Dear Friends,
I want to thank you all for your prayers and support over the past few years. After being a parrticipant with the World Race in 2007 the Lord
has lead me on a journey beyond my expectations.  The summer of 2008 I was privileged to lead a college-aged trip with Adventures in Missions (AIM) to Swaziland, Africa and then following that, to lead a 9 month trip to Granada, Nicaragua.

This fall I will be going to Matamoros, Mexico to lead a team for 8 weeks with the Novas Project. Beyond that I will go wherever AIM needs me to be.   I will be spending most of the year out in the field with the Real life teams and will be spending a few months each year stateside. I am very excited about what the future holds, and I am humbled by the ways that I have seen the Lord's hand in this.  

Would you consider partnering with me on this adventure? Because AIM is a faith based mission, it is necessary that I raise financial support to continue what the Lord has called me to do. I need to raise $1650 a month to do so. I ask that you prayerfully consider supporting me on a monthly basis.   If I had 17 people give $100 a month or 33 people give $50 a month then my goal would be met. Whether it is a few dollars or $500 everything is greatly appreciate. I understand that not everyone is at a place to give monthly; perhaps God is leading you to give a one-time gift to support me in this ministry. All donations are tax deductible and may be made by clicking on the "support me" link on the left hand side of my blog. I am learning to step out in faith and trust that the Lord will meet my needs.

Just as much as I need your financially support I need your prayers. Would you also considers partnering with me in prayer. Please pray that the Lord would work in the hearts of these young adults as they reach out to the nations, that I would continue to grow in my walk with the Lord, and that I would be bold in sharing Christ in the nations.

                       God Bless

 

c/o Adventures in Missions

6000 Wellspring Trail

Gainesville, GA 30506

                 Cell:

           704-807-8366

                 Email:

coloradosc29@hotmail.com

                 Skype:

             tana.turner

                 Blog:

tanaturner.theworldrace.org

                 AIM's website:

           www.adventures.org

Checks may be mailed to:

Well, It's been a year since I last wrote on here. A lot has happened since the world race ended last November and I wanted to update everyone on what is going on in my life.    After the world race finished I went home to Charlotte, North Carolina to spend some time with my parents, sister, and brother. I took several months off then started to explore different opportunities with working with AIM.    I ended up doing some administrated stuff with World Race marketing for a few months, while trying to raise support to come on staff with AIM.   After a few months, I knew that I couldn't do admin work for much longer, so I started talking to various people at the office about other opportunities.   Doors started opening within another department to lead trips for college aged students. It was too obvious that the Lord was directing my steps in this direction, so I followed where He was taking me. 

 

I encourage you to read this entire testimony - though it's a bit long. It will change you!

The last night at our ministry site in Phnom Penh, the Pastor of our church and his wife, shared their testimony. It's a testimony of hardship and survival and hope set during and after the 4 year Khmer Rouge Rule. (read more here) It left me speechless…

I am thankful that I experienced the communist regime (Khmer Rouge). Without those 4 years of extreme hardship and suffering, I wouldn't be the person I am today.      Pastor Keat

Pastor Keat was 17 years old when he had to flee Phnom Penh with his parents, brothers and grandmother. His family threw everything they could onto a 2 wheeled push cart and started walking. It took them 2 weeks to get out of Phnom Penh due to the mass migration - 2 million leaving the city…at the same time…in a state of panic…with only 6 exit roads. Chaos and fear. He passed by dead people lying on the side of the road. He witnessed a father drive his family off a bridge into the water because he did not want his family to have to face whatever lie ahead.

Pastor Keat's family got split up immediately by the Khmer Rouge soldiers. His grandmother went to one camp to feed the pigs (as there was no such thing as retirement or Social Security). His mom was sent to another camp to dry rice and Pastor was sent to a 're-education center' in the jungle near the Thailand border.

It was here that he lived in constant fear for the next 4 years of his life. He would get up at the break of day and head to the rice fields without breakfast. A small bowl of watery rice with banana bark was served for lunch and supper. Basically 'pig slop' he called it. "Our stomachs couldn't digest it because it was food meant for pigs! Diarrhea became a way of life. And, unfortunately, it claimed many lives." At night he would collapse from shear exhaustion.

The only break allowed during the day was a 15 minute hiatus to smoke. So Pastor Keat became a smoker, as did everyone else. He laughs as his mind rewinds to the scene. But, there were no cigarettes. So, he had to grow his own tobacco plant and roll his own cigarette. But, it was worth the break!

