A Day In the Life of JAARS Computer Support

Scene I

Location: JAARS Computer Support Department.
Time: June 17, 2006
Edith Enduser [dialing JAARS Helpdesk and getting another busy signal for the 3rd time]: “Oh, drats! Busy again.”
Edith Enduser [dialing JAARS Helpdesk once again]: “Cool! The phone is ringing. I’m safe now.”
[Phone rings] Harry Helpdesk: “Hello. JAARS Computer Support. May I help you?”
Edith Enduser: “Yes, thank you. I’m calling from Brazil and my e-mail isn’t working. Can you help me?”
Harry Helpdesk: “Let’s see what I can do. Tell me more about the problem.”
[Harry listens to the problem and verbally walks Edith through the solution, assuming she is completing every one of his instructions exactly as directed – a dangerous assump-tion as it turns out!]

Scene II

Location: West Nicoast, Indoguniea.
Time: June 17, 2006
[Phone rings] Nicky Netman [after 5 rings]: “Pick up! Oh, no, I just remembered. We’re 14 time zones before JAARS and they’re still sleeping. [Nicky, under his breath] I’m hav-ing problems with my Windows 2003 server and no one is available for help. [Nicky, loudly] I’m mad as Hades and won’t take it anymore!”
Harry Helpdesk: “zzzzzzzz”
Curtain draws; shuffle, shuffle; curtain rises slowly

5 Months later

Scene I

Location: JAARS Computer Support Department.
Time: November 17, 2006
Edith Enduser [living in Brazil]: “My e-mail isn’t working for some reason. I’ll just use my trusty web browser and submit a service request in the new JAARS Helpdesk sys-tem.”
Harry Helpdesk: “We have an e-mail service request from Edith. I’ll connect to her computer and fix it right away.”
Harry Helpdesk [sending an instant text message to Edith]: Hi Edith. We’ve received your service request. Is it OK to remotely control your computer and see what the problem is? Yes?” [Harry remotely controls Edith’s computer]: “Edith, just relax and allow me to take control of your com-puter and we’ll have the problem fixed in no time.”
Edith Enduser: “Thanks so much, Harry. I’m so thankful for this new recently installed JAARS Helpdesk system. I can submit a service request for my e-mail problem via my trusty web browser and it is automatically routed to the correct person. You contact me, remotely control my computer, and fix the problem so fast. You’re my hero!”

Scene II

Location: West Nicoast, Indoguniea.
Time: November 17, 2006
Nicky Netman: “I’m having problems with my Windows 2003 server and, although everyone at JAARS is sleeping, I know I can submit an online service request and it is auto-matically routed to Singapore. And Singapore is in MY time zone. This is too cool!”
[Service request is routed to Singapore and Sammy Soft-ware, Steve’s brother, helps fix the problem. Nicky smiles, happy to know that the JAARS tech support staff are still soundly sleeping].
Harry Helpdesk [sawing logs]: “zzzzzzzz”

Oh, If It Were So Simple!

Although highly dramatized [could you tell?], these are just some of the life-like scenarios that Ken has been attempting to address at JAARS. Ken has been spearheading the selec-tion of an enterprise Helpdesk system for the last six months. He has evaluated close to 50-60 Helpdesk software packages and, as of June 17th, has narrowed the selection down to the top three. The plan is for Ken and his counterparts from Or-lando and Dallas to narrow that small list to the two top fi-nalists and then to set up demonstrations with our organiza-tion’s network administrators and security specialists. The final selection should follow shortly thereafter.

But, our organization is very complex in that, although we all support Bible translation, the JAARS, Orlando, Dallas, and other centers are distinct corporations with unique work flows and business needs. Meeting the complex and unique work flow needs for three [and soon to be six] support cen-ters, addressing licensing restrictions, meeting browser com-patibility issues, and other organizational anomalies has proven to be quite a challenge. But, we’re confident that the system will greatly enhance our ability to provide regional, and, with the help of Wycliffe UK and Singapore, 24x7 world-wide computer support. With Bible translation highly dependent upon computers, we strongly believe that effec-tive computer support leads to increased functionality, which means faster and more efficient Bible translation. Bible translation offers greater opportunity for more people to know about Jesus through His Word. Pray with us that we could make this happen, and happen soon.

Please pray for…

... the Helpdesk selection. Ken has been working on this non-stop for the last few months. Please pray that the team will pick the appropriate one for the right price.

… Ken's knee hurts more than it did before surgery [and we haven't finished paying for the first operation yet!]. He goes to the doctor again on June 20th to see if there is anything that can be done about it. The JAARS doctor, a general prac-titioner, stated that a knee replacement might be next option on the list.

