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
Ray Hanania is an award winning political and humor columnist who analyzes American and Middle East politics, and life in general. He is an author of several books.
Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992 at the Daily Southtown and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began writing in 1975 publishing The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper (2004-2007).
Hanania writes weekly columns on Middle East and American Arab issues as Special US Correspondent for the Arab News ArabNews.com, at TheArabDailyNews.com, and at SuburbanChicagoland.com. He has published weekly columns in the Jerusalem Post newspaper, YNetNews.com, Newsday, the Orlando Sentinel, Houston Chronical, and Arlington Heights Daily Herald.
Hanania is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, he was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media. In 2009, Hanania received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. He is the recipient of the MT Mehdi Courage in Journalism Award. He was honored for his writing skills with two (2) Chicago Stick-o-Type awards from the Chicago Newspaper Guild. In 1990, Hanania was nominated by the Chicago Sun-Times editors for a Pulitzer Prize for his four-part series on the Palestinian Intifada.
His writings have also been honored by two national Awards from ADC for his writing, and from the National Arab American Journalists Association.
Hanania is the US Special Correspondent for the Arab News Newspaper, covering Middle East and Arab American issues. He writes for the Southwest News newspaper group writing on mainstream American issues.
Click here to send Ray Hanania email.
Follow RayHanania on Gettr.com, the uncensored Twitter Ray Hanania on Gettr, the new Twitter
- Muslim American woman challenges unresponsive Congressman Sean Casten in March 19 Democratic primary - November 21, 2023
- More than 50 journalists killed in Israel-Gaza war - November 21, 2023
- On World Children’s Day, Israel has turned Gaza into a Graveyard for Children: - November 20, 2023
