there to complain, but just to let you know the realities of what I've signed up for.  If this were just for work, there's no way I would keep that schedule, but because of the eternal motivation that I have, I press on.

Our final concert was in the city that was historically known as Troy.  My mixing board was set up right under the nose of the Trojan Horse they used in the 2004 movie.  By the time we had finished our sound check we had over 100 people watching us.  We made announcements about the upcoming concert that night, and a few people connected with individuals who had gathered.  We had a couple hours before the concert, so we just played recorded music for a while.  In that down time more people connected with kids, tourists, and anyone passing by who wondered what was going on.  We even had an Indian family stop by with some Bollywood music they wanted us to play so they could dance to it.  By concert time we had a crowd of over 400 people ready to see what this crew from Chicago had to offer.

The crowd grew over the course of the performance and was very receptive of our music and message.  At the end of the concert I did all I could to restrain my urge to pack up and leave.  It's always the practice to pack it up and get out at my normal gigs.  In fact I pride myself at timing the truck pack and setting new records.  But these shows are different.  I needed to remind myself that we are here for conversations and relationships.  I am so glad I did.

I got to see a believer that I had met 3 years ago on a previous tour.  I got to meet some members of the local church and I got to meet some believers who were seeking refuge in Turkey.  I won't go into too many details about these men here, for the sake of their privacy.  Suffice it to say they had good reason not to return to their home countries.  They were overjoyed to be at such and openly Christian event out in public.  They were thrilled that we were there, and I was honored that we could serve these men in any way.  If the whole trip was just to set up and sing just for these men, I would have made the journey ten times over.

Pushing Through

Since my last post we've performed twice.  Once in Antalya and once in Manavgat.  Our Antalya performance had some "glitches" that we as a team had to work out.  The result of us working things out was a much better performance the next day.  each day we received dozens of survey forms that were filled out and a lot of good contacts.  Yesterday we drove from Manavgat to Istanbul, a 15 hour drive after all of our stops.

We are now in what I feel is the home stretch.  I have to take that perspective because I need to know when I will get to rest.  The next five days are scheduled with late nights, early mornings, five performances (some are not full 90 minute concerts) two 7 hour drives, debriefing, last minute souvenir shopping (because you can never have enough scarves), an early morning drive to the airport and a 13 hour flight home.  Hopefully you'll understand if I don't get a chance to write another post soon.  As it is I expected to be asleep now, but I woke up early.

"...[W]e rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope."  There comes a time in most tours where I think, "I'm exhausted, but it's only a few more days.  I can make it."  I haven't hit the point of exhaustion yet, and hopefully I won't have to.  My "sufferings" are nothing compared to what Paul was referring to when he wrote that quote in Romans.  This just means the development of my endurance, character, and hope are also nothing when compared to Paul's.  But, even so, I cherish it.  I'm praying that God will help me not just to endure, but to finish well.  It's not enough to just survive through these next few days.  I need to flourish.  I came here to serve this team, and there have been times when I haven't done that well.  My patience has worn thin on occasion, or a request comes up and I'm just feeling lazy.  Granted it's 100degrees and 80% humidity, but that's no excuse to slouch when you've come halfway around the world to tell people how much God loves them.

All this to say pray for us.  Pray for our endurance, character, and hope, Pray for the effectiveness of our communication in word and works, Pray that we will finish well, and Pray that nothing else gets cancelled.

Did Paul ever pray for things to go smoothly?

At this point we've performed 2 nights on the street and once on a stage.  All of this was in Istanbul.  The times on the street were both really good.  The musicians performed for about 15 minutes and by the time they were done there was a pretty decent crowd (15-50 people) clapping and interacting with the songs.  When they are done with the 15 minute set, then we get to interact on a personal level with the people who've come to see who this group of foreigners is and why we are here and ask them to fill out surveys.

The stage performance was for a hip-hop festival.  We walked into a mall, went down 3 flights of stairs and there before us was a theater with a couple hundred people all up against the stage.  They were all enjoying themselves while a Turkish rapper was going to town on the stage.  The short version of the rest of the story is that our first full stage, full set-list performance went off without a hitch.  Of course we had our surveys with us and we got many back from our newest fans.  It went smoothly.

