Beauty from Ashes: Seeing Jesus in the Earthquake Zone

At 4 a.m. on February 6, 2023, a devastating earthquake struck southern Turkey, killing around 55,000 people across Turkey and Syria. Frontiers teams responded alongside others to bring aid and to grieve with the thousands who had lost loved ones. Denise continues to travel regularly into the earthquake zone, supporting families who lost everything and are still rebuilding their lives. She recently shared a WhatsApp message she received from one of the women:

“You are such a precious person to us! How blessed we are that God has granted us a good-hearted person like you. I can see your love, compassion, and patience as you’re caring for people and bringing us peace. You are teaching us to take time for ourselves, clean our lives, find peace in the chaos, as you live among us. How lucky we are! You opened my blind eyes, so I can see life differently now; we forgot how to live and how to value what really matters in life. You add colour to people’s lives. You revitalise dull lives. This is so valuable. I’m so thankful for you.”

Denise says, “How blessed we are too, to have the chance to meet these people and be part of their journeys. To hear them share their understanding as they read from the gospels for the first time. How encouraging it is to see them grow and we look forward to what the Lord will do with their lives!”

Through Denise’s encouragement, several groups of Muslim women have begun gathering to read the Bible together. Denise guides them on where to read and equips key women to lead the studies. In one of her recent visits she asked the women: “What have you learned about Jesus from the lessons you have read together? Who is He?”

“I learned that Jesus is like God, like His Helper for us to understand God, and He is incredibly powerful!”

One of them answered: “I never knew Jesus died and rose again.” Another one said: “I never knew He did so many miracles.” Another lady, who usually claims not to understand anything, answered, “I learned that Jesus is like God, like His Helper for us to understand God, and He is incredibly powerful!”

These women less than one year ago had no desire to learn anything about Jesus. Through their faithfulness to continue to meet and read together they’re slowly seeing Jesus! God is meeting them and God himself is teaching them just as Jesus promised (John 6:45).

Please pray for them and their families and relatives who are hearing the stories. Pray that these groups will multiply.