… Anne. She experiences a lot of stress in her role. In the past, she brought the work and subsequent stress home and it was affecting her ability to sleep. Pray that she could handle the stress well and leave work at work.

… Laura and Stuart as they settle into their marriage. They are adjusting to making decisions together, taking care of business [i.e., getting insurance, transferring vehicle titles, etc.] and doing things neither one has ever done before. Ad-ditionally, Lowe‘s company policy does not allow married couples to work within the same store so Laura had to either move to another store or leave the company. She is currently working at another Lowe’s location but seeking a job that doesn’t require nights and weekends.

… furniture for Christine’s apartment. We need to take a trip to Lynchburg soon to buy her furniture for her apartment in preparation for the 2006-2007 academic year.

We’re Thankful for …

… Christine’s job. She, too, is working at Lowe’s and al-though they have a general cut back hours, she continues to receive hours just short of a full-time schedule.

.. 23 years of marriage. Our anniversary is this month on June 18th.

Thank You!



You have blessed over the years with your friendship, prayers and gifts. Thank you for being part of our team and enabling us to contribute to the task of seeing that all men, in every language, have access to the word of God in their own language – the language that speaks to the heart. Because of you, many will have the opportunity to come humbly before the Throne of grace as we do.

Yours in HIS service,

Ken, Anne,
Laura, Stuart, and Christine Haugh

Reception Fun

Ken shares from his heart, welcoming Stuart into our family















The cake was delicious! Vanilla, stawberry, and even chocolate!




















The traditional cake sharing. No cake smashing in the face here!
















We were blessed with the many friends that came from all over. Friends from Prince Edward Island, Canada, Wisconsin, Florida, Washington, Michingan, Pennsylvania, California, and regions beyond! Here are just some of the friends that Laura and Christine went to school with in Irian Jaya, Indonesia.














Laura was roasted by stories of the past. Marilee Dorn, a long time friend from Long Island, reminds Laura about losing her first tooth and her subsequent faith in the tooth fairy.















The getaway!

"I Do" - Now it's time to ham it up!

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During the wedding

It was an incredibly touching moment. Stuart has such a sensitive heart that he had difficulty getting his vows out. Laura reached up and wiped a tear off his cheek. She did the same for Ken when he officially gave her away. It was an incredibly tender moment.















Laura's aunt, Lois Feltham, and her cousin, Rebecca, sang at the wedding. Rebecca had been sick for several days and didn't think she could sing. She decided just that morning, out of sheer determination we're sure, that she was going to do this. Moments before walking on the stage to sing, the baby returned breakfast all over Rebecca! One would have never known. The music was absolutely beautiful, many people complimenting both of them.















Laura puts the ring on Stuart's finger and then signs the wedding certificate, indicating the public proclamation of their marriage commitment.

Before and During Wedding pictures

Anne and Laura share a special hug together at the reception.















Beautiful bridesmaids. Everything points to the bride.














Ken with Laura waiting behind the closed chapel doors. We're waiting for the right music moment for grand entrance. Unfortunately, we couldn't hear the music behind closed doors. We forgot about this part at the rehearsal!















Ken walking his beautiful daughter down the aisle.

Laura and Stuart's Wedding

Anne, Ken, Laura, our new son-in-law Stuart, Christine, and her boyfriend Jesse.

Dad gets a hug from the beautiful bride.

Laura enjoyed the wonderful celebration. She is photographed here talking to Ken's family that traveled from Michigan

Laura is Married

Anne and I gave Laura away in holy matrimony this past Saturday. It was a beautiful wedding and reception but was also one of the most difficult things I've ever had to do. Laura looked beautiful (if I don't say so myself) and Stuart looked very handsome. Laura was poised during the wedding, wiping both mine and Stuart's tears away as both of us choked with emotion at one time or another. A wedding ceremony highlight was when Stuart and Laura personally escorted the guests out of the chapel.

We had family and guests from Canada's Prince Edward Island, California, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Floriday, Washington, New York, and places beyond. About 45 people came to our home Saturday evening after the wedding and shared in a delicious meal prepared by our friends. Many of the same came Sunday evening to continue the celebration. All had fun as we reviewed the wedding video and shared some of the more comical moments of the wedding.

God was present with us during this time. A Jewish couple, friends of Stuart's father, said she enjoyed the wedding so much that she wished she could have another child just so she could have another wedding and include some of the features of this one.

My heart is still tender, knowing that our lives have changed. But I am incredibly grateful for a wonderful weekend with family and friends. I am also grateful knowing that I have a new and wonderful son-in-law.

"The Only Thing I Know..."

