Today, on the 10th of October, a tentative ceasefire came into force which hopefully lays the foundations for an end to the war in Gaza and hostages released. There is a long way to go before this ceasefire matures into permanent security, and an even longer way to go to find a lasting political solution and reconciliation across the people of the Holy Land. As we acknowledge the key role that Arab-Israeli Christians play as bridge builders, we pray that they would be strengthened to continue and serve as ambassadors of the Prince of Peace.

The war has not been a period where the Nazareth Trust has stood still. On the contrary, by faith and God’s grace, the Village has emerged with a fresh impetus to make Jesus known. Is there a time in living memory when spiritual rebirth through Christ was less urgent than it is now across the Holy Land? The hospital is opening its MRI scanning facility, its new fortified ER and the Maana mental health clinic, the only mental health facility with services in Arabic, is growing in its importance and reach. The School of Nursing is opening its new facilities to an ever greater number of students and expanding its range of qualifications. Volunteers are returning, and the Village has seen an uptick in bookings for late autumn.

Expressing God’s love and his imminent Kingdom to underserved communities is not a future aspiration; it is happening as we speak through the work of the Nazareth Trust in Jesus’ hometown.