Baba- translates to father in Arabic and Turkish. This name mean so much to me.. This is the story of how I met baba.
Finally! After a whole 24 hours of flying we finally arrived to our destination! The place we would be for 2 months on our out reach to turkey! We were all so anxious to see the hostile we were staying at in Antalya, Turkey. We were picked up at the air port and driving straight to Ursula hotel. We pulled up to see a group of Turks waiting for us at the door. One woman Stood and the guide informed us, this is Ezra, she can speak english and she is also a Christian, but no one else knows. She was very pretty petite lady she greeted us all with hugs, and says welcome welcome and also says welcome in Turkish. Her boyfriend the hotel owner stood nodding his head with a halfway smile on his face, his name Is Soner. We called him Hollywood after getting to know him.. He was always dressed to impress.. He couldn't speak English but seemed to know all the American movies stars names as he call Patrick brad Pitt and me Angelina, we thought with his slick back hair and nice clothes we would call him Hollywood. Then we saw a short older man on crutches with a smile from ear to ear! He seemed ashamed to be handicapped but I saw the sweetest spirit I have ever seen. His right leg was gone from the knee down, he couldn't speak any English but he wore the most genuine smile. He would smile so big his eyes would be squinty on his darkened sun kissed skin. He was probably 60 years or older. As the days go by we noticed how how was up late every night and he was up when the hot Mediterranean sun came out. He would always have fresh baked goods and tea on the table as he would sit looking off into the distance i would come and sit at the table with him and he would quickly pour me some tea and break a piece of his bread and share his olives.. Most of the time Ezra was there and she would sit with us and we would enjoy the morning together. Esra would be talking to me asking me questions and I didn't want to leave the sweet man out so I asked her to translate. His face lit up as I asked him questions.. I asked hi. About his children and he said he has a daughter that looks like me, and he said he will call me Gizem which means daughter.. So I asked what is father in Turkish....? And Ezra said baba! So I looked at him as said baba as I pointed at him and smiled. Morning after morning night after night our team spent time with baba! He call me daughter, no one else.. But everyone called him baba! Even Esra and Hollywood. One thing I noticed about baba was every time the Muslim call to prayer would blare over the loud speakers he would pray either where he was, he would get out prayer beads or he would make his way slowly up to the third floor to get on his knees on his carpet and pray. He was so devote. It taught me a thing or two watching baba! We had so much fun together many laughs teaching baba English. I would take my breakfast out side to share with him. He tried the french dish crepes with nutella for the first time. I said crepes slowly so he could pronounce it.. And he pointed to the crepes and said crapps!!! I laughed so hard! We had so much fun together! One early morning I woke up to a cat squalling loudly! I got up and saw the cat jumped to the bottom to the drained pool.. So I went Down stairs and helped the frantic kitty out. On my way up I see baba with a thick book under his arm as he makes his way up stairs. He greeted me with a good morning in Turkish "" and I tried to explain the cat in the pool the best I could in the little Turkish I knew. He seemed to understand and laugh a bit. But I couldn't keep ,y eyes off the book Pinned under his arm. I pointed and asked.. Allah...? (god in Arabic) he said yes. After that I know it was a religious book.. And I told him I was going back to sleep. Ugh I wished I could speak Turkish so bad!! I laid in the bad with such a heavy heart for baba! I prayed for him.. I felt God love for him so strong! It was so deep, tears rolled down my face as I told God to reveal himself to baba. I heard god say softly you have a book I want him to read and the time will come when you will give it to him. So that day was our off day so I slept in. I woke up went down stairs and saw baba and Ezra at the table. We sat had tea and talked. I Told Ezra about the cat in pool and told her to tell baba. I the. Asked about the book he was reading this morning. She said it's a book of prayers Lindsey, she went on to tell me.. See Lindsey baba do not believe like us. He does not believe it Jesus she says.. So I told her to tell him this.. I have a book of prayers too. I have the incl which is the new testament. In Islam it's considered s holy book and is recommend to read, but not many Muslims have access to it. He agreed! I asked if he has one. He said no.. Then I got off subject, I asked Ezra, do you think he would mind if I asked him about his leg.. And she asked him for me. He got hit by a car. He then tells me his son got kidnapped and was missing for years. He found him when he was older spent a year with him. His son had a bread shop on the street, another shop owner became jealous because his costumers came to his shop and one afternoon the jealous owner killed baba's son! He sat there quietly as Ezra translated. Tears came to my eyes.. I told him I was very sorry. Then I go on to tell him about how Jesus was Gods son.. And then Ezra goes on to explain everything in Turkish, taking breaks to tell me what she is saying In English. " now I'm telling his Jesus is gods son and he died for him to give him life. That God loves him. He nodded and said somethings. She looked at me and said Lindsey he says he believes this. So I excused myself and ran to my room got the new testament and wrapped it in a bandanna and gave it to baba as a gift. He kissed it and gently placed it on His forehead. He said My grandmother read me this when I was a boy. He never had one of his own. He said he would read it in two days. Nothing else was said about the gift. We left 1 week after he received it. With tears in his eyes we hugged baba goodbye. That man changed my life.. I know the Lord changed his.
I'm still intouch with ezra, and she is still my translator to give baba our love.
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