Category Christianity

Jul 25 2010

July 2010 and IT work in Jerusalem

At work I have been setting up a back up system for all three of our offices as the current system wasn’t working well or flexible for our needs, so I have deployed Cobian (which I really like as its free, open source and easy to configure with support for compression and encryption and reporting) and its crucially important as an IT administrator to be well rehearsed for a worse case scenario.   I am also thinking my job has some different slants, in terms of do IT people prepare for possible war.   One example is if our staff have to go into a bomb shelter (most houses, businesses and public places have one)   how we get announcements of what is happening.   I don’t think mobile phones work in heavy concrete shelters, and neither do laptops or smart phones using wireless internet either.   I have been told the government uses radio announcements for this kind of scenario, but then again I am not sure if they have these repeated in Hebrew, Arabic, English and Russian languages, all widely used here.   I thought one theory would be to put a wireless router (in a locked enclosure, so no unauthorised person can plug in a network cable or tamper with it)  in the shelter in one office, but then again that particular office has a shelter shared between 3 other businesses, so it doesn’t belong to us nor is it possible to drill holes or wire cables through a wall.

This week, there are announcements that significant numbers of Israelis have had details hacked by Turkish hackers see this news story.   Seems to be more common people deface web sites or illegally get personal information as a political statement.   I think I need to think about making sure all our servers and critical systems are fully patched.  Last year I saw a public presentation by the IDF who had an IBM Thinkpad laptop still with XP SP1 (I can tell as Service Pack 2 and later no longer shows the words ‘home’ or ‘professional’ upon booting up.) Microsoft stopped supporting XP without service pack 3 sometime ago now and the update isn’t that difficult, and apart from needing new wireless drivers for sometime laptops there is little possibility for this update to cause a problem, testing would need to be done with specialised apps but I have not seen any real issues.   I merged Service Pack 3 with our CD of our volume licence version of XP (do a google search for ‘slipstreaming’ if you want to learn to do this) so this is done transparently when I do rebuilds of PCs at work, saving me a lot of time.   I don’t think complacent in IT security is any worse here in Israel, as many of my previous employers were years behind on installing service packs, using an outdated web browser or had cut corners on inadequate antivirus apps that were not upto scratch.

If you have done IT administration or know articles for places where people may face danger, do feel free to comment.   I am not interested in anything political, just ideals for sensible practical plans for technology to keep people safe and work in times of uncertainty.

I have tidied up my blog and should get my original domain name back soon, I have removed some people from the links on the side, hope no one is offended, but I got rid of some dead links and blogs that had not been updated in a while.

Jul 25 2010

Bibles for Pakistan and Christians facing persecution

At the beginning of this year when I was at home, I felt an urge to give some money to a Pakistani Christian ministry that supplies bibles to believers in Pakistan.  Its interesting here as there a lots of people coming to Christ but its very hard to get bibles in their native language (which I think is Urdu in Pakistan) so Pastor Shahid Paul aims to get bibles provided which costs them around $500 per box 100 including shipping.

I often worry about the lack of sponsorship I still am trying to live here in Israel, but for this ministry they also seem to be finding it hard.  I know there is a recession, but I guess with various charities it may be hard with limited resources to shout out to places about your ministry.

But very tragically, Pastor Paul the man who is in this organisation said that a fellow believer friend was murdered by Muslims.  There are gangs that frequently go around attacking Christians and burning down their houses, as apostasy or leaving Islam often results in a death sentence in many nations still today.

Its easy to get angry and blame Muslims for this kind of tragedy, but instead we have to both pray and support for our fellow brothers and sisters out in extremely hostile places where the gospel is not heard and that those from other backgrounds who have had hate taught can only change also with prayer out there, also pray for the unbelieving Pakistani people.  “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”  Luke 23 : 34

check out some of these links from Pastor Paul from Pakistan
www.christassemblieschurch-intl.org
http://caimpak.blogspot.com
http://christassembliespk.webs.com

Jul 23 2010

Pray for my back

A couple of days ago, I had a sore back, not on my spine, but below my shoulder and armpit, and also on my side.  Theres a slight rash as well which I am not sure if is coincidental.  I can now feel it on my chest also on the side.

Its like the muscles that are around my chest are sore.  I am not sure why, I thought it might be that I slept in a funny position.   I am a little bit worried I might need to see a doctor, as I really don’t what it is.

Please pray for me to get healing.   Thanks.

