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In October 2022, I took part in my 19th Charity Challenge for the Nazareth Hospital, 25 years after my first bike ride in 1997.
I am delighted to report a total of £3,810 was raised to go towards the much-needed expansion of the Pastoral Care Team. A total of £71,587 was raised over 18 bike rides and one trek, or £3,768 for each year.
The trek followed the Jesus Trail, starting in Nazareth and winding its way to Cana via Zippori, before heading down to Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee, visiting Mount Arbel and Magdala en route. With a few exceptions, the route followed the way Jesus would have walked between his hometown of Nazareth and the towns and villages around the shores of the Sea of Galilee. The first day involved walking 33,000 steps in temperatures of 30 degrees Celsius. Thereafter, the weather, whilst still warm, cooled and the average steps were reduced to a more manageable 26,000 steps.
I was one of 14 trekkers, five from Scotland; two from England; two from Northern Ireland; three from the USA and two from the Netherlands. Members of the Nazareth Trust Staff, along with members of the Hospital Chaplaincy team, took turns to walk with us every day.
It was great to visit the Nazareth Hospital and to meet up and socialise with Arab Christian friends. The motto of the Hospital is Healing in the name of Jesus (since 1861). I am always impressed by the practical demonstration of love in such a racially divided society. I was again privileged to be able to visit and worship at the Nazareth Baptist Church on the Sunday.
I was able to visit the grave of Kaloost Vartan, the missionary doctor sent to Nazareth from Edinburgh 161 years ago, who founded the Hospital. The graves of his Scottish wife, Mary Anne Stewart and of five of their ten children, who died in infancy, are buried beside him.
I loved the trek and the comradeship of my fellow trekkers. The trek presented different, however equally challenging issues to the bike ride. In my heart, I will always be a bike rider, although it was my “heart” that resulted in my reluctant conversion. I would recommend both challenges to raise funds and awareness of the great work of the Nazareth Hospital.
Thanks again for the amazing generosity and support. Have a Blessed Christmas and a Healthy/Prosperous New Year.
Trevor
I have now done five overseas cycling challenges with EMMS/Nazareth Trust. This was the hardest. Being older each time might just be a factor.
I arrived in Tel Aviv early, allowing me to see its old port of Jaffa and visit the house of Simon the Tanner where pivotal events in the book of Acts took place. I had prepared for the ride by reading (on my exercise bike) about the biblical places where we would go, and I found the week grew my understanding of Bible events.
The first day riding inland held surprises. Thorn bushes along the tracks caused many punctures, but amazingly the sealant in the tubes sealed most. Map reading in areas of road construction and forests was difficult, and poor GPS reception led to wrong turnings – giving an impressive distance covered! Meeting a school trip led to being offered delicious tea brewed from a plant they had found. Shane had learned some Arabic and Hebrew before the ride, and it was great to see his interactions with locals. In Neve Shalom Hotel a Christian Palestinian staff member explained it was staffed by a mix of Jews, Moslems and Christians as a model of how these communities can work together. Nazareth Hospital is, I think, the greatest example of that.
Next was uphill to Jerusalem, beside the defunct Jaffa to Jerusalem railway. Though the land was parched, the rough tracks went through a lot of deep-standing water. Another surprise was a brand new 2km long cycle tunnel that took us into Jerusalem, as well as containing sewer pipes. Seeing the city divided was sad. I wondered what role Palestinian Christians and Messianic Jews could play as Peacemakers if they themselves were united. My leg was sore, and I didn’t go to see the Old City; another trip is needed!
Bethlehem was full of tourists but with nothing from the time of Christ, except some road signs to ‘Shepherd’s fields’ and some donkeys. Elaborate Church buildings over the possible site of his birth left me wondering what Jesus might think and how differently he might wish us to behave. It was desert all the way to Jericho. Amazing! The only habitable spot was at a spring – supplying an ancient Monastery. We saw a pipe being laid across the desert to bring that spring water to Jericho, and we looked down to the Dead Sea, too long a detour to visit. So many Bible references to water and to the desert now made sense. Entering Jericho, we saw the huge warning sign to Israeli citizens NOT to enter the town, as their lives would be at risk. The same sign was outside Nablus.
