Day 07 - Western Coast: Pergamum Asclepion, Weaving Center, Evening Cruise on the Aegean

Today was another great day in Turkey! We began where we left off yesterday, but this time in the lower part of Pergamum. We walked around the Asclepion, the ancient hospital of the time named after its patron god, Asclepius, the god of medicine. It was the premiere hospital of the day with the best medical practices, and they claimed a 100% success rate of healing, boasting that “Death does not enter here.” If someone wanted treatment, they would have to purchase a small model of whatever body part ailed them as an offering to Asclepius. We were challenged to consider again how do we live by faith rather than by sight in the midst of the pressures of the world, our sin, and our enemy.

Next we got to visit a local co-op that makes Anatolian (Turkish) rugs! We got to learn and see how the rugs are made, and even got to try our hand at tying the knots that make up the rugs. Many of our group are bringing home a beautiful souvenir from this stop! 

After lunch at the co-op, we traveled to the modern city of Izmir and visited ancient Smyrna. In the same way the city’s namesake (myrrh) emits a beautiful fragrance when the root is crushed, the believers in the city are a beautiful witness to us as they remained faithful in the midst of great persecution. We heard specifically about the martyrdom of a man named Polycarp. He was bishop of the church in Smyrna; rather than recant his faith in Christ, he was burned at the stake. His resolve to remain faithful was so strong that he refused to be tied to the stake and willingly stayed in the fire until he died. His actions communicated that what he feared most was not pain and not death, but blaspheming the One who had saved his soul. 

We finished the day by driving to the city of Kusadasi (also the home of our wonderful tour guide, Gohkan, and bus driver, Charlie!). We saw Ephesus from a distance but are waiting til another day to visit the site. After a quick trip to the beach to dip our toes in the Aegean Sea, we were surprised with a boat ride around the harbor where we got to watch a beautiful sunset and dance to Turkish music as we rode the waves. 

It was quite an adventurous day, and when trying to think of how to sum it up, I go back to our evening on the boat. In the same way that we were tossed back and forth by the waves during the sunset, in the midst of life’s highest highs and lowest lows we have no need to fear because, as one of the Forge students yelled during the ride, “Don’t be afraid! Jesus is in the boat!”