If you’ve ever visited the Nazareth Village and wondered whether the shepherd, potter, or villager you met was genuinely a time-travelling resident from the first century, then guide, Nathaniel Wiseman has done his job well. Barbora Brezakova recently caught up with him to explore what life behind the scenes at the Nazareth Village looked like.

For the past eleven years, Nathaniel has been one of the many faces of Nazareth Village, guiding visitors through a world where mobile phones disappear, sandals replace trainers, and sheep occasionally steal the spotlight. Nathaniel acknowledges that, “what began as a part-time guiding role has evolved into a remarkable blend of hosting, acting, teaching, pottery making, media coordination and sometimes even shepherding.”

“Putting on the costume helps,” he explains. Once the modern clothes come off and the first-century robes go on, Nathaniel is ready to step into character. Armed with a shepherd’s staff, a well-rehearsed script and a gifting in drama, he can comfortably switch between numerous village roles, bringing biblical life vividly into the present.

But life behind the scenes isn’t always as tranquil as the setting suggests.

Summer temperatures can soar to 40°C, turning authentic costumes into personal saunas. Winter brings its own challenges, with cold rain driving villagers to seek shelter wherever they can. “If it’s raining and cold, it’s very miserable to be a villager,” Nathaniel admits.

Then there are the sheep.

Most are remarkably cooperative, but lambs occasionally squeeze through fences, causing panic among their mothers and headaches for staff. Left unsupervised, the flock has also been known to sample newly planted trees, with unfortunate consequences for the landscaping department.

Perhaps Nathaniel’s greatest challenge has been learning pottery. Modern potters enjoy electric wheels and precise controls. At the Nazareth Village, Nathaniel works with a simple wooden wheel powered by his own legs. After countless attempts, online tutorials and plenty of trial and error, he’s improved considerably—although he cheerfully admits that experienced potters are unlikely to be fooled by his masterpieces. The Village is highly committed to authenticity, using first century techniques and tools, all of which are hard to master. However, Nathaniel admits, many visitors can hurry past and miss these details, many of which bring colour and nuance to Scripture.

Increasingly as data plans increase and people feel they have a right to record footage and post content, Nathaniel insists that what makes the Village so special is that people experience it as another world. Nathaniel describes it as, “an immersive experience of the first century where we want people to be fully present and undistracted”.

For Nathaniel, the real reward, isn’t about creating pots or herding sheep. Instead, it’s watching visitors experience those unforgettable “aha!” moments. Whether discovering how olives were pressed, seeing ancient carpentry tools for the first time, understanding why Jesus cursed the fig tree, or just hearing those stories of how God has spoken to them in profound ways at various stages of the tour. Nathaniel believes that many guests leave reading Scripture differently from when they arrived.

And after more than a decade, Nathaniel keeps turning up because the Village is both an important ministry and also a ‘second family’ in his words. Beneath the costumes, tours and occasional inclement weather, he sees the Nazareth Village as a place where history, faith and imagination meet, helping people encounter familiar Bible stories in a wonderfully unfamiliar way.

Steve Sanderson, The Nazareth Trust’s International Director, recently travelled to the United States to meet with supporters and promote the work of the Trust.

I recently had the privilege of meeting with a range of Nazareth Trust (NPI) supporter groups, courtesy of the Nazareth Project Inc, in Illinois and Pennsylvania. While fundraising remains a necessary and welcome part of these interactions, the deeper takeaway from this journey was the enduring value of relationship, informed prayer, and shared understanding. Throughout this trip, I was reminded that standing alongside Christians in Nazareth carries a significance that goes far beyond financial giving. The Nazareth Trust is a living witness in a complex part of the world and as Christians, we stand together to bear witness no matter where we live.

Wheaton College, in particular, stands out as a hub of influence. As one of the leading evangelical colleges in the US, it has shaped generations of Christian leaders. The College’s history of sending HNGR (Human Needs and Global Resources) volunteers to Nazareth is a powerful legacy, and there is genuine interest in renewing these connections. When meeting medics in Wheaton who had themselves served in Nazareth, it was a reminder that the Nazareth experience is formative. One medic referred to her escapes to Nazareth as a ‘haven’ in what was otherwise a difficult and confusing experience of the Holy Land.

