We did 13 tours in 2013.
January 09 - January 23
A group of evangelists from the Steiger School in Germany
A team of students from all over the world converged on Turkey for a two week tour. Their goal was to share the Love and Hope found in the Gospel through music and conversation. Braving the cold, rain, and even snow the team was able to share a message of hope with many hurting and lonely people who were transformed by the love they found in the message.
April 27 - April 30
The "Suitcase Sideshow" is a traveling marionette theatre designed to go into hard-to-reach places and bring the message of the Gospel in a new and captivating way. It's a theatrical performance spoken in the culture and language of the people that consists of three stories of Jesus, slightly modernized and adapted. Check out the Suitcase Sideshow II website.
Tıme again for our yearly St. George's Day outreach! We rehearsed the Suitcase Sideshow, then headed out. Every year tens of thousands of people make their way to the island, some desperate for healing, other merely curious. This year, over 250 Christians came to distribute Scriptures, pray for people, or in our case, share the gospel through drama, music and dance. We did more than a dozen performances and were blessed to have a Turkish evangelist finish all our performances with a clear Gospel message. Then, our team went to Ankara to do the puppet show for many children there! Check out a video from the tour
May 14 - May 28
Featuring a mix of different art forms (music, drama, dance and usually a few other things) this group entertains audiences with their gifts and shares the life-changing message of Jesus with them - both on and off the stage. Check out the TACO Performance Group website.
The TACO performance group consisted of 13 people - mostly musicians but also photographer/videographers and an illusionist (Adrian Van Vactor). The venues included prisons, schools (elementary & universities), churches, a park and even a vacant lot! Audiences ranged from 40-300. The team even managed to shoot a music video. Our best shows were fill-ins for last minute cancellations. One was in a vacant lot and drew our largest crowd. The other was a church that had two days to advertise and was able to fill their church, mostly with non-believers, some who made professions of faith! Check out a video from the tour
May 15 - May 31
Pallere Sotheb is a jazz/latin/arabic band with a veteran cast of musicians
Taking their name from ancient words meaning “to flavor with garden herbs”, the band offers a spicy fusion of jazz, Latin and mid-eastern influences – a delightful mix of tastes and seasonings! Band members are drawn from a variety of musical traditions and includes players who have lived in the USA, Spain, France and Germany and have traveled and performed in more than 40 countries. During recent tours in Egypt the band performed at the Cairo Opera House, the Cairo Jazz Club, the American University of Cairo and at the El Sawy Culture Wheel. In Alexandria the band performed for the Egyptian Rotarians at the Syrian Club and at a large national medical convention at the Sheraton Hotel.
During tours to the countries of North Africa the members of Pallere Sotheb were influenced by the musicians with whom they performed and recorded. They say, "We have mixed our back grounds in jazz, Latin and blues with the beauty of this region's haunting and evocative melodies and the rich rhythmic textures; it's like mixing spices to make a new curry or blending ingredients to make salsa!" These influences can be heard in the band's compositions and performances. Their new material and songs are incorporated into the concert for the Kyrgyzstan tour - great flavors. Check out the Pallere Sotheb website.
Though this set of Christian Jazz Musicians faced many obstacles to their ministry, ranging from visa problems all the way down to bad weather, they were able to share a faithful witness in the country of Kazakhstan. The ten-piece fusion jazz group was able to share their faith and their music in schools, colleges, and cafes around southern Kazakhstan. The tour culminated in a larger concert in a central park where the whole crowd was able to hear the clear, powerful gospel presented at the end of the program.
June 14 - June 28
Face-to-face use drama/puppets with local styled dance and music to tell Biblical stories pointing to the work of Christ in salvation. The portable nature, quick set-up and highly visual approach of this type of outreach allow it to draw large crowds quickly and be performed from seaside boardwalks to busy parks. Click here or here to see shows.
