As always, crossing the border is easy, but it’s still odd seeing a huge anti-tank ditch, pre-dug/sited fighting positions, and a lot of Turkish soldiers. Convoys are a regular part of life on that side of the island. As are Army garrisons that used to be Greek-Cypriot villages, but are now occupied/lived in by Turkish troops.

I’ve been on this island two years and there are things here that never cease to amaze me. Since I’m off this week, we’ve spent the week exploring the island – “our island” as we call it. So we went up north today…to the Turkish-occupied side. It’s funny living on an island that has two people claiming the same identity. Turkish & Greek Cypriots are genetically and racially the same but they are noticeably different culturally. And the nationalism on both sides of the line are running a bit high these days…though much cooler that it was in early/mid-September when it looked like things were going to get a little hot over rights to drill for natural gas in the Med.

Noble Oil (a US company) has an exploratory rig off the southeast coast – in the general direction of Israel. Turkey said Cyprus couldn’t drill in that part of the Med because it’s in Turkey’s Exclusive Economic Zone – which in their minds essentially covers the entire eastern Mediterranean. (I wonder if Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Egypt also see a problem with this.) Cyprus pointed to the UN Law of the Sea Treaty – and along with the UN – said they could. So Turkey upped the ante and sent their newest frigate that way. Couple weeks ago they changed tactics and sent a French-flagged exploration ship to just off the coast of Paphos on the western end of the island and started looking there. They also sent a couple of those new frigates with it to show the Turkish flag. Then they started rattling their sabers a little more until the EU also stepped in and said, they supported Cyprus & the UN…all of a sudden things got quieter. The exploration ships are still in place but the rhetoric is a lot less tense.

As I mentioned, today we went north – to the part of the island known as the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus – to go see the Karpas Peninsula – a supposedly environmentally protected piece of land that juts into the Med on the far east side of the island. As always, crossing the border is easy, but it’s still odd seeing a huge anti-tank ditch, pre-dug/sited fighting positions, and a lot of Turkish soldiers. Convoys are a regular part of life on that side of the island. As are Army garrisons that used to be Greek-Cypriot villages, but are now occupied/lived in by Turkish troops. But geographically, it’s probably the prettiest part of the island. And as always, the residents of the TRNC were unbelievably hospitable.

What’s interesting is to see the amount – and quality – of development on that side of the island. Between the money that the EU Development Fund is pumping in – which is simultaneously interesting and puzzling – at first – because the EU doesn’t recognize the TRNC as a political entity. However, the TRNC is under-developed and the EU wants to bring it up to the same level of development as the recognized – and EU member – Republic of Cyprus in the hopes of easing the island back toward unification. Turkey is also pumping in huge amounts of money – to the tune 500-million Euros per year – most likely in the hope of retaining that part of the island, or hugely influencing the area as a regional political and economic leader – as well as a means of becoming a member of the EU.

Honestly though I wouldn’t be surprised if this place ends up like Hispaniola in the Caribbean: one side is the Dominican Republic, the other Haiti. But that remains to be seen. UN-led talks are still on going and a team from Northern Ireland is coming in November to speak to both sides about the peace process there and how it could work on Cyprus.

Our side of the island is in political turmoil. An independent investigator laid the blame for this summer’s disaster in Mari squarely on the president’s shoulders. Basically the investigator said he refused to let the explosives be moved, and wouldn’t accept international help to render the explosives inoperable. So now the opposition is screaming for his head, and the communists (who are in power) are calling everyone EU lackeys and disloyal for not supporting the president.

On top of that, the president just signed off on a 2.5-billion euro loan that no one wants except the communists/communist-led unions because now Cyprus is tied to Russia until it’s paid off. Which is only adding to Cyprus’ identity crisis – because most people want to be “European”, but the communists want everyone to look to Russia because it’s a formerly communist, and now, orthodox country – and they see it as the new seat of the Byzantine Empire. (There’s an oxymoron combined with a 15th century mentality for you.)

As for life at Nicosia Community Church, it’s odd, but since summer our character has changed immensely. Although we are still a very international church – with attendees from 12 different nations – we are now predominately American by membership. Which has been a huge blessing in terms of congregational involvement and life. It also means I have to trust God that much more because most of them will leave this coming summer (2012).

Like most churches, fall signals the beginning of the year for us – and now that everyone is back the pace of church life has really picked up. Training for our deacons/elders kicks off this Tuesday. Although we can only meet monthly, they have a significant amount of reading and discipleship homework – and that means a fair amount of one-on-one follow-up to answer their questions and work with them. Our Women’s Ministry (probably the strongest aspect of congregational life at NCC) restarted last week; and our first youth group meeting of the “new” year is tonight. So please pray for these aspects of life and ministry here at NCC.

To make better use of resources, and hopefully do some real outreach, we’re working with Nicosia International Church to do a joint Alpha Course. Our first planning meeting is October 12th. If we can coordinate everything the course will run in November & December. So please pray for volunteers from both congregations.

From the Edge of Byzantium: Blessings to You All!

Terry Burns is a Teaching Elder in the Presbyterian Church in America. He is a member of Blue Ridge Presbytery working out of bounds as Pastor of the independent Nicosia Community Church in Cyprus