The strong Anabaptist heritage of central Pennsylvania emphasizes lived faith. Live faithfully, live simply, live wholeheartedly and live in community. There are natural overtures with the Christian community in Nazareth and a growing affinity between both places. During one church visit in Lancaster, I was reminded that we are ‘armed with vulnerability’. Arab Christians living in Israel might indeed be vulnerable; this is indisputable. However, Nazarene Christians have been given a ministry of healing, hope and reconciliation; a goal far bigger than their minority status should ordinarily afford. But it was from the margins that God chose to work. After all, Nazareth is the very embodiment of this principle. Meeting with precious friends in the US affirmed that the most valuable investment is relational. Friendship, prayer, and a shared understanding ultimately cultivate the encouragement, advocacy, and prayer that sustains the witness of the Nazareth Trust.

We represent more than a series of services to people in Nazareth; instead, together, we are a community of people who passionately share in God’s mission of healing and hope.

Thank you for walking beside us on this journey as part of the community that makes up The Nazareth Trust.

“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works?”
James 2:14

Since James wrote these words, Christians have expressed their faith through compassionate care for the sick. It has been a central component of our ministry in Nazareth for 165 years.

Fiona Thomson from our head office in Edinburgh and SERVE Coordinator, Majdoleen Nawatha, recently joined the Christian Medical Fellowship (CMF) UK national conference to share our story.

However, they came away reminded that the Nazareth Trust is a global movement that has served the people of Nazareth but has in turn, been profoundly shaped by its encounter with them. God has used the Trust to shape the lives and careers of many Christian medics over several decades—Christian medics who have gone on to bear witness through the medical profession at home and abroad.

“I met someone who was born in Nazareth in 1944,” said Majdoleen. “We sat talking about the hospital for an hour, and it turned out his dad was a trustee.

“I opened up the history page online, and he could identify almost everyone in the pictures.

“It felt so special interacting with him since he knows a lot about our organisation, an organisation that has been there for a long time.”

In addition, various Christian medics recounted their elective in Nazareth, told stories of how they met their spouse there, and some shared their experiences of participating in the Trust’s ‘Jesus Trails’.

Fiona noted the strong bond many Christian medics felt with Nazareth after volunteering with SERVE at the hospital or village and how it was significant for their personal discipleship journey.

Fiona added that, “discussions arose on the difference the Trust makes on the ground, focusing on their mission of ‘Healing, hope and hospitality’.”

Since its founding, the Nazareth Trust has thrived because of the personal faith of medics leading them to serve the hometown of Jesus. While paradigms in medical mission are changing, the role of Christian medics, especially those who are also active members of the CMF, remains critical, as supporters, encouragers, prayer partners and influencers.

We are grateful to our friends at CMF and to the ‘great cloud of witnesses’ who have gone before us by faithfully serving the people of Nazareth. Many of whom still stand with us in this urgent ministry of healing, hope and hospitality in Jesus hometown.

The emotional toll of the war on the people of Nazareth and the wider Galilee has been immense.

Najla Asmar is a psychologist who leads the EMMS Nazareth Hospital Maana Center, which provides vital mental health services to the community.

She lives in Haifa and, like many Arabs in Israel, does not have a shelter to stay in during the missile strikes. Her elderly mother can’t move to another site, so they had to find shelter somewhere in the building.

The Hospital has taken massive efforts in recent years to fortify parts of the building, meaning many services can continue whilst the sirens are still ringing across Nazareth.

“The most dangerous part was getting to work; I felt safe in the hospital,” she said.

The Maana Center is made up of around 40 therapists. During the conflict, they visited staff – such as those running the kitchen, ER, laundry, and maternity units.

“All our staff have their own issues too, with small children and the stresses of the conflict, but we managed, in a good way, to keep working, supporting one another and supporting the hospital,” she said.

When the therapists weren’t in the hospital running workshops and offering mental health support to staff, they ran many of their sessions remotely. In March alone, they carried out 450.

Previous studies have shown that Arabic speakers experience disproportionately high rates of mental distress compared to the rest of the population.

Despite this, there is a societal stigma around accessing mental health services and language barriers to accessing them. Although Arabs in Israel make up 21% of the population, only 1.4% of psychologists and 1.9% of psychiatrists are Arab.

The conflict compounds these pressures. These workshops are a response to alleviate emotional wounds and provide a means to cope.

The center’s ‘Hour of Support’ meeting series was launched to provide a safe space for listening, dialogue, and human connections.

