At noon on October 30, an earthquake of magnitude 7 shook the Aegean Sea. More than 80 people in Greece and Turkey died and more than 1,000 were injured. The Turkish city of Izmir was particularly affected where buildings collapsed or were severely damaged.

Already that same afternoon we had contact with Ertan Cevik in Izmir. Marlene and Ertan Cevik are the leading couple of the church work in Turkey which we support as EBM INTERNATIONAL. They lead the Baptist congregation in Izmir and are well networked in the city. The church members have all gotten away with the horror and are doing well according to the circumstances. A team from the congregation was already on the road at 4:30 p.m. to take care of the people who are living in makeshift accommodation in tents set up immediately. In addition, the community grounds and the church were opened up to give refuge to those seeking help quickly.

Ertan Cevik reports: “The picture that was presented to us is shocking. The need and the demand for relief supplies is enormous. An enormous number of families with children are affected and need help now: With our seven-person team from the congregation and with four representatives from governmental organizations we were able to bring emergency aid and the love of God to people as a Baptist congregation. They have lost their homes due to the earthquake or they are no longer safe because they were damaged too much. We could distribute hygiene articles, blankets, caps, socks, and care products. We will continue to provide this help and thank you for all your support”.

In a first step, EBM INTERNATIONAL is making 20,000 Euros available to provide people with the most basic necessities over the next few days. We are asking for donations for humanitarian aid after the earthquake in Turkey:

EBM INTERNATIONAL
Spar- und Kreditbank EFG, Bad Homburg
IBAN: EN 69 5009 2100 0000 0468 68
BIC: GENODE51BH2
Reference: 35000 Turkey

Donations can also be made quickly and securely online, for example by credit card, PayPal, or immediate bank transfer: www.ebm-international.org/tuerkei

The congregation in Izmir is one of seven congregations of the Turkish Baptist Union which EBM INTERNATIONAL supports. Ertan Cevik is the overall leader of this work and has been active in Izmir for many years. In total, EBM INTERNATIONAL supports seven Turkish pastors in the country.