Now, after two days on the road, we are in Antalya.  I just woke up and went for a walk along the rocky shoreline of the Mediterranean Sea and prayed.  I praised God for what He's done and prayed for things to go smoothly.  Then I stopped.  I realized that is a selfish prayer.  What if something needs to go "wrong"  for the sake of God's plan?

How often do we pray for the easy way out?  We pray for nice weather for an outdoor activity.  We pray for a sickness or pain to go away.  We pray for "travel mercies" and expect that God will protect us from flat tires and accidents.  We pray for a concert to go smoothly. But God....

God works in the things we see as inconvenience.  When there is an obstacle in our way God is glorified in the solution or the strength to persevere.  It's in those times that we can respond to the leading of the Holy Spirit.  So how should we pray?  I decided to pray that God would keep me aware of His plan.  That no matter what happens, whether I think it's good or not, that I will have His perspective to see the opportunities He is placing before us.

Being a Good Neighbor

The past two days we've been rehearsing with a hip hop band in a church in Kadiköy, İstanbul.  We started at 10 and went until 5ish each day.  To start the whole thing off there was some discussion of whether we could use the sanctuary or if we had to go down to the basement because they were getting a new air conditioner installed.  It was settled that we would set up in the half of the room that was away from where the A/C installers would be working.  We were all set and chugging happily along.  Beats were dropping and lyrics flying.  Then we got told to turn it down.  I was disappointed, especially since I hadn't hit the volume yet that we would be using for performances.  I had barely touched the subwoofers (the big speakers that thump).  Right then and there I turned the subs off.

For those techies out there who are interested, the offending system is 4 QSC K12 mains, a home grown pair of EAW FR250z knockoffs powered be a QSC  ex4000 at 720w per side, a Mackie SRM450 monitor.   All told what to do by a Yamaha 01v96 v2.  (I know, but it works)

After turning it down I had to find out why.  Turns out the neighbors were complaining, enthusiastically complaining.  My worldly gut reaction was, "Well forget that!  If they're going to be grumpy about it anyway, let's just crank it and give them something to be grumpy about."  That thought lasted long enough for me to smirk and imagine plaster falling off the walls as I let the subs get some exercise.  After a little chuckle my mind went back to wanting to be a good neighbor and an example of grace and mercy.  I would accommodate them as much as I could and just turn things up enough for the performers to be able to hear themselves, but not enough to get an idea of what a full concert would feel like.

Then I found out more.  This new air conditioner that was being installed as we practiced could only be run for 5 hours on Sunday for the same reason that we had to turn down.  The neighbors don't like the sound of the air conditioner outside their window.  Because of this every other meeting that happens in this church building will not have A/C.  It was 95 and humid yesterday.

This irked me and now I'm trying to figure out, in the cultural context of İstanbul Turkey, where do you draw the line?  Within the context of a biblical worldview is there even a line to be drawn?   I want to say that at some point the Christian needs to stand up and assert themselves to illustrate their own self worth.  However since that self worth is based on Christ, the assertion must involve service to Christ.  If this is the case we would have been justified in practicing at a proper volume.  This is something I'll be thinking about over a cup of tea.

A New Day Dawns, But Why Didn't I Sleep Last Night?

Robert and I left home at 7am on Saturday, and arrived safely in Istanbul around 10am on Sunday.  We crossed from the European side to the Asian side of Istanbul, and got to the apartment we are staying at by noon.  There is a 7 hour difference between here and home. So that means, all told, we were in transit for 22 hours.  Not bad for going what feels like half way around the world. 

I want to say that the sensory experience of being back in Istanbul overwhelmed me, but it didn't.  I enjoyed seeing familiar sights again.  Hearing Istanbul's unique traffic and road noises was a comfort to me, and the smell of cigarettes and diesel fumes was oddly reassuring that I was in the right place.  Of course there was the first taste of Tutku, one of my Turkish comfort foods, to welcome me back. All of this, though, wasn't as emotional as I figured it was going to be.  It just feels like, "Well, I'm back and I have a job to do so let's get to it."

The job I'm here to do is run sound for some hip hop artists on a two week tour of western Turkey.

