The Bible Society team continued on into the Palestinian Territories as planned, and performed the play for the students, speaking the comfort of Jesus into their lives. Children in the Holy Lands and surrounding nations live under a cloud of violence, and they need Jesus’ radical message of hope to speak comfort into their lives.

Many children have seen tragedy, horror and bloodshed, often within their immediate family.

Almost 50 per cent of the population of the region is under 24, and millions of children are unable to attend school due to growing tension. Many children have seen tragedy, horror and bloodshed, often within their immediate family. In a world scarred by fear, hatred, grief and violence, Bible Society is providing small moments of joy and happiness to children in the Holy Lands and surrounding nations.

In the Palestinian Territories, the local Bible Society organises fun days for kids, as well as trips, conferences, camps, puppet shows, and special events for Christmas, Easter and summer. Over 50 per cent of the Palestinian population is under 18, so the work of the Bible Society and its supporters is essential in raising up a new generation of believers who will live out Jesus’ message of peace, tolerance and love.

“They now have courage to share their faith in their school, even to their Muslim friends…”

In Israel, the Arab Israeli Bible Society runs summer camps for kids across the region. The mother of twins who attended one of these summer camps says “they have deepened their relationship with God and they started reading the Bible frequently. They feel they are evangelists, and they now have courage to share their faith in their school, even to their Muslim friends at the camp.

“They loved hearing the word of God and they even felt the one spirit in the camp. The camp gave them a new push in their faith.”

Many children in the Holy Lands have never known peace, but the Bible Society programmes bring precious moments of joy to their troubled lives. In Israel, Bible Society runs Bible studies for wives and mothers, helping them keep God’s word at their family’s core.

Over in Lebanon, Bible Society uses songs, puppets and drama to present the good news to about 10,000 children each year. The interactive “Bible House” in Beirut, Lebanon, receives regular visits from school groups, and presents the gospel to children through exhibitions and drama.

And across the region, Bible Societies are handing out thousands of children’s Bibles and colouring books to refugees, finding new ways to care for those fleeing violence and terror in surrounding nations.

Conflict across the region is reaching boiling point. Now, more than ever, people in the place of Jesus’ birth need to hear the message of hope that he brings.