April, 2006

Galen Stutzman, one of the many servants in our computer support department, recently shared the following story at a missions conference. I thought it was worth repeating. It proves once again that God works in mysterious ways!

Ken

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“Let me challenge you this morning to get involved in missions in some way. Wycliffe Bible Translators has the goal of translating the New Testament into everyone’s language. That means they have to start 2,500 translations by the year 2025. That’s a huge job and they need lots of translators. If you are a translator or willing to be a translator, we need you. God needs you.

If you’re not a translator, God needs you, too. The translation task is enormous and the translators need lots of help. I’m a member of Wycliffe Bible translators, but I’m not a translator. I’m a Wireless Communications specialist. Translators need to be able to communicate from very remote areas. I, and the department I work in, can help them do that. Are you a communications specialist? We need your help. If you can do plumbing, construction, fly airplanes, understand computers and networks, teach, care for children, be a secretary, understand accounting, almost anything you can do, we need you. God needs you.

If God isn’t calling you to join a mission, He still needs you and your skills, no matter what they are. Let me illustrate by telling you about a single mother named Bev.

JAARS accepts donations of communications and test equipment. We do our best to make these donations available to our members overseas. On one occasion, a company in Colorado donated 19 oscilloscopes that they had replaced. These scopes were old and in various states of disrepair, but they would be very useful to a technician overseas, who may not be able to afford to buy one on their own, as they run about $2,000 to $3,000 new. It was important to get this equipment in the hands of technicians in a timely manner. I wanted to send them out as soon as I could, but I couldn’t send them out the way they were. I had a shortage of staff at the time and there was no one available to repair and calibrate them. The technicians in the field wouldn’t have the time to check them out and buy parts. Parts may not even be available at all. What to do?

This weighed on my mind for several weeks. One day I received a call from our Public Relations department. They gave me the name of a woman in Rock Hill that they wanted me to call. Her name was Bev.

I called Bev. Bev was a single mother of a little boy. She had visited JAARS on a JAARS Day recently. She had listened to the various missionary speakers and heard the stories of Bible translation. She had taken the tour and saw the airplanes and the print shop and the carpenter shop and all of that and had come away impressed with the work we were doing. She had limited resources, but she wanted to help. She told me with a sad and almost apologetic voice, “I want to help out in some way, but I don’t have anything to offer. The only thing I know how to do is calibrate oscilloscopes!!" Isn’t God good?

Bev’s mother helped baby-sit her son during the mornings for two weeks and she swapped parts and calibrated those scopes and now they are on the field helping electronics technicians and computer technicians around the world support Bible Translation. Because a young mother was willing to do what she could to help, God blessed translators and technicians around the world and showed me His faithfulness and advanced His kingdom."
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Anne and I thank those that have sacrificially given, prayed, or encouraged us in order to make our ministry possible. Now it's our turn to encourage you?

What can you do for God? How can He use you in in missions?

April/May Update

Just the Facts

Anne, Laura, Christine, and Ken are in the final preparation stages of Laura's May 20th wedding. We're working diligently on the house, getting it ready for the guests. Anyone that has been through this knows that a myriad of last-minute wedding preparation details remain. But, we're excited to watch them work through the details in preparation for their new life together.

Anne continues to work as an Assistant Manager in Harris Teeter's fresh foods department. It is a challenging role but she is good at what she does and the company likes her work.

Christine remains a studious college student at Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA. I think she misses her dad a lot when she's at college.

Ken is driving to Medina, OH on Saturday, April 22nd to speak at both services at Medina Presbyterian Church on Sunday, April 23rd. It is exciting to return to a church that has been supporting us for years and share what God is doing through the world of Bible translation. Please pray for Ken as he gives the messages on Sunday. He's not a pastor and doesn't consider this his gifting so giving a message always leaves him mentally and physically exhausted at the end of the service.

Sunday evening, Ken will have the opportunity to stay with Larry Gradisher, the IT volunteer that went with Ken to Kingston, Jamaica for the network installation. Ken is excited to be able to touch bases with Larry and Steve Bradley again. Larry is taking Ken to his place of employment so Ken can take a look at their network data center. JAARS has a new data center project in the works and this will give Ken an opportunity to see what others are doing in this area.

Ken is participating in First Baptist Church of Pontiac's mission conference from Saturday, April 29 to Wednesday, April 26. He's excited about sharing with FBC too, what God is doing throughout the world of Bible translation. Ken will be driving the 13 hours home on Thursday, May 4th.

Would You Like to Know More About Bible Translation?