Today there are a few possibilities of what may happen.  Either I get to drive back the European side where the airport is and pick up more of our team that's flying in today, or Robert and I will squeeze onto a Dolmuş and make our way out to where all our sound gear is kept to pack up the gear van for our tour.  There is always the third possibility, though, that something entirely different happens.

I'm excited to meet the people flying in today.  We may get some sightseeing in tomorrow and then buckle down for rehearsals on Wednesday and Thursday, but that's too far in the future to say for sure.  The key now is for Robert and me to stay flexible and serve the people here as best we can.

On the Road Again

This is just a short post to point out that I'm headed to Turkey again.  In fact I will be in my car in less than 1 hour starting the drive to Montreal.  From there I fly to Toronto, and then on to Istanbul where we meet more of the team.  After a day in Istanbul, we drive 18 hours across the country to Diyarbakir where we will meet the rest of the team and the Christian hip-hop group CTZN.  I will be the Sound Engineer for what will hopefully be two weeks of touring Turkey with this group and a couple musicians from Istanbul.

I'm not going alone, My friend Robert is coming with me to help with tech needs and driving.  I've tried to fill him in on what he's in for, but I know I've left something out.  Robert's always up for an adventure and any time I get to go overseas it's definitely and adventure.

Stay tuned, I'll keep you posted.

Here's a little bit of Blues Traveler to get your toe tapping.

The Quest For Nar

I've got a guest writer today.  Butterfly is going to write about a small part of our adventures today.

The Quest For Nar!!

This evening, towards the end of a nice dinner at Simit Sarayi, I decided I wanted some nar to have with my breakfast the next day. Nar is the Turkish word for Pomegranate. So I got Dad and Mike to join with me on the quest for nar! And we were off, in search of the perfect nar (or any nar, really). Just around the corner, I spotted some nice looking ones. But that place was only for making nar juice, so we continued on. We passed 5 or 6 places like this. Then finally, after an all around 30 min. walk we reached an outdoor market with veggies, fruit, and fish of all kinds. And then I saw it. The perfect nar!! The man gave me a large sample which I enjoyed, so we purchased a lovely yellowish nar. I walked back to the place we were staying very happy. I am now feasting upon the perfect nar, I couldn't wait until breakfast. But there is some left over for breakfast. 

Uncivilized

I wasn’t sure how my body was going to handle this trip.  Bouncing from one time zone to the next can take its toll.  So far though, with the help of a few strategic naps I’ve been ok.  Mike seems to be doing pretty well too.  We were talking a bit today (a day that started in Dushanbe, Tajikistan and ended in Istanbul, Turkey) about the term “civilized;” mostly about how it is a relative term.  In going from Dushanbe to Istanbul have we moved to a more civilized city, or is it simply more developed?

Forgive me for a bit, but I’m going to talk about toilets.  Many people in central Asia use what can be called a “squatty potty.”  It is basically a hole in the floor.  Whether a cement hole into a pit, or a porcelain hole that flushes, to my westernized mind this is uncivilized.  Take a minute though and think of it this way, to use a western style toilet you have to sit where other people have sat.  Now who’s the uncivilized one?

                                               What did you expect, a picture of a toilet?

Issues of clothing come to mind as well, specifically women’s head coverings.  Some western women view head coverings as a sign of gender oppression, an indicator of an uncivilized culture or regime.  At the same time some eastern women view the west’s lack of head coverings as a sign of impropriety and immorality.  Again who is uncivilized?

People can and will vehemently argue either side of these topics, which proves the point that on many issues that we think of as major points “civilized” is a relative term.  To gain some perspective though how can we use the absolute truth of the Gospel to define “civilized?”  I love having conversations with Mike because he’s good at focusing on Biblical truth for answers to most any question. 

Civilization reaches its high point when it is focused on love.  When a society can live in a loving way with a simple framework of rules it has progressed beyond what most of us have referred to as civilization all our lives.  

What can you do to make your civilization more civilized?

“Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or  rude. Love isn't selfish or quick tempered. It doesn't keep a record of wrongs that others do.  Love rejoices in the truth, but not in evil.  Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting.  Love never fails!” – ICor13:4-8a

A Framework of Understanding

The easiest way for me to learn new things is to relate it to what I already know.  Discovering the culture here in Tajikistan is no exception.  There are many cultural similarities to Kazakhstan, A larger country to the North that I visited about 8 years ago.  There are also some similarities to Turkey, but, not surprisingly, very few similarities to the US.

