Road Trip: Ancient City (Part III)

We finished hiking around, pet one last little goat, made our way back to our van. Then we wound back through the town and got on the highway. I turned back around to look at that mountain (the one that was supposed to have a church on top of it) one last time. I noticed a light brown path winding all the way up and  mentioned it to CC. Of course, he hollered, "Anybody up for hiking up that mountain with me and finding that church?!" He had two takers. I really, really wanted to try to find it, but I knew there was no way the Turks would make it up that mountain without injury, meltdown, tears, all of the above. They were already tired, and it was so steep. But the middle girls took their Papa up on the offer.

The path was clear and easy to follow, but it was very winding because of the height of the mountain. Firstborn and I sat in the van speculating why they would build a church up there. Closer to God? More glory for Him? Safer? We kept seeing three little dots...white, pink, and brown (their shirts). We also saw many, many mountain goats hopping from rock to rock, right around our trio. Believe it or not, Turkcell came through for us and we had cell phone contact. I reported to him that we had a little group of Turkish boys surrounding our van who had clearly not seen a foreigner in a very long time, if ever. CC reported that they were giving up. They were at the top, hadn't found it, and there was another steep bluff hidden from our view which had no path. And then, just as they began to head back, they found the remains of a building structure, in the shape of a cross. And they found 2 baptisimal basins.

They found it! And boy did those girls sleep well (and eat alot!) that night! I would like to think that those early believers know that in spite of earthquakes and invasions, their little church (and The Church) remains. Amen!