“Thank you for your help in paying my tuition fees!”

Our supporters have truly embraced this year’s Pentecost Challenge – walking, running, cycling and swimming thousands of miles between you, sponsoring your friends or simply giving generously.

Altogether we have raised over £65,000 to help keep Holy Land children and young people at their schools and universities despite the hardship caused by Covid-19.

That’s enough to protect the future of 216 primary school children, 108 secondary school children, 54 children with special needs or 54 Christian university students.

Here’s a big thank you from a few of the young people you’ve supported in Gaza, Bethlehem and Jerusalem >

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“We did it!”

Dr Melanie O’Neill captained a parish team from St Albans who took on the Pentecost Challenge walk across the Holy Land. They walked further and raised more than they ever expected. Melanie says:

“We did it! All eight parishioners who walked the pilgrimage have reached Nazareth before Pentecost Sunday. Some of the team have even walked back to Bethlehem!

“The team and our generous supporters have helped us to raise £2,300 for the Pentecost Challenge. So far, we have raised enough to cover the costs of educating two children with learning disabilities for a whole year at the School of Joy in Bethlehem. Our target was only £1,200 so the support has been amazing.

“We enjoyed finding out about the small ancient Christian communities along the way. The sad recent news coming from the Holy Land has spurred us on to help as much as we can.

“Thank you so much to everyone who supported our walk and this great cause.”

Well done to Melanie and Richard (pictured), and Anne, David, Helen, Mike, Sheila and Sylvia – from St Alban and St Stephen’s Parish.

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If you haven’t completed the Pentecost Challenge yet, there’s still time – you have until 30 June.

“Our hope is education”, says Habib in Nazareth – in response to the damage caused to Christian communities by both the pandemic and this month’s violence.

If you’re inspired to invest in education with us, you can still start the challenge now, make a donation, or set up a regular gift to support a young Christian through their whole course of study.