About Haven of Hope Marriage Ministry - Turkey
Our Vision for the Ministry in Turkey is two fold first it to encourage the English speaking workers while they are in the field, and to enable them to continue their work with the Turkish people, and to help enrich their marriages. We also have a desire over the next 4-years to reproduce ourselves by training and raising up couples (English & Turkish speakers) to do what we are doing with couples so that when we leave the field there will be couples to carry on the work of caring for couples that need some help in their marriages.
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13
Quote from a worker couple in Turkey. "If we need to work on our marriage, we must pack up the family, fly home and stay with family. While home our time will be divided by taking care of personal business, visiting family and friends, and trying to work on our marriage. It is a gift you bring to us to have this ministry available for us here."
Quote from Jayson Knox, International Turkish Network. "healthy marriages is critical...Turkey is a hard field and it is hard to keep workers on the field for so many reasons...to see any of these dear ones head home before their assignment finishes is tragic...for the families, for those who send them, to those in Turkey who watch the witness of their lives closely...It is not that we just have to re-invest tens of thousands to recruit, train and deploy more workers...how much better to strengthen the marriages of those already there."
Answering the Call
What a surprise for us to hear the Lord calling us out of our comfort zone into a time of ministry in Turkey. We are awed and humbled that our Lord would call us.
The call began December 2006 with our first visit to Turkey and was confirmed with our more recent visit of May through June 2008.
He has opened multiple doors for ministry for us to walk through. We have had nothing but encouragement from the workers there to return to them. The Lord has put a love for the Turkish people and the counry on our hearts that we cannot deny.
"Heading Home"
In less than 30 hours Pat and I depart for Austin. We are excited about returning for the holiday season. It will be great to see our sons, daughter-in-law, grand kids, and of course our church family. I was looking at our calendar and there are not too many empty places. So we know that the time will really fly by. In the past couple of weeks I have been writing to folks about "heading home." As I began to think about "heading home," I realized that in a big way we were not really "heading home," but heading for Austin. Why would I think that? Simply said home for me is a place that is our own, not necessarily that we own, where we go for peace and security.
Several days ago, I talked with Pat about what I was feeling and thinking about regarding "heading home." As we talked about it we both came to the same conclusion. We are excited about going to Austin to visit and we know that we are going to enjoy our time. However, in June of 2008 we believe that God called us to Turkey to help couples strengthen their marriages without having to leave the country. We sold our home and car and felt total peace about moving to live in a foreign country. For the past 11-months we have lived in a house that we now call home. It is a home that is about a quarter of the size of our former home in Cedar Park. We traded our car for riding a Dolmish, mini bus, or walking around town. With that said I can honestly say that I am not complaining, because Pat and I truly have experienced "the peace that passes all understanding." We have been very content and filled with His peace. As we talked, we decided that we are going to Austin for the holiday season to enjoy family and friends, but when it is time to leave Austin, we will be" headed home" to Turgutreis, Turkey which we believe will be our home for the next 5 -years at which time we will return to Austin where we will once again be at home. If you are ever in the area, please stop by you are always welcome at our home.
Haven of Hope Turgutreis, Turkey
It is so hard to believe that 9-months have elapsed since our arrival here in Turgutreis in January 09. It has been an amazing year. Upon our arrival, we wondered how long it would take for us to get networked so that the word would get out for those needing help. It did not take long, the first week we were here, I attended a regional conference where I met a couple that indicated that they would contact us soon. In February we were contacted by that couple letting us know of their desire to come to us for a "Marriage Intensive." Since that phone call, we haven't looked back. We have been busy every since! We count it great joy to be able to help couples that are hurting. We also have been able to provide Pre-marital counseling for 2-couples. God is so good.
The couple that we worked with are connected with a sending agency out of Canada, and because the couple had good results from their intensive they let their home office know about their positive results. We were contacted by their home office and asked to consider being available for 17- couples that are spread around the Eurasia area. Their leadership likes the idea that their couples in crisis could leave their post and come to Turgutreis to receive care. We will be speakers at their "Euarasia Conference" in Tunisia during the first week of November. We will return to America 10-days after the conference to visit family, friends and to raise support for 2010. We already have an Intensive, a Marriage Workshop, and Marriage Conference on the calendar.
We love you and appreciate your prayers and financial support. We can't do what we do without you.
I
Here is our contact information.
US Mail: P.O. Box 3895, Cedar Park, TX. 78630 (mail will not be forwarded to Turkey)
Turkey Mail: Amiral Turgutreis Caddesi 15/25
Turgutreis/Bodrum
Mugla
Turkiye 48960
US Phone: 512 772 4287 (remember we will be 8 hours ahead of CST)
(Austin number that calls Mark's computer in Turkey but the charge to the caller is the same as calling Austin)
Turkey Phone: 252 382 2067
Skype searcg for mark.juarez or Patricia Juarez
Contributions: Haven of Hope
Church Planters International
13427 Pond Springs Rd.
Austin, TX 78729
Travel Schedule:
Nov18th - January 11th Holiday in Austin, TX
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