Today we’re sharing the story of Mr Yousef Shinnawi, the deputy of the director of the Nazareth Academic School of Nursing.
Here’s a podcast of the interview:
If you want to read this interview as a pdf, click here.
On July 29th, in Paris, Odette Tester passed into God’s presence, three months short of her 103rd birthday. Loved by all, she was herself the embodiment of a faithful Christian who generously loved others, prayed fervently for her entire worldwide family, and above everything loved God and her Saviour, Jesus.
Born Odette Emilie Georgette Marie Brunnet a year after the end of the first world war, she was brought up in Laon, France, subsequently moving to Paris in her teenage years. She was the second eldest of five siblings and her childhood was very happy, all of them adept at playing various musical instruments, encouraged by their parents. During the Christmas school holidays in 1931 John Tester, aged 11, stayed with a family in Laon, during which time he was shown a picture of young Odette. Somewhat prophetically, and akin to a fairy tale romance, he stated that she was the person he would marry. In 1945, following the liberation of Paris, Odette travelled to London to look after Doreen, John’s sister, who was in remission from breast cancer, and her two children. On arrival John opened the door, and for both of them it was immediate ‘love at first sight’.
Odette and John were married on 22nd September 1951, soon after John graduated from medical school. They knew by then that they were called to serve at The Nazareth Hospital, John having visited during the war whilst serving in the RAF as a meteorological officer – to be met by Dr William Bathgate’s first words to him, “Well, you are on the staff now.” They arrived in Nazareth in May 1952, Odette heavily pregnant with her first child. The early years were extraordinarily austere and facilities basic in the extreme. As John set about the task of trying to modernise the hospital and build the medical team, Odette became the mother to Anne-Francois (1952), Patricia (‘Poush-Poush’, 1955), and Genevieve (1957). In 1961 Annelise was fostered into the family together with her mother. Over time, Odette was also ‘mother to the community’, providing comfort and succour to any and all.
Throughout those hard years Odette’s commitment to John, her family, and to the people of Nazareth, was a bedrock of devotion, support, love and prayer. Her demonstration of selfless service for the Lord was met by enduring bonds of affection from both the townsfolk and the various hospital staff that came and went. Still today, Nazarenes who knew Odette and John speak of their deep love and affection for them.
When the family moved to Edinburgh in 1969, with John becoming Secretary of the EMMS as well as having a job in the Scottish Health Department, Odette adapted her life of service to helping run the student hostel in Mayfield Terrace – ‘The Mish’ – where this new community became another extended family, characterised by great fun and good fellowship. As well as continuing to be the cornerstone of immediate family life, she was frequently the listening ear and unofficial mentor of many a student resident, including myself in 1972-74. She took a prayerful interest in each and every one, for all were precious in God’s sight. This generosity of faith, and largesse of human spirit, extended to the poor and homeless of Edinburgh. It was quite normal for Odette and John to welcome a small number of the city’s rough sleepers to Sunday afternoon tea at The Mish just prior to everyone dashing off to evening church services, and this habit continued in their home after the student hostel closed.
Family tragedy struck Odette and John when their daughter Poush-Poush and her partner died in a road accident in the Scottish Borders in November 1992. Their 18-month grandson spent weeks in hospital and was subsequently raised by Anne-Francois and her husband Alain in Paris. It was natural for Odette and John to move to Paris in full retirement, residing at Rue Alexandre Fleming – an address which befitted their lives linked to pioneering medicine. There they received many visitors from their wide circle of friends, especially those connected with Nazareth. Odette suffered the loss of dear John in 2006, followed sadly by Anne-Francois in 2011, but she continued to live independently until her final days. Until the last, Odette would receive visitors with sincere hugs, Godly warmth and humour, a demeanour which honoured the Lord and diminished herself, and promises of ongoing prayer. To be a visitor was to be spiritually immersed and uplifted – an experience of being embraced and enveloped by love in the presence of a modern-day saint.
“Life is the battle that must be won.” (Odette)
“Never go to bed with an argument.” (Odette & John)
Peter Turnpenny & Annielise Bensoussan
The building works for the Nazareth Academic School of Nursing began at the beginning of July 2022 and are progressing quickly!
The new floor at the school will include four simulation rooms, two classrooms and staff offices.
We can’t wait to see the final result!
If you want to read this article as a pdf, click here.
We hope you enjoyed reading this interview with Robin Arnott about his time with EMMS.
Do you want to get involved in the Nazareth Challenge as Robin did in the late 90s? This October’s bike ride is full, but a few spaces are left to join the Jesus Trail. Click here to learn more about this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Email events@nazarethtrust.org to sign up or ask questions!
On Monday, 20th June, we gathered at the Nazareth Hospital Bernath Auditorium to celebrate the opening of the new Dialysis Department named after the Reverend Canon Shafiq A. Farah (1923-2002).
