Christmas alongside the sick children of Bethlehem
“I wish you all to be touched not only in front of the baby boy of the crib, but in front of every child in flesh and blood”.
The wish of Fr. Francesco Patton, Custos of the Holy Land and our President, this year has pushed us to dedicate the Christmas campaign of the Association pro Terra Sancta to support the most unfortunate children of Bethlehem: those affected by chronic or sudden illnesses and those with disabilities.
Public health care in Bethlehem is inefficient and everyone, even the poorest, must have private insurance to access health services. Our offices provide for the total or partial payment of the health insurance of the needy so that, in case of emergency, they can have access to the necessary care. The most important help, however, is that provided for the purchase of medicines, especially for those suffering from chronic diseases, and that for hospitalizations abroad for the most complex cases.
As it was for Nabeela, who lives with her family in a modest apartment in Bethlehem. She is the fourth daughter of five. Her father is a painter while her mother is a housewife. “We had already asked you for help to be able to send two of our children to school, in this way we managed to get on well” her father told us, “But this year we had to face a new heavy challenge: Nabeela, our 13 years old daughter, was diagnosed with a serious eye problem … We had to go to Jordan, in a specialized center, for the surgery”. In cases like this one, our help was fundamental. “And it continues to be so”, her father said, “because Nabeela needs constant checks, so thank you for your support!”