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The Nazareth Trust Spring 2018
NAZARETH! GOOD THERE?
COME
SEE John 1 v 46
A word from our Chief Executive... It is my pleasure to write to you after what has been a very busy few months at The Nazareth Trust. And looking back on 2017, we can testify to the Lord’s continuing goodness and faithfulness to the work here in Nazareth. The Nazareth Village saw a record number of visitors in 2017, with over 93,000 people experiencing the authentic sights and sounds of the life and times of Jesus. The ongoing popularity of the Christmas programme was complemented by a successful Easter re-enactment which was attended by people from many countries across the globe. Towards the end of 2017, the Nazareth School of Nursing was accredited with academic status, allowing us to award degree-level education as well as nursing diplomas and transition courses for people entering nursing from other disciplines. Further to this, the School of Nursing was ranked second of the 24 institutions in the country, thanks to the dedicated teamwork of staff and students. SERVE Nazareth has been busier than ever, with record numbers of volunteers from all over the world coming to Nazareth to support not only the work of the Trust, but also various local Christian ministries. Volunteers are really important to our work, and we encourage churches, Christian organisations and individuals to consider taking part in SERVE in 2018. The work at the hospital continues to go from strength to strength with many new, senior doctors of considerable experience and reputation joining the team headed up
by Dr Fahed Hakim. The hospital was officially recognised for its work on several occasions during 2017, with one of the key awards being to the neonatal intensive care unit as being among the best of their type in Israel. Thanks to contributions from people from all parts of the Trust, we have a very proactive Christian Affairs programme, reaching out to the local community, patients and families alike with medical, emotional and spiritual support. Please do pray for this work to grow and be strengthened as we bear witness to the teachings of Jesus in modern-day Nazareth. The Nazareth Trust is unique in its position as one of the largest Christian organisations in Israel, currently reaching over 250,000 people each year. We have ambitious plans for the future, but to achieve them, we need the world-wide Christian community to continue to support us, whether through prayer, through financial support, or through visiting us through our SERVE programmes. To supporters past and present, I would like to say thank you for supporting the work of the Nazareth Trust. With your prayers we look forward to exciting times ahead.
Richard Mayhew, Chief Executive
About the Nazareth Trust As a Scottish charity with roots going back over 175 years, the Trust’s work in Nazareth began in 1861. Having endured much political and geographical change in the intervening years, we are now a major provider of healthcare and education in Nazareth and the surrounding region of Northern Israel. A young Christian doctor, Dr Kaloost Vartan, trained in Edinburgh and made the journey to Nazareth, the hometown of Jesus, establishing a small 4-bed clinic. At that time, it was the only medical facility in the town, and as far as Damascus and Beirut in the north, and Jerusalem in the south. This was pioneering medical work, reaching out to a population whose life expectancy barely reached 25 years at that time. No doubt, Dr Vartan drew his inspiration from the words of Jesus when he stood up in a synagogue in Nazareth: "The spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the
oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour". Our roots are in the provision of medical care, but today the Nazareth Trust is more than just a hospital. We are a dynamic Christian organisation which engages with over 250,000 people each year, from our patients and their families, to students and international volunteers, as well as pilgrims and tourists. The Trust has over 600 dedicated staff and volunteers who make our work possible. We have a unique history and an ambitious vision for the future. There are many people who share in our passion and vision for the Holy Land. We hope you will do too, as you find your way to make a difference to the people of Nazareth and the regions beyond.
