Turkish Delight

"Istanbul was Constantinople. Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople. Been a long time gone. Old Constantinople still has Turkish delight, on a moonlit night..."

Next month I plan to embark on a wild adventure through TURKEY! This all came about somewhat out of nowhere, which is partly why I'm in love with it. When I first looked into STN about two years ago, I immediately zeroed in on their international outreaches. The Middle East trip caught my eye - one month traveling to Egypt, Israel and Jordan. COOL! Visiting and creating surf communities, relationships and memories. I love traveling, I love new people, I love adventure, I love the sound of this.
Instead I ended up doing internship - the cheaper option. Not sorry. When I came back for SLS they encouraged us as new staff to pull for an international trip at some point. Middle East was still totally on my mind, so I applied! Unfortunately when Egypt got wild in July, the international department decided to put the Middle East on hold this year, and go for TURKEY - a country not yet tread by a formal STN outreach, which means this is a pioneering trip. My DELIGHT! An exploratory ministry trip to Turkey isn't exactly a coffee shop, or a skills training program for youth at risk, but why can't traveling around an unknown country, building relationships, connecting and networking with people help me out in building and living out my dreams later in life? It can, which is why I'm sold out on going.
I'm starting the process, and I cannot do this without your help. 

Here are the facts:
I need prayer for:
- strength against spiritual oppression
- God's guidance
- the funds I need to make this happen
- encouragement (huge)

I need money for:
- airfare, which is tentatively $1,800 (due November 1st)
- ground fees, which are $1,275 (due November 15th)
- spending money, which is a suggested $500-$600

I have:
- $930.60 toward airfare so far
- joy, and faith that I will be spreading the love in Turkey next month
To donate finances, click here.

We fly out (tentatively) on November 27th and return on December 24th, Christmas Eve. The itinerary thus far (everything is tentative on a pioneering trip) looks like spending time in Istanbul, then Kerpe, and then heading south to connect with a small, creative surf club in Alanya. More details to come.

This is the plan. Please join me! If you've got any questions, tips, advice, desire to chat - email me at milo.buck@surfingthenations.com.

Mahaaalo.