CC Team Escapes Injury While Turkish Pastor & Wife Perish in Earthquake

Please pray for the team from Calvary Chapel Bozeman, MT, that has been churchplanting in Antakaya (Antioch), Turkey. While the church’s team members escaped injury from the devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake that occurred yesterday, they were sad to report that one of the Turkish pastors and his wife whom they knew, Pastor Hakan and Pola, were buried in the rubble and are presumed dead. 

Miraculously, their 10-year-old son, Yoel, was unhurt, according to CC Bozeman Senior Pastor Ted Ethridge. A fundraising campaign for the youth was started at CC Bozeman. Prayer is asked for Yoel as well as the Turkish church that his parents left behind.

Pastor Ted is planning on sending relief teams over to Turkey to assist. He also added that one of the Christian books that Pastor Hakan wrote in Turkish was titled Are you ready for the last seconds?

At this point, it is confirmed by news sources that over 7,700 people have perished while 6,000 buildings have collapsed in Turkey and nearby Syria. This was one of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded in Turkey. Pastor Ted reported that several years ago a door opened to come alongside a church planting effort in Turkey. The church has one couple already on the ground there and another in the preparation stage. Groups from CC Bozeman have taken several mission trips there.