It was a 100km ride North the next day amidst poor Palestinian neighbourhoods and richer Israeli settlements surrounded by high fences and watch towers. Dates palms in abundance, and dates were my favourite snack en route. Access to Jordan was prevented by extensive minefields from Arab-Israeli wars. I learned that there were three categories of Palestinian Territories, depending on how much autonomy the Palestinian Authorities had in each. Israelis felt justified in settling in areas not wholly governed by Palestinians, despite international law.
Finally, the climb to Nazareth. On hillsides Jesus walked up, we toiled up on bikes. Hearing the pipes and drums of the Nazareth Scout Band was a brilliant touch as we rode into the Hospital grounds to a great welcome. Pride at what generations of good people have achieved there in the last 160 years, bringing Christ’s love in action where it is so needed. And myself and my splendid fellow riders – privileged to play a part in that story.
Next time – maybe the option of an electric bike?
Shalom and Salaam.
Jim Dunn
Do you want to join us in the next two-wheeled adventure in the Holy Land? Email events@nazarethtrust.org to register your interest!
This Monday was International Volunteers Day, and we had a big celebration at the Doctor’s House in honour of this special day.
Our volunteers come from all over the world! Amongst those who took part in the celebrations, we had a group of 17 people and their two leaders from The Norwegian Church Ministry to Israel (NCMI) and our long-term volunteers from the UK, USA, Paraguay and Germany.
After splitting everyone into two groups, the games began!
Some of the challenges they had to go through included moving cups using a balloon, blowing a balloon to try to knock over some cups, building a tower out of cups… There was also time to play Bingo and a good game of charades, guest-starring our beloved Olive Tree, which is always our preferred meeting point!
During the party, we also took the opportunity to celebrate the birthdays of two of our wonderful volunteers.
We couldn’t be more grateful for all our fantastic volunteers: thank you for doing what you do! Thank you all for joining us yesterday. We all had a blast!
Counting the days for the International Volunteers Day 2023…
Do you want to get involved too? Visit servenazareth.org to learn about all about it!
A journey is so much more than the destination, or even the varied waypoints along the road. It’s the companionship. It’s the sights, the sounds, the smells. For an Irishman who loves his food, it’s definitely the tastes. It’s the people you meet along the way. The very texture of the ground beneath your feet and beneath your wheels. Here I am, almost three decades on from my first visit to the Nazareth Hospital as a medical student in 1993, a veteran of five Nazareth Challenge bike rides, and still captivated by this scruffy jewel of a town and its remarkable people.
Tel Aviv buzzes with e-bikes, scooters and regular bikes. Our 14-strong team of Nazareth Challenge bikers have over 340km and 5000m of climb ahead of us over the next five days. Cruising the Mediterranean beachfront, past joggers, volleyball players, dog-walkers and strollers, we weave through a thoroughly modern bustle. We head up the Yarkon River valley, a combination of road and track that will eventually bring us to Neve Shalom Wahat-as-Salam (“Oasis of Peace”) – a joint Jewish-Arab community on the fringe of the West Bank hills. It’s a place that seems to embody the hope many of us have for reconciliation and co-existence in this land.
The climb to Jerusalem presents challenges such as punctures, chain breaks, water hazards (these were mostly fun) and the occasional mild tumble. We arrive up the old railway route with some energy still left for exploration. The Old City teems with fascinating Christian, Muslim and Jewish conservatism – quite the contrast to Tel Aviv’s modernity.