The Nazareth Hospital EMMS goes from strength to strength
2017 was another year full of developments at the Nazareth Hospital. With a focus on staff development and engagement with the local community, the hospital stands in good stead with the people of Nazareth and the Ministry of Health in Israel. Not only did the Ministry of Health officially recognise our neo-natal intensive care unit as being the second best of its class in Israel, we also achieved the same ranking from patients who gave feedback on the treatment they received in our Emergency department. In terms of extending the reach of our work, we continue to develop a busy programme of activities in and for the local community. As well as inviting local pupils to tour the hospital, health promotion has been taking place in schools and as part of demonstrating our Christian ethos there was a wellattended week of healing, followed by a successful study day focussing on the importance of forgiveness. Work continues on the development of the Paediatric surgical department, with
an anticipated opening date for late Spring 2018. This will become the first and only dedicated paediatric surgical facility in Nazareth. The new facilities will mean that we can provide a much better standard of care for children and their parents, with more en-suite bathrooms, an outdoor play area and space for family members to stay close to their children during their stay in hospital. The Catheterisation laboratory celebrated its third anniversary, with over 2,200 patients given life-saving treatment over that period. In one notable incident a man was admitted in a critical state. A newly appointed doctor who was due to start work in the near future went the extra mile and came into the hospital especially to treat the man. Even heavy traffic didn’t deter him
and sensing the urgency of the case, he called an ambulance to ensure he could treat the man, effectively saving his life. This is just one example of the commitment and dedication shown by staff in their work in the Nazareth community. In the centre pages of this newsletter, you can read more about our plans for the first, dedicated Stroke Department in Nazareth. We are pleased to say that
we were able to save the life of a lady in her seventies who presented with stroke symptoms. Instead of transferring her to another hospital, wasting vital minutes that would increase the chance of death or paralysis, medication was administered and the lady was able to walk out of hospital following successful treatment. Please pray for this new department and as you read more about our plans, consider how you might be part of making this new facility a reality.
Can Anything Good Come from Nazareth? Come and see! The Nazareth Village has become one of the most popular destinations in Northern Israel. People from over 125 countries have visited the Village since it opened, with tours given in up to 10 languages each and every day. Experienced guides offer visitors valuable insights into first-century life and the teachings of Jesus. The Nazareth Village is an historically accurate and truly authentic site, where over 120 films, television programmes and DVD series have been made thanks to the careful attention to detail and vivid recreation of first-century life. The site of the Village lay dormant for many years until 1995 when, with the support of the Edinburgh Medical Missionary Society in Scotland, plans were agreed to develop the site into a living village where visitors could step back in time and experience first-century life. Archaeologists excavating the land could never have imagined what they would ultimately find. Cultivated terraces were discovered, then a watchtower and above all else, the most exciting discovery of all, was the Village wine press. Found in the limestone bedrock at the base of the terraces, archaeologists confirmed that all these precious finds existed in the time of Jesus. Winemaking was a very important community activity in the first century. It
was always a celebration, with the entire village participating in the harvesting and pressing of grapes. Nazareth, being a small village, would only have been big enough to support one press, and it is real miracle that the wine press was uncovered virtually intact after 2,000 years. After more than 20 years of development, the Nazareth Village continues to grow and expand. The restored farm now has thriving olive, fig and almond trees. Grapes, wheat along with various vegetables and herbs are being grown on the terraces once again. The first-century village includes a synagogue, an olive press, carpenter’s and weaver’s workshops, and a Mikveh, a Jewish ritual bath. When you join a tour, you will meet our villagers dressed in period costume, living life and working on the farm just as they would have done in Jesus’ time. Many visitors choose to enhance their experience by adding, a delicious Biblical Meal served by the villagers. 2017 was our busiest year ever, with close to 95,000 visitors.
A Growing Outreach Because of our growth, we are making plans to expand the existing visitor centre. The new Discovery Centre will encompass 40,000 square feet of facilities, not just to accommodate current operations but also to allow for the development of several new initiatives that will help us reach a larger audience with the teachings of Jesus. People who have visited Nazareth Village give consistently positive feedback about their experience and we want to welcome more and more people in the future. Book your visit today by visiting our website www.nazarethvillage.com
Please Pray That we would be able to continue the level of performance we have reached while still in the existing limited facilities. That there would be a good response to our appeal for support to build the much-needed, new Discovery Centre for visitors at the Village. That we would be able to find and recruit skilled, committed Christian staff to come work with us. That the Village would become an environment where all people can grow in their Christian faith and learn first-hand about the life and teachings of Jesus. .
Pastoral support at the Nazareth Academic School of Nursing Dr Amal Khazin, Director of Nursing Education, is now in her 23rd year working with our students in Nazareth. We asked her about the importance of training students to a high professional standard and how pastoral care, as well as the academic development of each person, is a vital part of this process. We usually receive an intake of students in October of each year. I always keep an eye out for new students to learn their names and to see how they are settling in. After my many years of experience I can usually tell when things are going well and when they aren’t quite right. I remember one student whose behaviour seemed a little unusual. Whether she knew it or not, she was coming across to other students as being quite arrogant and some of the School secretaries and staff started to raise questions about her attitude and interaction with others. To be a good nurse, strong interpersonal skills are really important and so this was of concern to me. In the School we have a support system through which every teacher becomes a sort of counsellor for a number of students. I asked to become this student’s counsellor so I could find out how best I could help. Very quickly I
discovered that this student had a lot of anger and felt that life hadn’t treated her fairly. On the surface, you would never have thought that such a beautiful twenty-year-old could have such anger and feelings of low self-worth. The student had experienced a lot of pain in her life, but I discovered that she was a Christian and open to discussion, so I started working with her to resolve these problems through our shared faith in Jesus Christ. The Trust’s Spiritual Director happened to be meeting with two priests from oversees. They all prayed with me and for our student which was a real help. After we had prayed, the student was so cheerful and full of joy. Her church affiliation is strong and is more tolerant of other people than before. All the staff noticed a sudden change in her attitudes and behaviour. She is now kind and respectful, making every effort to study hard and pass her exams.