My first reminder that we were in a former Russian country like Kazakhstan was the large hats that the police wear.  To me they look a bit goofy, but to the Tajiks they are to be respected.  The second reminder was the visa process.  We had instructions to look for a small room to get them and it’s a good thing we did.  The door looked like it belonged on a broom closet.  We went in and found a long skinny room crammed full of people who could only use half the chairs in the room because of the large marble tables in the middle.  Down at the far end of this room were two men at desks with computers with the occasional sound of a dot matrix printer breaking the silence.  If it weren’t for someone from our flight telling us what to do we’d likely still be sitting there.  As it was we spent over an hour there waiting for a sticker to add to our passports.

Luckily it’s not all funny hats and long lines.  We met our host and he drove us to his house.  The house is also very similar to those of Kazakhstan.  The street he lives on looks like that of a village more than the center of a city of over one million people.  The pavement is rough, sewer pipes protrude like speed bumps in front of every house with that and the gate being the only way you can tell there’s a house there.  Either side of the road is a ten foot wall with gates large enough to drive a car into every 50 feet or so.  We got to one of these gates and our host got out of the car and opened it.  Inside there was a courtyard surrounded by rooms on three sides. The lavatory, wash room, kitchen, living room and our guest room are all accessed by doors to the outside in this courtyard.  While this gives a great feeling of sanctuary in the middle of the city, it also means a trip to the loo in the middle of the night requires a walk outside in any weather.  I enjoy this layout of a house, as do our hosts, but I could see why others wouldn’t.

There is a treat we’ve gotten here that I have a hard time hanging on my framework.  In the middle of the courtyard there are two persimmon trees.  From a distance they look like oranges, upon closer inspection they aren’t.  The texture is kind of like an apple, but mostly not.  I tried coming up with flavors I could compare them to, but couldn’t.  I do know that I enjoy them and so do the children of our hosts.

But What Have You Been Doing?

Our adventure started 14 hours before our scheduled flight time.  We left so early because we didn’t know what to expect on long island considering the damage from the hurricane the week before.  Our trip down I-87 was blissfully uneventful and our drivers got out of NYC on the leading edge of a snowstorm.  After a 4 hour delay because of the snow storm I had already watched an “in-flight” movie, got to see firsthand what it looks like to de-ice a plane and gotten very excited because we were finally on our way!

This is the ground crew spraying what looks like Rain-X on the wing

We arrived in Istanbul on Thursday night.  By the time we got here the people waiting at the airport to meet us had left because Turkish airlines never posted that the flight was late.  I was excited by the challenge though of getting all 3 of us from Europe to Asia.  In case you didn’t know Istanbul is the only major city in the world on two different continents.  The airport is on the European side and our apartment and most of my friends are on the Asian side.  I got the privilege of getting a cab at the airport at which point my Butterfly thought I was impressive for telling the cabbie where we were going and figuring out the cost in Turkish.  So we went from the plane to the cab and from the cab to the “Deniz Otobusu.”  This is Turkish for “Sea Bus.”  The Sea Bus is a double hull, high speed, ferry boat that took us from the shores of Europe to Asia where some friends were waiting for the approximately 10 block walk to our apartment for the next few days.  These 3 friends are artists and musicians that we’ll get to know better later in our stay.

A street of beautiful restaurants that we found just after we ate at a diner.

It’s now Saturday night and we’ve spent two days in meetings that I won’t go into the details of here and doing a bit of sightseeing.  I think for the most part the sightseeing is an excuse to get some exercise and fresh air.  We’ve so far been to the Blue Mosque and the Grand Bazaar and only gotten lost a little bit in the streets surrounding the Sultanahmet area of Istanbul.  It has been a great few days with some profitable conversations and perhaps a little Cokokrem.

Breakfast of champions!

A Fate Worse Than No Internet

There is something worse than having no internet service at all.  That’s having some internet.  I don’t say this to try and compare access to FaceBook with clean drinking water or a roof over your head.  I can certainly do without it, but I woke up this morning (thanks to jet lag) at 4am.  Some -quick- groggy, early morning math told me that would be 8pm back at home.  This would be a great time to video chat with Tricia and the kids.  My expectations high, my hopes were up.  I opened my laptop and it automatically connected to the local wi-fi, however after 30 minutes of reconnecting, rebooting and growling at my computer, here I am, still offline.  The router won’t connect to the internet.

