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Photo Source:
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People Name: | Turk |
Country: | Tunisia |
10/40 Window: | Yes |
Population: | 1,200 |
World Population: | 67,710,500 |
Primary Language: | Turkish |
Primary Religion: | Islam |
Christian Adherents: | 0.00 % |
Evangelicals: | 0.00 % |
Scripture: | Complete Bible |
Ministry Resources: | Yes |
Jesus Film: | Yes |
Audio Recordings: | Yes |
People Cluster: | Turkish |
Affinity Bloc: | Turkic Peoples |
Progress Level: |
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Turkey is considered to be a "link" between the Orient (Chinese and Mongols) and the Occidental (Anglo-Saxons, Slavs, Goths, and Latins). The Turk, therefore, have a knowledge and mixture of both Eastern and Western cultures. The Turks represent a great opportunity to create a "fulcrum" church movement that could reach many other Muslim people groups.They live in 69 countries, partly because of their history of empire building; Turkey was the center of the Ottoman Empire, which lasted hundreds of years. One of the countries where they now reside is Tunisia.
Though traditional ways continue to exist in some areas, the typical urban Turks lives a secularized, modern life, with all the materialistic advantages and temptations that go with it. This is also the case in Tunisia, a modern, urbanized country.Relaxation is of the utmost importance to the Turk. Coffee houses are places where men meet to visit and talk politics or business. In general, the Turks are courteous, gentle people who readily show hospitality to strangers. They are also very patriotic and have a deep sense of nationalistic pride and love for their country. For that reason, they get offended if one brings up the atrocities of the Ottoman Empire, etc.
The Turks of Tunisia are predominantly nominally Sunni Muslim, believing in one god (Allah), and an eternal heaven and hell. However, they also have many ethnic beliefs as well. For example, they believe that men have the power to curse others by giving them the "evil eye." They believe that one is protected against such a curse by wearing blue beads, which the evil eye cannot face. Another way to avoid this cursing glare is to spit in a fire and pray to Allah. They also believe that if a woman puts fish oil around a door and a man walks through it, he will love her for the rest of his life.
Although the Turks of Tunisia have Christian resources (both the Bible and the JESUS Film have been translated into Turkish) available to them in their language, and missions agencies have worked among them, they remain strongly Muslim. Prayer alone has the power to break through spiritual strongholds.There are negative attributes of modern urban life such as drunkenness, drug use and prostitution. Such an atmosphere can lead to identity crises that could lead individuals to Christ, or to fundamentalist Islam, or to self-destruction. Memories of conflict with Christians might pose a barrier to Turks accepting the blood sacrifice of Christ.
Pray that churches and mission organizations will accept the challenge of adopting and reaching the Turks in Tunisia.Ask God to give Turkish believers boldness to share the gospel with their own people.Pray that God will grant wisdom and favor to mission agencies focusing on Turks.Ask the Lord to save key leaders among the Turks who will boldly declare the gospel.Pray that many Turks living in Tunisia will be reached with the gospel and will take it back to Turkey.