I am sure that in many other Nursing Schools this student would not have been given the chance to continue her studies and may have been shown the door. We believe that everyone deserves a chance to open up to change, even if it
is difficult. The supportive care that she received here made a real difference, not just to the outcome of her studies, but to her as a person and to the community she will be part of later in life too.
Give thanks and pray We are now recognised by the Higher Counsel of Education to offer B.A. degree level qualifications to our students, through a brand-new partnership with a neighbouring college, Emek Yisrael. Please pray for the students who started this new programme in November 2017 and pray for the staff from both institutions to form solid relationships with mutual respect and mutual understanding at the heart of all we do.
Start your SERVE Nazareth adventure today SERVE programmes are flexible and accommodate a wide range of volunteering opportunities. You can serve as an individual, come with friends and family or bring a group from your church. With programmes ranging from one week to one year, and with many different placements and excursions available, you are sure to find your perfect opportunity. To find out more about SERVE Nazareth and how you can make a difference here in Nazareth, please visit servenazareth.org and fill out our enquiry form. It only takes a few minutes but could lead to an adventure that will change your life forever.
Following in the footsteps of Jesus with SERVE Nazareth Brian Talbot, a church pastor from Scotland, took a two-month break from ministry and joined us here in Nazareth as a SERVE volunteer. Here Brian shares his experience in his own words.
It was great not being the pastor for a time – no teams to organise, no meetings to chair and no sermons to prepare. These few weeks gave me time to read, study, and enjoy sitting with the Lord in this unique setting. As a volunteer programme, SERVE Nazareth gives you a lot of options. I chose to accompany hospital chaplaincy staff around the wards to pray with staff and patients. I also played my part at the Nazareth Village, taking the role of a first-century farmer. In my free time, I set about learning some Hebrew and visiting churches of different traditions. However, my greatest joy was quite unexpected. It was the conversations about life and faith with local people, be they Jews, Muslims or Christian Arabs that encouraged me the most. I have visited many of the historical sites in Israel over the years, but I have never
enjoyed so many conversations with the people in the land. And so I say, a class event in my life! As one of a group of SERVE Nazareth volunteers, we enjoyed sharing devotions together during chapel, at church services and with Hospital staff. Then an idea came to mind; what if I came back to SERVE Nazareth with members of my own congregation for a ten-day discipleship experience. After all, this is the land where Jesus played as a boy, studied the Torah and worked as a carpenter. This is the place where Jesus proclaimed that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand! Surely there is no better place in the world to study God’s word together than in the land where the story unfolds in front of your very eyes. SERVE Nazareth is a really amazing opportunity. I’d recommend it to anyone.
