Middle East 2026

Tristan and Rob are incredibly grateful for all of your prayers, and the words and Scriptures many of you sent. For a mission that was only planned two weeks in advance, we were very much going in faith, believing the Lord was calling us to attend a conference for Farsi-speaking believers that we had been invited to join by potential ministry partners who were hosting it. Due to the current war, there were tensions as to whether or not it would go ahead, but by God's grace it did and 19 delegates were able to come.

This was a fantastic opportunity to spend time with our hosts who have Farsi-speaking ministries that reach deep into the hearts of surrounding closed nations, and also to show love to and minister to believers who are traumatised by war and persecution. We are in awe that God opens doors at such a time as this! 

Monday 9 March
We arrived at the hotel in Istanbul on Monday evening after a good day of travelling.

Tuesday 10 March
On Tuesday the conference speaker was a lady who was imprisoned for her faith and she spoke into trauma counselling. Even though we were guests at this conference, we were warmly encouraged by our hosts to share from the front about Flame and we prayed for several people.

Wednesday 11 March
Asian ministers from the Far-East came to lead the sessions over the next few days. There was a kindred spirit between us and they have an encouraging ministry. In the afternoon we were asked to pray for a lady who had a severely bruised arm in a bandage. When we started speaking with her it became apparent that there was much pain and anger behind it. She eventually managed to forgive and through prayer her countenance transformed and she received a measure of healing. She also shared that the pain in her arm started to shift and ease as we prayed.

We discerned that there seemed to be something of a veil of darkness, particularly over some of the younger ladies at this conference. We know many of you prayed into this and we believe that we began to see the veil being torn over the delegates over the next couple of days and we saw them grow in holy boldness. Two of these younger ladies testified to how the Lord Jesus had saved them. Both declared the power and kindness of God and the salvation of Jesus. One of them gave witness to how Jesus brought her back to life after being dead for one and a half hours! We give God glory that the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it!

Thursday 12 March
We spent the morning visiting some sites in Istanbul and had a wonderful time. It was Rob's first time and he had wanted to visit Istanbul for many years. It reminded us of the strategic location of Istanbul (East meets West), and its central role in the ancient Silk Roads. Later in the day we spent much time with our two hosts, building relationship and understanding each others ministries more. That evening Tristan met with one of the hosts to discuss potential future partnership. Though nothing is set in stone at this stage, I believe we have built good relationship and one thing for certain is that the future of this people group will need trauma healing ministry, and I believe Flame's experience of ministering in post-war torn countries could be very impactful.

Friday 13 March
Tristan was invited to give the morning devotion on this last day of the conference. He spoke about shining the light of Christ in a dark world through the act of forgiveness. Many were able to forgive, and the message seemed to go deep into the hearts of the people. We pray the Lord will keep that word in them so that they may continue in forgiveness. Much love and thankfulness was shared as the conference ended, and as the last delegate left the Lord opened up a door and presented what I believe was a pre-determined divine appointment.

The night before, we received a prophetic word from a prayer supporter. He wrote that he saw both Tristan and Rob sitting down at the hotel where there were white-tiled floors. A man then came to sit down with us as he had been waiting to speak to us because he had a question he needed to ask. Well, on a white-tiled floor in our hotel after our second host said goodbye to the final few delegates, he walked over to sit down with Rob and I because he had a question he had been wanting to ask us about forgiveness, in response to Tristan's devotion that morning! The conversation that followed was indeed "divine" and our host came into deeper revelation of forgiveness, particularly in the context of the current war. We encouraged him with awareness and strategy of spiritual warfare and he seemed so convicted that he wants to share this amongst his organisation. This, I believe, was God's gracious hand on us, confirming deepening relationship with our host. I believe this was a very good recce mission - not because of anything we have done, but because of the Lord's gracious hand on us and these people.

The purpose of this recce mission was largely to build relationship with our hosts for potential future partnership. I believe the roots of our relationships went much deeper, and I am in hope for the season of more fruitfulness to come. We praise God for all He has done and is going to do, and I thank you so much for joining alongside us in prayer and encouragement. We consider much was done in this recce in response to faithful prayer!