Mission of First Presbyterian Church in Wheaton partners to send medical equipment to Nazareth, Israel Hospital to help off-set the imbalance of government run hospitals there
Abraham’s Children, a 20-year mission of the First Presbyterian Church in Wheaton, is sponsoring an Oct. 17 visit to Wheaton at 8:30am by Dr. Bishara Bisharat, general director of Nazareth Hospital, who will share facts on the ground in health care in Israel and Palestine. In Israel, health care is directed, rationed and controlled by the government.
Accompanying Dr. Bisharat will be Ms. Samar Mansour-Samawi, director of public relations for the Nazareth Hospital and Ms. Georgia Winson, president and executive director of Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach (HSMO), a provider of used but very usable medical equipment based in Springfield IL
“We appreciate the opportunity to come to America to tell the story of our hospital, and how we minister to people of all faiths in the Nazareth region and in the Occupied Territories,” said Dr. Bisharat. “In some of these areas, we are the only medical support, so acquiring this needed equipment helps so many people,” he said. “This gift of equipment will allow us to also convert capital resources to scholarships for our Nursing Program, which is the only one in Israel that offers such instruction to Christians and Muslims.”
Susan Drinan, co-founder of Abraham’s Children, said, “This partnership with Nazareth Hospital and the HSMO is a great way to extend our mission of striving for peace and justice in the Holy Land. Not only will this equipment provide care for patients in Nazareth, but the reallocation of resources will provide student scholarships for the respected nursing program at Nazareth Hospital, the only one of its kind for the Arab community.”
“This partnership is a wonderful expression of Christian love and faith,” said Georgia Winson president and executive director of HSMO. “Without the support of hospitals and clinics providing the equipment, the HSMO systems in place to recover it, and the sponsorship and awareness provided by organizations like Abraham’s Children, none of this equipment would find its way to unmet medical needs worldwide”.
The Abraham’s Children event will begin with breakfast at 8:30 a.m. in the Wheaton Church’s Stewart Hall (715 N. Carlton), followed by the presentation. Tickets are $15 each and may be ordered through the Church Office (630-668-5147). All monies raised will support Nazareth Hospital. Founded by Presbyterians in 1861, this hospital is the oldest medical facility in the modern State of Israel.
About Nazareth Hospital: This modern general hospital employs over 400 staff, has 147 beds, and operates within the framework of the Israeli Healthcare system. Care is open to members of all faiths and covers the normal spectrum of general hospital services, plus the only Arabic-language psychiatric unit in Israel. Click here for more information.
About Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach (HSMO). Since its founding in 2002, HSMO has improved health care quality and saved lives in 87 developing countries around the world and has saved and redistributed 9 million pounds of surplus medical equipment and supplies valued at over $49 million that would have otherwise ended up in American landfills. Click here for more information.
About Abraham’s Children: A mission of First Presbyterian Church of Wheaton IL, Abraham’s Children is celebrating 20 years of support for marginalized communities and individuals in Israel and the Occupied Territories: namely Christians and others. Its efforts focus on three initiatives: Educating Americans on peace and justice issues in the Holy Land, supporting the Mar Elias Christian Schools K-12 (which are open students of to all faiths) , partnering with others to create and support Nazareth Academic Institute (NAI), a Christian-inspired, fully accredited college, providing a liberal arts education along with special studies in peacemaking. Students at the new NAI nursing program will receive their clinical training at Nazareth Hospital.
About First Presbyterian Wheaton: We are a dynamic and involved community of discerning believers guided by the Holy Spirit, committed to spiritual growth while following Christ’s example and God’s word. Respecting our past and recognizing today’s challenges, we serve decisively through diverse worship, education, mission, and compassionate care for all. Abraham’s Children is just one of the ways we touch people’s lives. For more information www.firstpreswheaton.org
(Photos courtesy Greg and Sue Drinan, and Abraham’s Children)
For more information:
Gregory Drinan
Abraham’s Children
First Presbyterian Church of Wheaton
715 North Carlton Avenue
Wheaton, Illinois 60187-4020
fax: 630-668-5187
office@firstpreswheaton.org
www.firstpreswheaton.org
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