Leaving Jerusalem the following morning, we pass through the checkpoint and the forbidding Separation Barrier wall, beyond which the large sprawl of the “little town of Bethlehem” lies draped over the parched hills. The Church of the Nativity has been extensively restored, the relics and mosaics meticulously polished and refreshed. We reach the ancient Mar Saba Monastery, clinging to a dizzying ravine on the border of the desert. Our path will take us along dusty, treacherous tracks at breakneck speed down into the Dead Sea valley, bouncing past trucks laying pipelines, military bases and abandoned tanks. At the historic mosque of Nabi Musa a late lunch of delicious traditional Palestinian Maqloubeh (“upside down” chicken and rice) restores our energies for the day’s final push towards Jericho, the lowest – and oldest – city on earth.
By now, we Nazareth bikers are in our rhythm, bonding as a team and unstoppable. The next day we head north through the dry hills of the West Bank, eventually to the crossing into Israel, for a relatively easy ride to our next night at Bet She’an, accompanied as always by our amazing support team providing bike repairs, food, and gallons of water.
The conical prominence of Mount Tabor comes into view on our final day, and we know we are within striking distance of Nazareth. There are steep climbs to come, working up through the Churchill Forest and into the town itself, dodging its hectic traffic. One last push up through the narrow passageways of the old souq (market), and we emerge to pass through the gates of the hospital.
The skirl of the bagpipes from the local Scouts band, the rapturous reunion with our hiker friends from the Jesus Trail, the joyous welcome from the hospital staff and friends from the town – everything combines to create an intoxicating finale, tinged with perhaps a little sadness that our pilgrimage on wheels has ended.
From left to right: Rick Rhoads, Shane McKee, David Blackhurst and Jim Dunn.
Our friendships, however, will continue. Nazareth’s own journey goes back over two millennia, and I’m certain it will continue for many years into the future as more pilgrims and locals come and go. People of all faiths and none, with their individual challenges and dreams, each writing their own piece of the Nazareth Story.
Shane McKee (Northern Ireland)
Would you like to take part in the next Three Seas Challenge? Email events@nazarethtrust.org to register your interest.
It’s only been three weeks since we completed the Jesus Trail 2022 and we’re still thinking about it…
Here are a few words written by one of our walkers, Josie Swartzentruber, who walked the trail alongside her sister Jacqueline:
The sun rising on the Sea of Galilee.
Peaceful moments. Challenging routes. Tired feet. New friendships. Sister-time. Wonderful memories.
I loved hiking the Jesus Trail! My sister and I had looked forward to this trip for a couple years. And now it had become reality! We walked along dusty roads, rocky paths, village streets, muddy fields, crossed streams, ascended and descended Horns of Hattin and Mount Arbel, and hiked along the Sea of Galilee. I tried to imagine what it must have been like when Jesus walked here with his disciples, and, as I reflected, I realized that, in a sense, Jesus was walking with us, too. Jesus was with us as we hopped from rock to rock across streams, encouraged each other on hilly climbs and rocky descents, and formed new friendships. I enjoyed experiencing the local culture through our Jewish tour guide and through the kind hospitality of a local homeowner who allowed us to use their private restroom and then served us tea!
If I had to choose a favorite part, it would be the steep descent of Mt. Arbel, or perhaps finding our way along the Sea of Galilee (wait, is this the right way to go, or is it that path over there?) Or, maybe my favorite part was relaxing at the edge of the Sea of Galilee at night, with the lights of Tiberius shining across the lake, and then watching the sun rise over the Sea the next morning. So many favorite moments, and rejoicing that I could share these amazing experiences with my sister. I feel privileged to have been part of Jesus Trail 2022.
Josie and Jacqueline stand at the top of Mount Arbel.
If you’d like to register interest in the next edition of the Jesus Trail, email events@nazarethtrust.org.
Yesterday morning, we had a prayer and thanksgiving service at the Nazareth Trust Chapel in Nazareth, organised by the Pastoral Care Team at the Nazareth Hospital.
