MARTYRS OF MALATYA
Murdered for the Messiah in Turkey
By James Wright
EP Books. 209 pages. £9.99
ISBN 978 1 783 971 138
This is an account of the lives of Necati Aydın, Uğur Yüksel and Tilmann Geske. The preface takes the reader immediately to the subject: ‘On April 18, 2007, three men gave their lives for Jesus Christ.’ The book then expands on what led up to this event. It is written in the form of a story but based on first-hand accounts.
The first chapters focus on the background of the men. Born to a pious Muslim family, Necati embraced Islam. He saw the Bible as having been corrupted and the Trinity as blasphemous. Through the witness of Shemse and through reading the Bible for himself, his eyes were opened to the truth and he was determined, come what may, to share his faith with other Turks. After marrying Shemse, he moved to Malatya to work in a Christian publishing house and to help at church.
Help from Germany
Tilmann, a German, who along with his wife had a burden to share his faith with Muslims, shared the office space with Necati, using his room for secular work. He used his spare time to help with the small church. Uğur had had an Alevi Muslim u p b r i n g i n g , which gave him greater freedom to think for himself. Through reading the Bible, he came to faith in Christ. He joined Necati at the publishing house. ‘They complemented one another in their ability to speak meaningfully to different kinds of people.’
The book outlines the changing attitudes of Turks to Christians and especially missionaries, explaining some of the mentality that led to five young men plotting and carrying out the brutal murder. Details of the lengthy trial, and of how the event became linked with other politically motivated acts, strengthen the sentiment expressed by the families that God alone could bring justice to the wronged and redemption to the guilty.
Though a harrowing account, the book ends on a positive note: ‘Their lives were not a waste and they will bring more to faith in Jesus Christ through their deaths than they did in life’. The reader is challenged to be faithful too.
