Around CFI

One morning I took my camera with me to work. CFI is located just one block off Jaffa Road in the City Center (downtown) of Jerusalem. Jaffa Road begins heading west from the Old City (Jaffa Gate) which leads to the town of Jaffa (Joppa in the Bible) on the Mediterranean Sea. Acts Chapter 9:36-41 describes Peter raising Tabitha (Dorcus) from the dead. And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord. So it was that he stayed many days in Joppa with Simon, a tanner. (Acts 9:42-43) Then in Acts Chapter 10, Peter has his vision at Joppa regarding the extension of the gospel to the Gentiles. At the same time, the centurion has his vision in Caesarea which is also on the Mediterranean Coast about 30 miles north of Jaffa. So the birthplace of the gospel going to the Gentiles is all on the Mediteranean Sea Coast (about 35 west from Jerusalem).
Today Jaffa is just a little village south of Tel Aviv. The port is fairly deep there. In 1868, when Mark Twain visited the Holy Land, I believe his boat/ship also docked at Joppa. But he opted for the horse and donkey excursion that went from Lebanon to Damascus then to Jerusalem. See Twain's book Innocents Abroad before he wrote Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.
Several hundred years before Peter, Jonah tried to flee from the Lord at Jaffa. But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish;... (Jonah 1:3)
Below is the wall around CFI after entering thru a drive gate.

Below is a flower garden at CFI. To me, it's important that Christians maintain the beauty of Jerusalem for His Chosen People to see.

When Moses was giving his last words to the children of Israel in Deuteronomy, he also made mention of what is known as the "seven species". For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, that flow out of valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; ...(Deuteronomy 8:8-9) CFI has planted the seven species in their parking lot. Below is a young, pomegranate tree.

Below is a young, olive tree. You might have to enlarge it to see the olives. When you travel up north there are just acres and acres of olive trees. There are also olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemene which means "olive press".

CFI's west side of the building.

Below a beautiful rose in the garden.

Below is my work space at CFI. Currently I'm doing (and still learning as I go) Accounts Receivable for CFI. You have US dollars, Israeli Shekels, Canadian dollars, British pounds, Euros, Swiss Francs, Singapore dollars, etc. We do receive some currencies that even the bank does not take but the local money changers usually do. So I go to the local money changers and get shekels (for a small fee). This week was my first deposit run at the bank on Ben Yehudda street.

Overall CFI usually tries to maintain around 30 volunteers at the office and another 10-12 at the Distribution Center which actually sees Israelis coming in daily with their needs. Israel's Minister of Interior has been leaning on Christian volunteer agencies lately and several of CFI's volunteers with over 5 years of service were asked to leave the land for a little while (up to a year). So this week in addition to Accounts Receivable, I started trying to help pick up the slack with the Wall of Prayer. Two of the ladies, Joyce and Carolyn, that have been with CFI's Wall of Prayer for many years were asked to leave. Kay and I both have always considered them as close friends. It's only right to try and help. During a long weekend in December (Christmas), I'm planning on going up north to the Lebanon border and the Syrian border on the Golan Heights to take some photos for the Wall of Prayer. Specific locations and photos I hope would be an asset for intercessors that pray for Israel. Then the LORD said to me, "You have seen well, for I am ready to perform My word." (Jeremiah 1:12)

CFI's Outreach www.cfijerusalem.org:

Project David's Shield - Reaching out to Israeli soldiers

Project Doors of Hope - Serving the poor and needy in Israel

Project First Fruits - Reaching out to the believers in Israel

Project Forsake Them Not - Reaching out to Holocaust survivors

Project Open Gates - Reaching out to Israeli immigrants (aliyah)

Project Hope for the Future - Reaching out to Ethiopian Jews

Project Last Shall Be First - Home visits to the poorest of the poor