"Cok Mesgul" in Bodrum

"Cok Mesgul"...pronounced "choke meshgul" means we are VERY BUSY in Bodrum! Cok, Cok!

Our first day (Thursday), we joined with Laura and her team for a tour of the hotel and all the venues for the weekend. They then got us busy putting gift bags together and creating table centre pieces and name tags. Before we quit for the day we spent a wonderful time together in prayer.

Friday morning we began preparation of the main conference area for the arrival of 215 attendees; putting conference packets together - schedules, seminars, name tags. Each woman also received a personal note from another woman who had prayed and wrote a letter of love and encouragement (many of the women have commented that they were blessed to receive these special words). Life became a blur once 2:00 hit and it was non-stop line ups right until our first session began at 7:00. All hands were on deck!

Amy has been the "hospitality extrordinaire", working with Jeannie and Carol in making sure all the little details of gifts and goodies are attended to. Jaki, Francesca and Katie have a great group of youth and they have had some amazing times together. Margaret and Nida are definitely in their element in the nursery - really cute babies. Dawn has been meeting with many of women for one-on-one prayer times. And I have been learning the ropes from Erica with the power point and technical. I have also been the team "papparazzi", snapping photos and trying to catch those moments of "love in action".

The most special times for me have been with the small group I have been leading (with Amy) after the plenary sessions. There are women here from all over the world and its been very meaningful for me to hear how they have heard the call from the Lord to come to Turkey. Our experiences have been eerily the same...when I listen to their stories my heart burns with a knowing. Though we come from many different lands and backgrounds He has chosen to speak to each one of us in a way that joins us together.

This morning (Saturday), we had our second plenary session and had a chance this afternoon to get out of the hotel and see some of this beautiful coastal city. As I'm writing now, we are getting ourselves prepared for the evening session. Tonight will be a focused time of worship and regional prayer for the country. Please continue to pray for each of the women who are ministering and for Laura and her team.

We have been recieving many comments, encouragements and prayers...thank you. There is so much happening all at the same time and I know that each one of the team is experiencing their own journey with the Lord here. You'll be hearing more from each one in the next few days but for now I wanted to let you know that we are all healthy, happy and finding Refuge in Him.

Love & Blessings,
Rhonda