The celebration was opened by Dr Suzy Srouji (Senior Advisor to the Head of the Nazareth Hospital). It took place after two years of continuous work to renew and expand the Dialysis Department at the Nazareth Hospital by adding ten medical stations. This expansion was possible thanks to the support received from Najeeb Farah and the American agency USAID (United States Agency for International Development). The guests at the event included Najeeb Farah and his family, the Mayor of Nazareth Ali Salam, Nazareth Hospital management and staff, management and staff of the Dialysis Department, Prof Karl Skorecki (Dean of Bar-Ilan University’s Azrieli Faculty of Medicine), and friends and ambassadors of the Hospital.
The story started almost four years ago when Najeeb Farah reached out to the Hospital wishing to support future projects, becoming one of the most inspiring supporters of the Hospital’s work. From Canada to Nazareth, the expatriate Najeeb Farah carried endless joy, generosity, and a love for his homeland and his family. He came wishing to continue building support for the Hospital as his father did through the charity ‘Friends of the Nazareth Hospital’.
Nazareth Hospital Director Prof Fahed Hakim thanked the family: “I am happy and very touched by this event. I remember my conversation with Najeeb when he told me he wanted to support the expansion of the Dialysis Department. It was a historic moment. Together we have succeeded in renovating and expanding the department and improving the services we provide”.
Deputy CEO and Chief Financial Officer Waseem Dibbini thanked the family of Pastor Farah and shared some thoughts about such a special occasion: “The Farah’s family has brought joy to many. The family turned the pain from Rev Farah’s kidney failure into a desire to relieve dialysis patients. The family did not only turn suffering into joy but also contributed to building a better future for our children by distributing funds to the Nazareth Academic School of Nursing students.”
Dr Zaher Armly, Dialysis Department Manager, explained the link between the kidneys and the Bible: “In the books of the Bible that follow the Pentateuch, mostly in Jeremiah and Psalms, the human kidneys are cited figuratively as the site of temperament, emotions, prudence, vigour, and wisdom. In five instances, they are mentioned as the organs examined by God to judge an individual. Dear Farah family, as you can see you have invested in the most sacred organ in the human body and that God loves.” He also added: “In our dialysis unit, we give service to 130 haemodialysis patients and 14 peritoneal dialysis patients. The mortality rate in our unit is one of the lowest in the country, between 11%-14% annually. Treating a patient’s kidney is difficult, not only from a medical point of view but also from an emotional and human point of view. We are the doctor, the father, the mother and the brother.”
“The department has undergone a medical and technical revolution over the last few years.” – Maha Zaher, the nurse in charge of the Dialysis Department, pointed out. “With the contribution and support of Najeeb Farah and the American Agency, the department has expanded and renewed, and now each patient has their own comfortable private space.” – she added.
Prof Karl Skorecki, Dean of Bar-Ilan University’s Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, said: “My first encounter with Israel was Nazareth, so therefore I feel very much at home. It’s a wonderful gift and a great tribute to the memory of your family. When I speak to my colleagues at Cardiology I always say the kidneys come before the heart; and actually, something comes before the kidneys and the heart and that is investigation – to study. That’s what Dr Armly does. And that’s why the EMMS Nazareth Hospital is a wonderful academic hospital.”
Najeeb Farah, an ex-pat entrepreneur and supporter of the Dialysis Department, said: “What I have found in this institution of love, dedication and service, I can’t find it anywhere else. This is what makes this place different: the people who are here. With them and their love, we can improve and provide much-needed treatments to our people in the area at the highest standards.”
Please enjoy some photos of the event below:
Yesterday evening, we had the honour to gather at the Scottish Parliament to celebrate ‘160 years of Scotland in Israel – Celebrating the Work of the Nazareth Trust’, a networking event sponsored by Jackson Carlaw MSP, with over 70 guests attending.
What better place to celebrate our 160th Anniversary than the city where our story began? A 4-bed clinic founded in 1861 by an Edinburgh student has become one of the largest Scottish charities and much more: The Nazareth Trust’s mission is pursued through the Nazareth Hospital, Nazareth Academic School of Nursing, Nazareth Village, SERVE Nazareth and the Spiritual Care Ministry.
While eating some delicious and carefully presented nibbles, guests mingled and did some networking, meeting new and old faces within the Scottish Christian community. The key guests attending included Dr Morgan Jamieson MBE (Chairman of the Trust), Professor Jason Leitch CBE (Board Member at the Trust), and all the way from Nazareth, Prof Fahed Hakim (Nazareth Hospital Director) and Dr Salam Hadid (Nazareth Academic School of Nursing Director). Two Board Members – Norman Bennett and Mary Macleod –joined the event too, alongside one of the Trust’s patrons, theologian and writer Elaine Storkey.
We were also delighted to welcome Robert Aldridge (newly elected Lord Provost of Edinburgh), Rev Dr John Armes (Bishop of Edinburgh) and Revd Dr Iain Greenshields (Moderator Designate of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland), amongst others. Of course, we cannot forget to mention all the long-standing supporters that also joined us in such a special celebration.
Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to celebrate this important milestone with us. We hope to see you again very soon!
Please enjoy the photo carousel below (© Andy Barr):
