This is an exploration into the mystery of Jerusalem based on personal experience and accidental sojourn to the "Holy City'

1. LOST
IN THE
DEN
Pastor in a Muslim Guest
house:
A thought on religious
dilemma of Jerusalem

2. INTRODUCTION
This is not intellectual nor a professional
presentation
It is my exploration of a dilemma that religion?
Or Politics? Or God has thrown me into
Jerusalem is a city that confounds, confuses
and amazes all at the same time
Want to see my Jerusalem pictures, you will
have to wait but you can follow my Jerusalem
dilemma.

3. CAUGHT IN IN THE DIN
Today Saturday the 15th of June, 2013, I set out to visit
Jerusalem and to pray.
Torn between a huge health ‘balagan’ and my spiritual
obligation to walk the streets where my
Lord, Jesus, walked, I chose to dash to Jerusalem.
Why?
I have been to Israel before but …
I stopped at Tel Aviv and returned after one month
without seeing the holy city.

4. PERSONAL PRAYERS
My family member is
seeking medical help
and the process is
crawling, real slow.
I need Divine
intervention and I
feel Jerusalem,
home to the three
greatest religions will
offer me succour
Now, I don’t know
any more.
My dilemma?

5. THE HOLY CITY?
Is Jerusalem truly holy? Want to find out what I saw in my first hour here?
Do holy people live here?
Are those contesting possession of the city the holy ones? Muslims,
Christians and Jews hotly proclaim Jerusalem as their own
Do holy things happen here really?
Let my experience so far answer for me

6. HOW HOLY IS JERUSALEM?
O I have been to the Chapel of Holy
Sepulchre and I am amazed at the large
number of people there.
O I have met a South African, German (he
snapped me some pictures) and a New
Zealander
O Other nationals that I have interacted with
I do not know…but there were Jews,
Muslims and Christians

7. HOLY JERUSALEM
In the hostel where I
hurriedly entered as the
day was getting dark, I
can hear the Muslims
crying out their prayer
right behind me
I had paid before
discovering this mix up
and am asking myself
should I get out? Not
knowing my left from my
right, can I go scouting
for another shelter
tonight?
I am a Pastor and in my
innocence, I never
imagined what a
complex problem
Jerusalem was. But I
am willing to pass the
night here trusting only
the Lord to guide me.
What I heard from a
distance is thrust upon
me in vivid live colours.

8. NOT ALL HOLINESS I

9. NOT ALL HOLINESS II

10. NOT ALL HOLINESS III
The
Unpleasant
Jerusalem
•You can get duped if you are not careful
•A trader required me to pay 80 shekels for a perfume
that I eventually bought two for 40 shekels. And right
there and then, another hustler came to offer three of
the same for 30 shekels. Have I been duped? You bet!
•A local, appears to be an Arab, he sold the perfume
that I bought offered to give me Russian ‘babes’ for the
night. Amazed? He was serious but apologised when I
revealed my identity as a Clergy.
•Another trader offered me instant employment to flag in
Nigerian pilgrims to his shop. My take? Thirty percent of
any sales I attract. Nigerians must be feeding the city
fat with spending…

11. AM I REALLY LOST?
If being a Christian
Pastor in a territory
controlled by Jews
and landing in a
hostel owned and
run by Muslims is
not being lost, I
don’t know what is.
Did you have this
kind of experience
of Jerusalem? I
can’t wait to hear
your dilemma.