She prayed for an opportunity to share Christ with her Turkish friend. Although Turkey is officially a secular state, more than 99 percent of its citizens are Muslim, totaling about 60 million. In spite of an official policy of religious freedom, believers suffer persecution and sometimes imprisonment for their faith. Geographically, Turkey is in a strategic position, straddling the European and Asian continents and bordered by four seas. Under his leadership the new secular nation abolished polygamy and the wearing of veils, and gave women permission to vote.
Turkey is also rich in Christian history.
All seven churches mentioned in the book of Revelation are located in Turkey, as well as many of the cities the apostle Paul visited on his missionary journeys. Visitors to Cappadocia can see hundreds of elaborately painted caves where believers lived and worshipped together. Since Islam took hold, only a handful of Turks have followed Jesus, although this is changing. It is difficult to know for sure, but there may be as few as 500 Turkish believers in Turkey. Bible correspondence courses have brought more than half of these believers to Christ.