Their diet was supplemented by insects, maggots, termites, rats, snakes, spiders, raw potatoes…anything that might help curb their hunger pains. But you couldn't let a soldier see, or you would be killed. Protein and abundance of food was served during the only 3 day holiday of the year - to celebrate communism's victory over Cambodia. Meat was served and eaten in great quantities, but it could no longer be properly digested due to its absence in the daily diet. Thus, many people became sick and died.

At the onset of the communist rule, life as he knew it was demolished. Freedom was stolen and replaced by fear and oppression. Life was now a test of survival. A game to see who could make it out alive. Money became obsolete. There was nothing to buy anyways. You did what they told you to do and ate whatever they served you. To protest or complain signaled your death. To live, you played dumb. You answered every question wit a "yes'. A 'No' also signaled death. Any possible opposition to communism was not tolerated. Pastor Keat remembers, "While eating rice, if a soldier overheard me talk about BBQ chicken, I could have been killed!"

Each khmer soldier was a leader of 10 'students' and he would watch them like a hawk. Pastor Keat was only allowed to see his mom once day a year. You had to ask permission to go to the bathroom. And they often refused. Sally, Pastor Keat's wife, remembers learning to pee standing up - like guys - because no break or privacy was granted to women.

Upon arriving at the camp, you were issued 2 outfits for the year: 2 black shirts and 2 black pants. You were also given a bowl and spoon. Shoes were not necessary, and soon 1/2 inch calluses were formed on the soles of feet. Toothbrushes, combs, soap - all unnecessary according to the communists. Coal, chalk and sand were used to brush teeth. Their hand served as a comb.

The lack of clean water and soap became a huge sanitation issue that lead to the death of many. During the rainy season, fresh puddles were a glorious treat; but the dry season was miserable. Standstill puddles of murky water was the only water source. You would bathe in them while washing your clothes. Then, the same water was used to drink and cook with. Month after month…

Marriage was not allowed during the first 3 years of the regime. In fact, you could get shot if a man was found talking with a women. And, of course, showing affection was strictly prohibited. Out of the blue one day, the soldiers decided that they wanted everyone to marry. So, they lined up girls on one side and guys on the other. The person who was standing across from you was now your husband or wife. Mass weddings took place.

Some camps allowed you to choose your wife and Pastor was granted permission to marry Sally. One night after a long days work in the rice paddy, they had a wedding ceremony with three other couples. Everyone who was living at the camp was in attendance. No special clothes were issued. Your same black clothes were worn. A go as you are mentality. During the ceremony you make vows with the communists, not your spouse. Both Pastor and Sally look at each other and smile as they recall how foolish it was. "We promised them that we would go wherever they sent us and do whatever they told us to do. Then we went to bed and woke up in the morning in time for work. No honeymoon or celebration involved."

A couple months later, the soldiers sent Pastor Keat away to another camp. It was their test - to see if they were faithful to each other or the communists. Many husbands were killed, but Pastor returned unharmed.

They both had multiple near death experiences. Sally can vividly recall one of the scenes. She did not agree to one of her leaders requests, so she was brought out to a hole where dead bodies lay. He threatened her and told her she was next and that she had a few days to think about it. He left her out by the hole and returned a few days later. He had decided not to waste a bullet on her as he would rather use it to kill and animal for dinner.

After four years of living this hell day in and day out, they had an opportunity to escape. The Vietnamese army invaded Cambodia and most of the Khmer Rouge soldiers were preoccupied with fighting. Sally and Pastor Keat made a one month journey to the Thai border were they found refuge in a refugee camp. During this time, Sally gave birth. Due to exhaustion, malnutrition and lack of milk, the baby died one month later.

At the refugee camp someone was sharing the Gospel - a life of hope and freedom. They listened and accepted Jesus on the spot. Soon after they were sponsored to go to America and they ended up in Hawaii. Long story short, they learned English and Pastor Keat became a successful contractor. After spending 14 years in Hawaii, the Lord called them both back to Cambodia to start a church in their homeland. So here they are...