Sometimes I feel the same way about my family’s adventures in trying to get here to live in Turkey for the past few years.  We go through times of hopeful expectation when we think access to this world is only moments away. At any time we could get a call that would make it all happen.  Then there are other times that we’ve gone through an entire re-boot and entered into a period where we knew we weren’t going anywhere for a year or more.

The common factors in this comparison are expectations and hope.

I always expect baklava to be delicious.

Unmet expectations can be a source of great frustration.  In living cross-culturally how we react to them is crucial.  I’ve had years of living with unmet expectations.  Some I’ve dealt with in healthy ways, others not.  At the moment I’m dealing with unmet expectations in a productive way, by writing this post instead of sulking, getting angry, or trying to break into the office where the wireless router is.  The key to reacting well to unmet expectations is remaining flexible.  We need to be able to set aside our preferences for the sake of self control, peace and joy.

Hope is different than expectation.  Hope puts trust in something.  My hope this morning was putting trust in technology which is never a safe thing to do.  My hope for moving to Turkey, however, is putting trust in God.  Which of these makes more sense?  Obviously a hope in God is much more well-founded.  It is a house built on rock instead of sand.  While I may struggle with it for a while I will eventually give up on the hope of technology working, but I will not give up on my hope in God.  He has given me my dreams, desires and talents for a reason and I will be faithful to pursue those dreams and use those talents wherever He has me no matter what.

I'm At It Again

I love the fall. Apples, hot air balloons, the mountains painted beautiful shades of red, yellow and orange, the crisp, cool air, the surprise of the first frost and the anticipation of the first snow all hold a thrill for me, but this fall I've got some extra excitement. I'm going halfway around the world again, this time with my second oldest daughter, butterfly and my friend/pastor, Mike. 

We will be going to Turkey and Tajikistan.

I've been working hard the past couple of days getting ready to do something I love doing on my way over to Turkey. I get to be a "mule."  Each time I go I load up on stuff that's easy to get here and hard to get over there.   The week before the trip I get packages showing up on my doorstep and for the mere effort of carrying the goodies onto and off of a plane I get to see everyone's excitement when I deliver them in Turkey.  This time the big excitement is supplies for American thanksgiving that are hard to find in Turkey, like condensed milk and Stove Top stuffing. No, I will not be bringing turkey to Turkey.

I'm also getting ready by trying to answer Butterfly's many questions.  I know I can't explain everything I her, but I'm trying to give her as much information as I can so that she knows what to expect.  She is very excited and understandably so.  Butterfly is very much a people person and is looking forward to making a lot of new friends.

Something else I need to do that always seems to take a back seat is get myself ready to go. This goes beyond simply packing a suitcase. I love my wife and kids and it's not easy to leave them for weeks at a time.  I have to mentally prepare for that.  I also have to do my best to tie up loose ends at work to make sure I'm not leaving any customers in the lurch for 2 weeks.

My final point about what goes into preparing for this trip should be the most important since it is the whole purpose for travelling 6,000 miles in the first place.  I have to set up meetings.  Mike gets to meet my friends and coworkers.  I'm thrilled about these meetings for many reasons, but mostly because it means I've got one more person here in my current hometown that knows what it's like where my heart is.  My Dad got to go a few years ago and now he 'gets' it.  Now Mike is coming and will understand more about me by having been there.

As you can see there's a lot going through my mind and I would appreciate it if you would pray for the three of us and our trip half-way around the world.

Tour Wrap Up

The end of each tour is always a mix of emotions. This tour is no exception.

Our final full show, meaning we set up the entire sound system and rocked the party, was in the center of Peja. We set up on a well traveled walking street and as soon as we got the sound system up and running people came over to see what was going on. Something about the system set up there just felt so good. The bass was shaking the ground and the highs were heard far and wide. Overall the performance was amazing, but every now and then I got bummed out that this was our last show of the tour.