People from all over the world attended, including staff from Nazareth, the Nazareth Trust staff and Board members, Nazareth Challenge participants, Nazareth Project staff, volunteers and church leaders from the Nazareth region and abroad.
Richard Mayhew, CEO, opened the service: “Thanks to the Pastoral Care Team, who have organised this. And special thanks to Pastor Suheil, who’s been a chaplain here for many many years, and I have huge respect for how he has ministered and prayed for the people over the years. Enjoy, and God bless you!”
The General Secretary of Evangelical Alliance Israel (EAI) Harry Tees called us to worship with Psalm 95. “It’s such a privilege to be here. We’ve seen what the Lord has done for 160 years in this hospital. It’s an amazing testimony.” – he stated.
Pastor Shaun Newton, Minister at Hetton-le-Hole Independent Methodist Church (England) and former Nazareth Trust’s staff, also said a prayer: “Oh God, Heavenly Father, we come before You to give You joy because You are the rock of our salvation. We come before You with thanksgiving for Your hand of blessing on this place, for 161 years. We thank You that Dr Vartan chose this place to start this ministry. And we are humbled to be in the presence of people such as Dr Bob Martin and Prof Fahed Hakim. We recognise Your faithfulness for 161 years. We recognise 161 years of continuous challenges. The city on the hill cannot be hidden.”
Pastor Nizar Shaneen, Founder and Host of Light for All Nations Canada reminded us of Jesus’ ministry of love: “Jesus was on a mission, and it was a mission of love. Jesus was not pressured by the political situation or the social differences in his time. He had a priority to reach and touch the heart of the Samaritan woman. I encourage you to put the English Hospital in your daily prayers, and I believe we shall see a breakthrough. Through the breakthrough, we can see a revival in this land. Please pray for everyone at the Hospital, doctors, nurses, the leaders, etc. We pray we can make a difference in this society in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Frank Kantor, Spiritual Director at the Nazareth Trust, introduced a round of prayers: “We want to bring the needs of the world and Nazareth to the Lord we so love. We are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses in this place, people who have served the Lord here: starting with Dr Vartan, then Dr Nancy Martin, Dr Runa Mackay, and many others. We give thanks to God for His faithfulness.” Afterwards, several people came forward to say their prayer, either in English or Arabic, including former Hospital Directors Dr Nakhle Bishara and Dr Bob Martin, Judith Hill (Vice Chair of the Nazareth Trust’s Board), Rev Nael Abu Rahmoun (Anglican Vicar of Nazareth), Danny Kopp (EAI Chair), David Serner (Lutheran pastor) and Randa Elias (Quality Manager at the Nazareth Hospital).
The Communion service was led by Bishop Sarah Mullally (Anglican Bishop of London) and Pastor Suheil Bathish. Bishop Sarah made us reminded us of Peter feeling unworthy of Jesus washing his feet. “We are called to wash people’s feet. Not just those who are clean and manicured. But to wash the feet of those who are dirty, of those who are sweaty, of those that no one else wants to touch or see. And just as Jesus did, we are also called to wash the feet of the one who made betrayals. We are called to demonstrate the love that Christ demonstrated.” – she said.
Rev Nael Abu Rahmoun delivered the closing prayer: “Frank mentioned that Dr Vartan was invited from Beirut, Lebanon to come to Nazareth. It reminded me of the important link between the Hospital and the Church. Teaching and healing are the two most important points of Christ’s mission. When the missionaries arrived in Nazareth, they established a Hospital, a school and in 1871, a church. We give thanks for the ministry of the Nazareth Trust, for all its institutions. We give thanks to all those who serve in Nazareth. We ask for your blessing. We pray that the Hospital continues to serve in the name of Jesus.”
We would like to thank everyone who attended, the Pastoral Care Team for putting it together so nicely, especially Lourens Geuze who led the planning. Thank you all for such an inspiring morning at our beloved chapel.