Even in the midst of a time of political unrest people need to hear about the wonderful love of Jesus. The team took to the streets and parks of central and southern Turkey sharing the Gospel told through the story of the life of Abraham. They were able to share the message of the final sacrifice foreshadowed in the test on Mount Moriah to groups as small as 50 and as large as 300 people at a time, in cities across Turkey. In the midst of a time when many were searching for answers from their government the team was able to bring the answer for real peace that resides in the heart. Check out a video from the tour
July 04 - July 21
"No Longer Music" (NLM) was founded in Amsterdam in 1985 by David Pierce and has been touring the world ever since. Since its formation, NLM has made its mark through its bold and creative blend of music and theater. In many ways NLM has been and continues to be a refreshing exception to a music scene rarely daring to be different. Throughout the years the style of NLM has adapted but its commitment to cutting edge visuals and theatrics has ensured that international demand for the band has stayed strong. Check out the No Longer Music website.
When we call this tour a whirlwind it is not an exaggeration. With 20 concerts in 13 cities in 16 days the excitement never stopped. With Islam working very hard to get, and hold on to, the people of Albania it was no surprise to see some protests to the show which so clearly portrays the Gospel. But, even in the midst of all the hubbub, more than 1,200 people signed up to receive more information about Jesus and thousands of people heard and saw the Gospel message clearly portrayed. Check out a video from the tour
July 15 - July 20
A combination of long and short-term Taco team members with skills in painting, visual arts, photography, live performance, workshops, children's events, and even games, getting together for a festival. Check out the International Creative Talent Festival website.
July 21 - July 28
A crazy mix of long and short term Taco team members bringing a mix of music, dance, drance and anything else that will draw a crowd and allow them to share the Gospel in a creative, engaging and hopefully life-changing way.
August 16 - August 28
Featuring a mix of different art forms (music, drama, dance and usually a few other things) this group entertains audiences with their gifts and shares the life-changing message of Jesus with them - both on and off the stage. Check out the TACO Performance Group website.
For Taco's first foray into Bosnia a team consisting of three dancers and one musician went with a plan to use concerts as well as dance workshops to share the Gospel. The team was able to not only share their faith from the stage but found that many great conversations can be had over a cup of coffee. There is great hope for more tours in Bosnia in the near future. Check out a video from the tour
September 04 - September 18
Face-to-face use drama/puppets with local styled dance and music to tell Biblical stories pointing to the work of Christ in salvation. The portable nature, quick set-up and highly visual approach of this type of outreach allow it to draw large crowds quickly and be performed from seaside boardwalks to busy parks. Click here or here to see shows.
Yüz Yüze took their show on the road. The team of nine hopped a bus and headed into Bulgaria. Many cities in Bulgaria have large Turkish speaking populations. These Turkish areas were their goal. The team started out to a slow start on the first day but the interest in what they had to say picked up momentum. The team was even invited to perform for an Elementary School and at a local fair
September 14 - September 28
Dance and Music team
A team of dancers and musicians took the Joy of The Lord to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. With concerts in colleges, prisons, churches, community parks, and even a home for disabled men, the team stayed busy. The laws in Kyrgyzstan make the job more difficult but the people are hungry to hear. Check out a video from the tour
October 02 - October 16
Featuring a mix of different art forms (music, drama, dance and usually a few other things) this group entertains audiences with their gifts and shares the life-changing message of Jesus with them - both on and off the stage. Check out the TACO Performance Group website.
A team of eight, including musicians, dancers, martial artists, and dramatists set out to carry the Love of Christ to Albania. With programs in and around the capital city of Tirana the team was able to share in a school for Roma children, in churches, parks, and even in a youth center in a very poor neighborhood. Check out a video from the tour
October 16 - October 31
"Cirque du Sokak" (Circus of the Street) is a group of long-termers and short-termers who used their terrific range of skills to spread the Gospel message on the streets of Istanbul. Theirs was indeed a veritable circus of unicycling, music, dance, juggling, drama, puppets and fire arts.
Taco ended tour season by going in three different directions. One team took to the streets in western Turkey and shared using music and dance. A second team (Yüz Yüze) headed out to central Turkey and performed in many cities. A third team lent support to a national conference for Christian young adults by providing sound for their worship services. Check out a video from the tour