The next day was another amazing day in Kosovo. We drove up through Rugova Canyon. I love any chance to get out into nature and especially if I can get up into the mountains. The mountains near Peja are beautiful and no picture can do justice for the feeling you get from being in the middle of them. The river was fresh and cold and the cliff faces were awe inspiring. It was an incredibly refreshing time and a perfect way to close out the tour of Kosovo. I was disappointed when we had to leave to do our follow-up event. Rest assured, however that God had more refreshing in store.

Our follow-up event was a backyard barbecue at a friend's house. This friend was from the US and his yard showed it. The ground was smooth and the grass was soft. It was the perfect place to lay and listen to the acoustic set we did that night. Our host was a great addition to the music with his cello. Combine that with the smell of the barbecue and top it off with people getting to talk to our new friends from the concert the night before, and you've got yourself a wonderful evening.

Goodbyes were said to our friends in Kosovo and I made the drive with two others back to Istanbul. As I write this I'm sitting in a friends apartment in Istanbul and having it confirmed in my mind that this is where my heart is. The sounds, the smells, the sights all combined with the needs here and my God granted ability to meet those needs convinces me time and time again that I love Turkey and the work I can do here. I'm not talking about the, “I just vacationed in Hampton beach and I loved it,” kind of love. This is the kind of love that is connected with God's heart for a people. This love cries out, “be reconciled to God” and is willing to get dirty to make sure people hear that message.

Time and Time Again

We've had four more performances since my last post. Each one has amazed me in new ways. The first one was in a town called Malisheve. I refer to our time in Malisheve as “surreal” because so many amazing things happened there. They have a new million dollar theater there that they had opened with a ribbon cutting ceremony two weeks before we got there. Guess who got to have the first performance on the new stage? We did! This came about because our contact in that town is good friends with the mayor. At the end of the night we decided that instead of a follow-up event we would perform in the park at a time when kids were usually around to catch a bus.

I never know what to expect when we do open air events. It's a lot of speculating about where crowds will be when and whether or not they'll stick around to listen to our music and talk with us. We're factoring in how rowdy or hostile the crowd will be as well. While we were setting up there were a few kids around trying to talk to me in Albanian even though I kept telling them that I don't understand them. There were also others who spoke English. Every one of these people asked me what was going on, and why were we doing this. When I explained that we are touring Kosovo to bring a message of love they were excited and told me how glad they were that we came to their town.

The performance was great and some people got to have good conversations with the people there. After the performance we had something else to deal with. Both of our vans were in the shop for oil changes and a once over and it appeared our passenger van was in need of some serious repair. It had been driving a bit funny, the steering was off, the idle was rough and it had no parking brake. It was possible that it needed a new front axle to the tune of 300 Euro just for the parts. We went back to our contact's house where he and his wife blessed us with their hospitality and encouraged us to trust God. We worshiped and prayed and got a call. The van was ready. All of the things I mentioned were fixed and the mechanics charged us for nothing more than the oil change. Because of their friendship with our contact the mechanics did all the extra work for nothing and we didn't need the axle. We left the town praising God. Even though the day left me emotionally worn-out.

The next town was Prizren. The forms to get permission to perform on a walking street in the middle of town had been filed a month prior to our scheduled time there, but no one had given us permission for a full show yet. We went planning to do an acoustic street show instead. Two songs into our acoustic set an official walked up and saw what we were doing and told us we could do the full show. While we're happy to do whatever we can, the full show tends to be more effective in communicating our message. So we were excited. Again people of every age were gathering around to find out what was going on and were excited to see the show. And again great conversations were had after the show.

The next day was a much needed day off.

Our concert last night was in an old theater. Any time we get to a new venue I'm always concerned about what kind of situation we'll have to deal with for the power. This venue was sketchy at best. Outlets were dangling out of the walls and light switches were warm if you left them on too long. But we made it through. We got all set up and were ready to start a few minutes after our scheduled 5:00 start time, the only problem was there was no one there to watch us. A few of us went out and hit the streets to let the neighborhood know what was going on and by 6:00 the theater was mostly full of what can conservatively be called a very lively crowd. They were clapping, shouting and dancing. There were some times that I thought a riot might break out, but they were just having a good time. Many of us thought that there was no way the crowd was hearing our message because they were so rowdy, but we were all proven wrong. Today we're going back to the same town to sit a talk over a cup of coffee

