In the Middle East, people never take photos during a funeral. It would be considered irreverent and offensive. And yet, On the first day of 4G3/MELTI's team arrival right after the Turkey earthquake, the 4G3/MELTI team attended the funeral of five families who had lost many to the earthquake in Syria.
It was strange going to the funeral of people the 4G3/MELTI team did not know but people who were part of the body of Christ. Those families had been in Turkey for many years, and their only connection with their families back home in Syria was calling them daily on Viber or WhatsApp and hearing their voices. It gave them hope that maybe one day they would meet again. "Now, we will never even have that luxury, the luxury of hearing their voices. Although we had lost hope of ever seeing each other again, at least we talked and knew how they were doing. We have lost even that luxury of ever hearing their voices again." The 4G3/MELTI team spoke about how we are all connected, whether they are alive or dead. They have now become the victorious church seeing Jesus face to Face. They were very touched and insisted on taking pictures, which is very unusual at a funeral. However, they were so comforted by the practicality of the resurrection story that they wanted to keep this moment and remember that team who comforted them through the Holy Spirit.
Pray for those who have lost loved ones in the Turkey/Syria earthquake that they would not doubt God's goodness.