LIKE A RARE DISEASE

In Poisonwood Bible, author Barbara Kingsolver writes, “I was afflicted with Africa like a bout of a rare disease, from which I have not managed a full recovery.”

When I read that, my soul vibrated with the knowledge that I knew exactly what she meant. I feel the same way about Turkey. Jer and I were there from May of 1991 to December of 1992 - eighteen months. We would have liked to be there twenty-eight months, or longer. There was never a day that we questioned, or regretted, our decision to accept moving there. Yes, there were days where life was not easy, but never was there a day that we weren't surprised, delighted, or exhilarated by what we were experiencing. We never knew each morning what kind of water was going to come out of the faucet - or what color the water would be, or whether anything at all would come out. Once I got caught in an elevator during a short power failure, and the Turks kept yelling at me, "We will rescue you. Don't panic. We will take care of you" while I stood in the little elevator and laughed. The Turks to a man (and a woman) were kind, generous, hospitable, helpful and gracious.

The country was unbelievably interesting - and old. One day our driver was taking us on a ride through the countryside near Istanbul and we came across a directional sign that said in Turkish "Hannibal's Grave" and pointed to the right. Imagine! Hannibal's Grave! We found blue-eyed, fair-skinned, blond and very westernized Turks in Istanbul


and black haired, darker skinned and sometimes rather oriental-looking Turks in the center of Turkey.


Only in the area around the Black Sea did we see any who looked like what Hollywood has always portrayed as the fierce fighting Turk.

I have not yet recovered from Turkey. To some extent the experience is being kept alive because I researched and compiled a book on a Protestant Cemetery in Istanbul while I was there, and I am still being asked to present talks on this cemetery to various genealogy societies. Sometimes there is a perception that the genealogists are going to hear very little more than a travelogue - but from the responses I get afterwards, they are inspired and challenged by what I found to do in that tiny 4 acres in Istanbul. I hope I do not ever recover from Turkey. It was a life-altering experience that is continuing to be a source of happiness each day.