Jul 23 2010

Priestly tombs

Took another visit to some of the tombs in between the outer walls of the old city and the Mount of Olives

This is Zechariah’s tomb

Here is the tomb of Absalom, King David’s rebellious son who got his hair stuck in a tree and was killed.  Both of these you can’t enter the gap underneath.   Apparently a lot of the stone work was unfinished and the back of the tomb the stones and not hewn as neatly as the front.

There are some more interesting caves and places to explore..

…but it appeared to be all closed and locked up when I was there.  Some ancient writing can be seen though if you have sharp eyes to look high up.

Jul 20 2010

Jerusalem’s Clover Map

This plaque is outside some University building in Jaffa Street, albeit with the street looking like a mess for the long overdue electric light rail project with road dug up.

Its a good pictorial view of Jerusalem and Israel being closely wedged between Europe, Africa and Asia.

This sign shows its origins.  Seen it featured on a few post cards.

Jul 20 2010

Garden of Gethsemane

On Saturday morning, I went up to the Mount of Olives.  I have several pictures and writings from visits here before.  Here and here.

I wanted to go to the town of Bethany to see Lazarus’s tomb, a location of a miracle Jesus did, one of many of bringing people back from the dead.

On top of the Mount of Olives is an Arab district of the city and the dividing wall runs along the top of here.  Sadly after much searching, and I tried to ask a few people who all seem to give me different ideas, I was not able to find it, and I gave up and went home.   It seems from a taxi driver you have to go through the dividing wall, walking through there is not an option.   I decided to logistics of this seem awkward as seems that the taxi driver has to hang around outside to take you back, or get several taxis one to the dividing wall and another one on the other side in East Jerusalem.

I was originally hoping to meet my Arab believer friend (he is an ex-Muslim) who lives up here, but was not able to get hold of him.   Instead I decided I would pay a visit to the Garden of Gethsemane at the bottom of the Mount of Olives, but this was closed on Saturday afternoon, so headed off home.  This reminded me I have some pictures of when I visited this place before late last year I thought I would share these from a previous visit.

The entrance in the side.   This box on the left was from a Arab trader selling camera film, memory cards and batteries.  The garden is free to visit and is always busy with tour groups from all over the world.

Where Jesus sweated and spent time in prayer.  These olive trees are apparently 900 years old!

This place is mentioned by Matthew and Mark, after Peter denied Jesus and the cockerel crowed, the last supper, and before Judas pointed out Jesus to the guards that arrested him.

Matthew 26 : 36 and Mark 14 : 32 specifically mention this place.  I did have some pictures of the insides of the church but not sure where I put them.  The outside of the church with its bright coloured muriels above the pillars as well as the beautiful gardens are really striking.   This is a must see place in Jerusalem.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+14:32&version=NIV
Jul 15 2010

Riding to work – commuting Jerusalem style Part 2

first bit –  second section –  Third and final

…continued

Get to these nice modern flats with neat gardens, turn right..

Nice long downhill ride, not much effort here!  turn right at the end of here and go past some shops.

Turn left here by these lights.  You can see the walls of the old city ahead and the towers of a Greek church.

These derelict railway station looks sad.   Not sure why there are no trains any more in central town.  You can see where the windows are there was a fire at some point.  Oddly enough on the right looks like a car covered with a tarpaulin, it actually is some kind of modern art exhibit with a big solid fibre glass cover over it.  Someone’s nicked the plaque on it, so I don’t know who designed it or whether it was a bizarre punishment for someone parking illegally. 🙂

There are nice parks either side of this main road as I ride uphill.  There is also a nice fountain on the right and this place is often a choice for weddings for people to have their pictures down, especially with Arab and Ethiopian people.

Also on the right not visible is the windmill from the old district of Yemen Moshe.

This is the outside of the world famous King David hotel, and on the right, directly opposite side of the right is the YMCA.  Youth hostels are usually thought of as simple affairs for casual travellers on a budget, but this one is huge and is impressive as the hotel it faces.

This is the King David’s rival, no not Goliath, but certainly Goliath in size.  The Citadel seems to be the main choice for foreign heads of state to come and stay, but also I sometimes see poster outside advertising a forthcoming boy’s Bar Mitzvah, a birthday or some other type of big party.

Mamila shopping centre.  Looks super modern from outside but has several buildings inside that have been removed from elsewhere and carefully dismantled with numbers written on the bricks and then reassembled carefully again.

Another hill upwards.  Sheesh, I don’t think anyone in the bible ever got fat.  Going anywhere is up and down hills all the time, this road joins onto Jaffa Street.

first bit –  second section –  Third and final

Jul 15 2010

Beit Shemesh summer camp

Today is a special day!  I have been volunteering for Bridges for Peace for one year!  (ok have been out of the country a couple of times on a break)

I got a chance to escape the office and head of in a car with some other staff to the small town of Beit Shemesh.  Here is a map.