JAARS offers several free publications that provide some of the many challenges faced by Bible translators worldwide. Rev7 offers timely stories about Bible translation around the world, the latest issue dealing with the complex transportation challenges faced by Bible translators. It is an eye-opener indeed. Partner Express is another JAARS publication that informs the body of Christ about the many projects, praise reports, and giving opportunities. And the Prayerline shares a bimonthly list of prayer requests, one per day.

You can sign up for any or all of these publications by e-mailing info@jaars.org or by writing the JAARS Partnership Ministries department at P.O. Box 248, Waxhaw, NC 28173. Include your name, address, and e-mail address and they will be sure to help you get connected.

Don't know about you, but we're looking for vacation. Any ideas?

Just a Little Humor for the Soul...

My brother just sent this to me and I loved it. I thought you might enjoy it too.

Who was Jesus? Opinions vary......

My friend from Baton Rouge, LA says that Jesus was a Cajun:
1. He liked to serve fish to his friends.
2. He could make his own wine.
3. And he wasn't afraid of water.

My black friend had 3 arguments that Jesus was Black:
1. He called everyone "brother".
2. He liked Gospel.
2. He couldn't get a fair trial.

My Jewish friend had 3 arguments that Jesus was Jewish:
1. He went into His Father's business.
2. He lived at home until he was 33.
3. He was sure his Mother was a virgin and his mother was sure he was God.

My Italian friend gave his 3 arguments that Jesus was Italian:
1. He talked with his hands.
2. He had wine with every meal.
3. He used olive oil.

My California friends had 3 arguments that Jesus was a Californian:
1. He never cut! His hair.
2. He walked around barefoot all the time.
3. He started a new religion.

My Irish friend then gave his 3 arguments that Jesus was Irish:
1. He never got married.
2. He was always telling stories.
3. He loved green pastures.

BUT my LADY friend had most compelling evidence that Jesus was a woman:
1. He fed a crowd at a moment's notice when there was no food.
2. He kept trying to get a message across to a bunch of men who just didn't get it.
3. And even when he was dead, he had to get up because there was more work to do.

March 2006 Update

Honestly, sometimes we're feeling challenged when it comes to keeping our supporters updated. Anne and I recently talked about writing an update but asked, "What do we do that is interesting enough for people to want to read it?" Pictures of jungle people with grass skirts and bones in their noses and Bible translation stories sharing how God has changed someone's life excites people but, outside of some of the travel experiences, supporting people's compting needs in ministry doesn't cause people to wake up each morning and yell, "I can't wait to see what's new on the Haugh Update blog!" So, what's a mother to do?

We concluded that, for the most part, our lives are normal and we don't have anything exciting to offer. Maybe that's not all that bad. So, we'll simply offer you our lives - the good, bad, and ugly.

Laura and Stuart
PTL! Laura and Stuart found an apartment to rent. It is in the basement of a missionary's home about 20 minutes from here. Real nice. They also purchased new Whirlpool washer and dryer that had been returned to Lowe's (where they both work). The previous owner didn't like the color so she returned them so the store sold them to Laura and Stuart for $300! Awesome. They continue to look for a bed and other pieces of furniture.

Christine
Christine is home from Liberty for spring break. She's loves Liberty and is doing real well academically. (She must get her smarts from her mother!). She too, just found an apartment and will be living off campus next year. This should cut her (can you read "our"?) school costs considerably next year.

Anne
Anne is working hard at Harris Teeter. She is an assistant manager in the Fresh Foods department and, although some days returns home dogged tired, enjoys the work. She's a conscientious employee and the store personnel like her a lot (I do too!).

Ken
I am still serving at JAARS, Wycliffe's regional technical center. My biggest project right now is evaluating off the shelf HelpDesk programs. The scope is that our three centers' (Orlando, JAARS, and Dallas) technicians can be set up to connect to it and users from all over the world can submit service requests through the Web interface. I have skimmed probably 75 or so programs and immediately eliminated many of them. Now, I have to really mine the data on their web sites, diging deep engough to find the information to determine if the program meets our specificications, and call the vendors. It's time consuming and challenging (they all want to demo and/or sell me the program today) but I've now narrowed it down to about 7 or so and am installing them on servers for testing. Please pray that I could narrow the right programs to about 5 or so and then be able to share them with the rest of the group for a decision.

I had surgery on my left knee last December and am still having some difficulties with it. With the way it feels, I lack the confidence to play racquetball, basketball, or tennis. The JAARS doctor told me that he wasn't sure I should ever play those again with the way my knees looked. (He was my racquetbally partner but said he gave up playing after he saw what it did to my knees!) . I'm not sure what to do about it not wanting to suffer the pain, rehabilitation, and expense of follow up surgery.

Life is anything but normal - life is truly a gift. I thank God for life, for my family, and for you, our friends. God bless you all.