The Pod: Final Sunday

Pete with Clavin, Ara with Sejama, Nadia with Harrison, and Me

Our last Sunday in Taksim. Calvin has really enjoyed his Sunday routines. He loves going to church because it always meant some interactions with new people and new experiences each week for us. Living on campus can be very isolated at times and the contact we have with people outside of those on campus is quite limited, so going to church has been, in a lot of ways, like stretching our arms in the morning. It gets the juices flowing and reminds us we are alive and part of the bigger world.

Nadia with her "Canım"

The church here is only a branch, but it is quite strong. The people who come in and out of the ward are quite transient since many come with contracts to work and don't always stay past a few years or so. There have been some great families and individuals that we have interacted with while we were here and I don't want to forget them: The Burgess Family - Chris, Lesa, KelliJo, Zoey and Ava(who was born in Turkey after they left and returned) ; McCollums - Johnathan, Christine, Atticus, Sherman, and Cincinattus; The Reed's - Jill, Dave, and Sarah; Eliason's - Aimee, her husband and her 2 beautiful daughters; Palmer's - Jason, Elvira, Sejama, and Zelanda (and one on the way); Dillard's - Joanna, Justin, Kaylee, Justin, and Allison; Margaret; Ara and Nadia; Mine; Amy; Ceker's - Susan, Murat, Leah, Sarah, Ece and the two older boys -- I think that is it. I am not sure I used commas properly, but you know what I mean. There was also David from the Canary Islands last year and Olam from Iran. There is also Cookie from Eritrea and the new girl Sarah as well. Alsp Asli and then the Mexican man whose wife is Turksih and whose son is adorable, but I can't remember their names Brother Yilmaz will always be remembered fondly -- he gave Calvin this awesome hat with a fan in it that we just gave away.

There are other people (not many) whose names I don't know or faces passed so briefly that I can't recall them. When we arrived the Millet's were the Elder Missionaries here and then the Loosli's came and recently went and now the Pasquete's (sp?) are here. It is interesting seeing the Elder missionary couples have such great experiences and how they change from when they arrive to the point when they are ready to leave. I am sure someone is watching us and thinking the same thing.