Here we got to see some kids at a summer camp at a school.  Here a lot of these kids come from poor background and Bridges for Peace provides them with lunches and books when they are at school, so its nice to see the people we are directly helping especially for people like me who are admin staff and are not dealing face to face with needy Israeli families.

After some fiddling to get the projector working, this child did a presentation on the big bang and how the planets are formed, I think he is one of the most clever kids there and also seems pretty confident to do this talk himself.  Its good that unlike my home country in the UK political correctness forces educational places to only talk about evolution rather than creation.

Got to join in with drawing and painting

We were trying to draw this view out of the school building, but I just stuck to the green hills and small number of buildings 🙂

This community has a lot of African Jews from Ethiopia as children Ashkenazi (European) and Sephardic (Middle Eastern/Asian) backgrounds, you see a big mixture of skin colours here.

Once we had finished we got to chance to grab some take out coffee from a mall down the road and head back to the office.

Beit Shemesh

Jul 12 2010

Riding to work – commuting Jerusalem style Part 1

first bit –  second section –  Third and final

I thought I would mention a bit about my commute to work.

My house is in East Talpiyot, is 6km (4 miles) from work, I got a bike not long after my return from the UK in March.

I have had to commute distances before in previous jobs, when I started working for the Southampton NHS trust (for non-UK people, a hospital authority) to start with, the drive of about 26 miles was hell, due to heavy traffic and the maddeningly complex lane system around Southampton.  After getting a Tomtom unit and planning a different route and fair bit of practice, this journey got easier, after a couple weeks I really started to enjoy this job, and my boss gave me some assignments to do in other parts of the city (there were about 100 different buildings to be visited between a team of about 8 of us)   I think this was God telling me to be more persistent with things.   Plus after a couple of months of this role all the roadworks was complete, giving me more time to get in.

Here though, I am on two wheels which might seem dangerous given the more er, ‘energetic’ Israeli style of driving here, but in general riding around isn’t too much problem as I use the pavement and just keep an eye out for pedestrians. Right: Out of my flat

This junction here doesn’t look much, but I actually have a archaeological site 100 yards from my house. The Talpiyot tomb. I have looked around and I can’t actually see this place, I have a feeling its probably hidden one of those electricity type shed things to the left.   There are steep steps down from this junction, so it could be under the road.
Up a hill, then down.   Then up.   A sneaky short cut up this hill to the right.

Good morning UN!   The United Nations building used to the headquarters of the British Mandate of Palestine (pre 1948)  Apparently looking at this location on a map, shows this place during biblical times was called the ‘Den of evil council’ (!)
I then cut to the right where this white car is:

The promenade!!  You get some amazing views from this place!!   Today it was a bit misty though, I am not sure how you get fog in a dry desert country but visibility in mornings is often like this.

Ride along this path.

Another sneaky shortcut, to the right takes a few minutes off…

first bit –  second section –  Third and final

Jul 8 2010

“Never be silent” – the modern day Watchmen of Jerusalem

Last sunday morning I went on a prayer walk on the walls of the old city.

Bart and Joan Repko have been doing this walk 6 days a week (except Shabbat) for some years now, alternating between each half of the edges of the wall, as you can start from either side of the Jaffa gate and finish just behind the Al Asqa Mosque.  You can get a ticket for 16 Shekels and its valid for two days so you can do the other half the next day, just need to start just inside the Jaffa gate.

The aim is to pray over this city and for the frequently volatile atmosphere here.   Often when we are here we can hear the sound of the minarets (Islamic prayer towers) boom out loud voices from different parts of the city.

These steps are quite hard work especially with the fierce midday heat here and it is quite easy to slip as they have hundreds of years of wear…

My friend Marcel is often on this tour.   Check his blog here.

Stunning views into and out of the old city are guaranteed….

Its quite amazing doing this walk as you get to see over into yards, gardens and roofs of all kinds of places.  People in both Arab and Jewish cultures use their roofs as yards, and usually characterised with satellite dishes, old sofas, solar panels (used to run hot water tanks) and various junk.

Gardens are quite popular, whether its a handful of hanging baskets or something quite a bit ambitious, here this person has their own vineyard, think it belongs to an Arab Christian.  I often see orange and lemon trees too.

The group’s name ‘Never be silent’ is taken from Isaiah 62 : 1 “For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet, till her righteousness shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch.”

See more about the Never be silent old city prayer tour walks here: www.neverbesilent.org/en/