The meetings were held in Arabic and were adapted for diverse groups within the community: parents, children, older adults, professionals, and the general public. An average of 130 participants took part in each meeting, reflecting the significant need within the community for such spaces during this period.

One local participant compared the meetings to a ‘warm Ramadan evening.’

“Not a time to say many words, but simply to say: We are here with you.”

Another participant stated they appreciated that the meeting was not a lecture, but rather ‘an open dialogue.’

“It was clear how much people need a supportive space like this.”

Another meeting in the series was dedicated to older adults, focusing on their emotional and life experiences, and the resilience they have accumulated over the years, with a focus on how these experiences can be drawn upon to engage with the challenges of the current conflict.

“It was a deeply professional and very moving gathering, conducted in a clear and respectful emotional voice,” one participant noted.

Another event in the series served more than 500 children, with a puppet theatre performance on the topic of living through difficult times as well as an activity with an art therapist.

Among the services and initiatives launched as a response to the conflict were the:

• Continued provision of remote psychological treatments and interventions remotely to maintain continuity of care and support for clients.

• Activation of an emergency mental health hotline to receive referrals from members of the community.

• Implementation of interventions within hospital departments, including accompaniment and support for medical and professional staff to strengthen their psychological resilience.

• Community initiatives to reinforce emotional support, foremost among them the online Hour of Support meeting series.

Najla said she finds hope in her community, in strengthening their abilities and capabilities, ‘initiating things that echo our pain and our strength.’

It is so often the case that the news will showcase targets, military hardware, political machinations and the shifting heft of geo-politics; however, the daily grind of war leaves few people unaffected.

As the staff of the Nazareth Hospital and School of Nursing keep showing up at work with dedication, compassion and courage, they embody a fundamental principle of Christian witness in the face of crisis. That principle is captured by St Paul in 2 Corinthians 1 v 3-5:

…”the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

“I saw the look on my nephew’s face whenever he heard the sirens. No child should have to live with that fear.”

Amidst war, sometimes the most astounding fact is that life goes on.

It is a highly intense form of ordinary life. In the evening, a full night’s sleep can be rare, ever waiting to be interrupted by a different kind of alarm.

In the morning, employees go to work. They join their scheduled meetings before they are interrupted by piercing sirens emanating from their phones. Immediately, they make their way to the shelter, if they have one. Once the all-clear is given, they return to work and continue about their day.

“I couldn’t sleep for the entire period,” said Majdoleen Nawatha, SERVE Coordinator. “Even if we don’t get an alarm, deep inside you need to be ready to go to the shelter.”

The ever-present undercurrent of anxiety and sleep deprivation makes going about the day a struggle. You have to find solace.

For Majdoleen, that solace came from Jesus Christ, ‘the Prince of Peace.’

“That He won’t leave us.”

Dr Salam Hadid, Director of the Nazareth Academic School of Nursing and a mother of four, found rest in God’s presence.

“I drew my strength first and foremost from my deep faith that God is with us every moment, day and night, even on the roads, and that He protects us even in the most difficult circumstances.

“I drew so much strength from my family—my students, my staff, and the administration of our institution—who gave us a sense of unity. Prayer was a source of strength and comfort, reminding me that despite the fear, there is hope, and nothing lasts forever.”

Her eldest son lives in Tel Aviv, which suffered prolonged missile assaults during the war. One of her daughters is a nursing student working at Nahariya Hospital under the immense pressure the war inflicted. A son was studying in the United States, worrying about his family in Israel. Her 11-year-old daughter is studying remotely at home near the border conflict in Lebanon.

The daily commute to Nazareth became a constant source of anxiety, with frequent changes depending on the security situation.

“As a family, we tried to support each other, and prayer played a significant role and gave us a sense of peace,” she said.

“I tried to focus on the present – how to ensure the continuity of education for our students and how to maintain the family’s cohesion.

“I kept my thoughts occupied with hope and faith that the coming days would be better.”

She hopes for the return to security and stability, that her students will be able to complete their education, graduate, and serve their community.”

The Nazareth Academic School of Nursing gives Arab-speaking students, who are underrepresented in the Israeli medical field, access to education through its scholarships. It equips them with the necessary skills to thrive in nursing.

“I believe that light is always stronger than darkness,” she said, “and that God is with us and accompanies us every step of the way.”

Thank you to our supporters who have walked with us through these difficult times. Your support makes a real, tangible difference in the lives of Nazarenes. We ask you to pray for peace to prevail and for the people of Nazareth.