Christian affairs at the Nazareth Trust
Over recent months, we have taken significant steps to develop and strengthen the Christian identity of the Trust across all areas of our work. We give thanks for two study days on the theme of healing and forgiveness which had a very positive impact on the lives of staff, volunteers and friends of the Nazareth Hospital. Another successful summer camp for 50 children of Nazareth Trust staff and their extended families was led by Fadi Hanna, director of Child Evangelism Fellowship, with the support of local and international volunteers. The end of November saw a successful Week of Health and Healing take place and we were privileged to be able to host a team from the Crowhurst Christian Healing Centre in the UK. We were joined by numerous local ministers and former doctors who had previously served with EMMS Nazareth. This event combined the clinical and spiritual dimensions of healthcare, laying a solid foundation for our plans to develop a fuller model for integrated spiritual care, which we are building on in 2018. Many people’s lives were impacted through the prayers offered during the week of health and healing. This was true at an individual level as well as across various teams, with positive
stories from a consultant in the Maternity Department testifying at the thanksgiving service at the end of this week that she had noticed a positive change in the atmosphere of the entire department. One of the highlights of 2017 was our prayer breakfast and evening reception with local church leaders and the Nazareth Trust Board of Trustees. This brought together priests and ministers from nearly all the Christian traditions in Nazareth and the surrounding areas to share fellowship and pray for the needs of the Trust and the wider community of Nazareth and the Galilee region. We also hosted the leaders of the Evangelical Synod of Israel at the Nazareth Village for their monthly prayer breakfast which offered a great venue for fellowship over breakfast and a time of prayer for the needs of the different ministries represented at the event. Staff took part in a retreat in Bethlehem and a tour of Biblical sites around the
Sea of Galilee, led by Fr Kamal Farah. Both events were well attended with participants asking for more of these type of events. A big milestone was the creation of the Christian Affairs Committee and task teams to broaden the work of the Pastoral Care Committee, the Chaplaincy and activities to
strengthen our Christian identity. The Christmas programme of celebrations was followed by a study day on forgiveness therapy for medical and educational practitioners, facilitated by Dr Robert Enright in mid-January 2018.
Please pray‌ For wisdom and grace as we build on the foundations laid during 2017 to broaden the impact of our Christian identity through prayer and pastoral care of our staff. For the strengthening of local and international partnerships with Christian ministries that share our vision of health and well-being for the people of Nazareth and beyond. For the resources we need to develop an effective team of volunteer chaplains and spiritual carers in Nazareth to respond to the ongoing spiritual needs of staff, patients and their families.
Help save lives in Nazareth
At the present time, people in Nazareth do not have access to the medical help they need in the event of a stroke. When every second counts, fast and local access to expert care really makes a difference to the quality of life a person will have after they have suffered a stroke.
Every two seconds someone in the world will suffer a stroke and it is the third most-frequent cause of death in Israel. If you suffer a stroke, you need to be diagnosed fast and treated appropriately, without which permanent paralysis or even death might be the outcome. We can prevent this if we can act quickly. We already have a team of amazing doctors and nurses who know how to deliver this life-saving care. However, what we do not have is a fully-equipped Stroke Department. The vital piece of equipment we need for our Stroke
Department is a brand-new state-ofthe-art CT scanner. This scanner saves lives, but it comes at a cost of $600,000 (£450,000). Without it, Nazareth’s stroke victims cannot get the immediate care they need. This is where we need your help. You can partner with us in this vital project. Your donation, however big or small, will make a difference. We have been providing health care and healing in Jesus’ name for over 150 years and you can help us continue to do so by giving what you can.
Get involved Give You can help us save lives in Nazareth by supporting our Stroke Department appeal. We are grateful for all donations, no matter how big or how small. Your support will make a difference. A gift of ÂŁ100, or just ÂŁ8 per month, will help us work towards our goal to provide the highest levels of care in the event of a health crisis. You can donate online at www.nazarethtrust.org or by calling our UK office on +44 (0)131 225 9957.
Go As well as our SERVE Nazareth programmes and the opportunity to visit the Nazareth Village, we host a unique challenge event each year in the spring. You can cycle the Holy Land with us or hike the Jesus Trail. These unique events will give you greater insight into the history of the Holy Land, its people and the life of Jesus.
Pray We believe that prayer changes things. If you would like to pray for the Nazareth Trust and the people we serve, please contact us to receive updates. Prayer is often unseen but makes a real difference to what we do day to day.
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GET IN TOUCH TODAY TO RESERVE YOUR PLACE FOR SPRING 2019 GO
Don’t miss out on these two exciting events. Get in touch now.
GIVE
If you can’t take part sponsor a participant or make a donation.
SHARE
Help us spread the word. Invite friends and family to take part.
FIND OUT MORE NOW: laurie@nazarethtrust.org or 0131 225 9957 The Nazareth Trust is the operating name of EMMS Nazareth. Scottish Charity No. SC032510.
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“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”
Luke 4 v 18 & 19
The Nazareth Trust 6 Hill Street Edinburgh EH2 3JZ
Tel: +44 (0)131 225 9957 info@nazarethtrust.org www.nazarethtrust.org
The Nazareth Trust is a registered Scottish charity no. SC032510 and a company limited by guarantee registered in Scotland no. SC225661 The Nazareth Trust is dedicated to empowering the people of Nazareth and beyond, to advance well-being across all communities and borders, irrespective of faith, political persuasion or tradition.