His ending remarks: God is sovereign. Though we do not understand why God allowed these atrocities, we do know that it brought Cambodia into a mindset that is eager to hear the Gospel and ready to accept the hope and freedom that comes only from Jesus. After living in constant fear and oppression for many years, a Savior is definitely 'Good News'. Before the Khmer Rouge, there were only a handful of Christians in Cambodia. Now there are hundreds of thousands of us! Who knows if I would be following Jesus today if I had not experienced this depth of hopelessness and despair… I now live a life of gratitude…self-discipline and hard work come naturally…and I can eat BBQ chicken whenever I want… Pastor Keat

WoW!!! I can't believe that this 11 months is almost finished. Only 1 1/2 months left to go.  I have learned so much this year, about God, the world, and myself.  I have seen things that I had never thought possible. 

We are now about to finish up this race and year by heading to China.  However, to finish out this race, I'm still in need of

$1,050 with the need of $400 more by the end of this month. 

If you can help me out and would like to donate electronically, please click on the button on the left-hand side of the screen that says Support Me!  If you would like to send a check, please mark on the memo section "For World Racer Tana Turner".  All checks can be sent to

Adventure In Missions

6000 Wellspring Trail

Gainesville, GA  30506

Thank you all so much for all of the love, prayers, and support throughout this year.  It has made a difference.

God Bless

"For I was hungry and you fed me.  I was thirsty and you gave me a drink.  I was a stranger and you invited me in to your home.  I was naked and you gave me clothing.  I was sick and you cared for me.  I was in prison and you visited me. ... I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters. you were doing it to me."
"I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me."  Matthew 25:35,40,45

I think this verse pertains to having a little bit of fun too.

Last week we decided to take the kids from the orphanage to the water park for a day of fun.  These children really don't have a place to play other than their rooms.  We wanted to give them a chance to let loose a little bit.  This blog is not to say "oh look at us, look at what we did" but rather to give you a chance to meet my friend Jesus. 

During those few days at the water park we had the chance to see these children light up.  And as one of my teamates put it... to play at the water park with Jesus!  These kids were full of energy, running around, grabbing us to come along and inviting us to join in on their party.  Mame (what they call the older mother figures) soon became the name that they called each one of us.  Mame look...mame come...mame (i just want a hug).  I saw the eyes of Jesus in these children. 

So....I would like to introduce you to Jesus, come see a part of who he is.

Michelle wrote a great blog about our day touring Phnom Penh and learning the history of Cambodia.  It's grotesque some of the things that we saw.  I'm pasting her blog here. 

While in the Phnom Phen, we were able to tour the city and learn a bit of the history of Cambodia.   It is hard for me to wrap my mind around the fact that only 30 years ago a genocide occurred here … but what is more astonishing is the fact that I had never even heard about it.   The Khmer Rouge … the Killing Fields … 1975-1979 over 2 million Cambodians murdered.   In his insanity and drive towards creating a Communist Cambodia, the leader of the Khmer Rouge, Pol Pot, killed off anyone in his way - the educated class and their families, doctors, teachers, students, engineers, Buddhist monks, foreigners, etc.   He believed that by having an uneducated mass of followers, he could more easily create a working class which would help to establish the Communistic "equal" society that he dreamed of for Cambodia.  

It's all just REALLY messed up.   We were able to visit the S-21 center where approximately 20,000 Cambodians were imprisoned, tortured, and killed.   The statistics say that of the thousands of citizens who entered S-21, only 7 survived.   The sick part of it all … the center is directly in the center of the city and was once a high school before Pol Pot and his regime transformed it into a killing center.   Makeshift wooden and brick cells in the classrooms, cruel torture methods, bar on the windows, barbed wire across the length of the school buildings.   It's like a terrible, unbelievable nightmare.

There were rooms and rooms of snapshots of the prisoners killed at S-21.   Apparently the center kept incredible records of the men, women, and children who were funneled through there.   This included mug shots with their numbers on their chests and the many pages of "confessions" that were extracted out of the innocent prisoners.

We spent several hours at the center.   It was all overwhelming to take in.   It was hard to understand how we can as human beings continue to do such appalling things.   And that we sit thousands of miles distanced from it and don't even know that it is occurring.   And that we don't intervene when we DO know it's happening.   It all gets really messy, I understand … but 2 million people in the span of 4 years is a high price to pay for our ignorance, blind eye and politically "neutral" stance.

After the museum, we visited one of the actual "Killing Fields."   The Khmer Rouge would transport truckloads of Cambodians to these locations for either death or burial.   The site is currently the location of a monument to the victims.   I would ask that you would respectfully read what information that you can from these photographs and consider looking up more information about the tragedy of the Khmer Rouge and the Killing Fields.

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