Nuk Flas Shqip

The cultural situation here in Kosovo is fascinating. Basically the majority of the people in Kosovo consider themselves ethnically Albanian and Kosovar simultaneously. It was only 3 years ago that they declared their independence from Serbia. This independence isn't recognized by Serbia, Russia or China (among others) and it was far from being a peaceful event. This means that a vast majority of the population has close, personal experience with the hardships of war. Yet despite this potential for emotional devastation the Kosovar people are generally happy and friendly. Every one of them love Americans for the help they gave during the war. There's even a street here in the capital named after Bill Clinton, who was the president at the time. I have yet do discover whether it intersects with Mother Theresa boulevard. These aspects of the Kosovar culture are the backdrop of the conversations we get to have after our concerts here.

We've had 3 performances so far. One was our full set-up with enough power to run sound and lights. It was a great chance to experience positioning everything we have and work out all of our kinks. About 300 – 400 people showed up in the park to watch, including a number of people from a local Church. At this point I've learned enough Albanian language to get the people here excited that I know some. From there I need to rely on their understanding of English or a translator. So after this first concert I stuck to taking care of the equipment while the translators we had worked with people on our team that were on stage and had more people coming to them to talk. There were some good conversations and we invited a few to a follow-up event where we'll be able to share more openly.

The second day we were supposed to perform near a park that has a pool bigger than some ponds. The weather turned cold however, and they decided not to open for the day. We'll go back there later in the tour. We decided that since the concert was canceled we should do some street performance. So with 2 acoustic guitars, a snare drum, a viola and a harmonica in hand, we hit the streets. The results were some amazing conversations and a chance to invite people to the follow-up event.

The third performance was the follow-up event in a controlled venue. Having a concert in a controlled venue means we can be completely open with our message and not have to be thinking about being kicked out. We had a small crowd for this performance. This was good because it allowed for more intimate conversations about deep spiritual matters. The people from the Church who came are now in a great position to carry on these new relationships.

Preparation and Anticipation

The last 2 days have been spent getting reacquainted with old friends, meeting new friends learning new songs, learning a new language, learning a new culture, and discovering God's heart for Kosovo.

Getting reacquainted with Old friends is the easy part. Three of the people I'm touring with I've met before. I get to hear about new children, new adventures, new opportunities and life lessons in the midst of relationships that are picking up right where they left off even though time and thousands of miles have separated us.

The other 8 are all people I met for the first time on this tour. Most of these people I've talked to over e-mail, but now those names have faces and beautiful personalities. Usually I tend to be reserved when meeting new people, unless I'm in a pretty comfortable situation. In this case everyone has been so warm and friendly that I've been able to feed off of that and be myself. This may also have to do with the fact that many of them are part of the group in Istanbul that counts me as one of them and prays for my family on a regular basis, even though we live half way around the world.

So we have 12 people on this tour and we've just gotten done with our second and last day of rehearsal. A rehearsal day was 9am-6pm of band practice in a local church. It is rather tiring and rewarding at the same time. All the band members are great musicians and they've made great progress on a large amount of music. We also have members of the tour doing dance, drama, and fire poi during the performances. Again each one of these people are very skilled at what they do. It's a pleasure to work with them all, not because they're good at what they do (even though they are), not because I get to work with them in Kosovo (which is beautiful), and not because I'm being paid well for this, (because I'm not), but because each one of them is using their God given talents to serve Him.

Kosovo is amazing. I've got a few words of Albanian down. I can now say “yes” “no” “Thank you” and “I don't speak Albanian.” While I love Turkey I will say that the people there tend to be rather stern. One of the first things I noticed on the streets in Kosovo was two men who looked like farmers. The remarkable part about it was that they were smiling as they looked out at the fields. My first impression is that people from Kosovo are generally pleasant and friendly. This is relieving, because if they were grumpy I would think that this would be a waste of an amazing landscape.

Just and interesting note that Kosovo is a young country. They declared their independence from Serbia all of 3 years ago. In fact, I just added Kosovo to my spell check dictionary. More on that later.

Our first concert is tomorrow night and already one of the men on our team has had a chance to pray with someone he met on the streets here. I'm very excited to see what happens when we get to get out there and get loud for God. There is so much more I want to tell you all, but some stories are best told in person.