Many of us have fond memories of going to summer camp as children. We may even have had a variety to choose from, such as church camp, music camp, science camp, sports camp, and more. For children with disabilities in Jordan, however, camp of any kind is not an option. In a country where limited resources compound the barriers created by inaccessible public spaces and transportation, schools without adaptive equipment and teaching methods, and churches without wheelchair ramp

There is something beautiful about being encouraged in the Lord by someone you ministered to long before they were a mature believer. You look back and see how much they have grown in their faith, and you are reminded of God’s power to bring abundant fruit from what may have seemed like a small beginning. Our partner Rose recently sent us an account of her longtime friend, Suad, who has been enduring intense pain after a frightening accident. In the midst of that suffering, S

The people of the Holy Land belong to many different religious and ethnic groups, and divisions run deep. The whole world watches this region and wonders if peace is possible. At CHLF, we are grateful to stand with followers of Jesus who are pursuing peace in their own communities as a daily practice. They know their neighbors. They know the local schools, churches, families, wounds, and possibilities. And often, they see opportunities for witness and reconciliation long befo

In the communities where CHLF serves, churches are small, and pastors often serve bi-vocationally. While this follows the pattern we see in the New Testament and early church, it is a challenge for our partners to juggle professional work and the needs of pastoral ministry. But it also means that they are present in ordinary places, doing ordinary work, building relationships with people who may never walk into a church. Sometimes the work of ministry happens behind a pulpit.

For over 15 years, our ministry partners in Galilee have hosted a Mother’s Day outreach which draws hundreds of women from across the Holy Land to celebrate and uplift each other, sharing their hearts, hopes, and stories. They come away refreshed by the fellowship, eager to keep pursuing their ministries to their families and communities. We can trace the birth of dozens of home discipleship groups back to this one outreach. This year, the Mother’s Day celebration was cancele

Every parent knows that parenting is a full-time job. For parents of children with disabilities, the load is even heavier, and they seldom get to spend time with people who understand just how much they carry. And in the Middle East, opportunities for these families to get support are very limited, and enduring social stigma often means disabled children and their families live very isolated lives. We are working with local believers who are passionate about reaching these vu

This year we were forced to cancel our annual Mother’s Day outreach in the Galilee. Ongoing war, constant sirens, and missile attacks made it unsafe to gather. This is an event that normally brings together more than 500 women, where dozens have come to faith and new discipleship groups have been formed over the years. We were disappointed that this hoped-for event was canceled, but we are also confident these large public events are just the tip of the iceberg of what God is

When our staff team was in Jordan early this year, we visited a young man named Tarek and his mother living in one of the poorest areas of the city. Both of them have cerebral palsy, which means they are unable to walk and have very limited use of their arms and hands. Their daily lives are difficult in ways most of us rarely have to consider. They depend on the kindness of neighbors, and begging on the street. And yet, what stood out most was not their poverty, but Tarek him

This post was originally sent as an email newsletter to CHLF supporters on March 13th, 2026. Earlier this week I sent out an urgent request for prayer for our brothers and sisters in the Holy Land. Within hours our inbox began filling with messages from individuals, families, and churches across the country saying the same thing: “We are praying.” Dozens of you wrote to tell us that you stopped what you were doing and lifted up the believers in Galilee before the Lord. Some o

As CHLF looks back on over forty years of ministry in the Holy Land, we are reminded that lasting impact takes shape slowly over time and usually begins with small acts of obedience and faith. Stepping into the lives of neighbors and walking with them through all stages of life might just be our most radical strategy. Our partner Rose tells this story of the legacy of faith that can begin with a simple home visit. From Rose - Lina and Her Daughter "Many years ago, when I firs

Peace in the Holy Land can feel elusive. In the very places where the Prince of Peace lived and taught, violence, fear, and division often dominate the headlines. And yet, far from the centers of power and attention, there are faithful men and women quietly choosing a different way. Our ministry partners remind us again and again that the way of Jesus is still being lived out through courageous, costly acts of love, often without recognition, enough resources, or protection.

This post was originally sent as an email newsletter to CHLF supporters on December 3rd, 2025. Today, December 3rd, is International Day of Persons with Disabilities, which makes it the perfect moment to highlight one of the most courageous and visionary ministry partners we work with: Inclusive Jordan. Founded in 2019 by special educator Ghadeer Hamarneh, Inclusive Jordan exists to reshape how an entire nation understands and engages disability. For decades, people with disa

This post was originally sent as an email newsletter to CHLF supporters on November 25th, 2025. The story of Gaza’s Christians is almost never told. They are a small but deeply faithful community who refuse to leave or let the light of Christ be extinguished from one of the world's darkest places. And as they and their neighbors face extraordinary daily need, scarce food, widespread displacement, and thousands of children traumatized and at risk of death, we are determined to

Here is part 2 of Majd's devotional! Click here to go back and read part 1 first, if you haven't already! From Majd - Olive Trees: The Tough Cookie of Trees, part 2 "1. Like almost all fruit trees, olive trees need trimming. Trimming ensures that more nutrients go into sustaining the fruit rather than the branches. Also, pruned trees are usually kept low to the ground. This serves two purposes: first, it’s easier to pick the fruit that way, and second, the nutrients get to th

Back in October 2025, during the olive harvest, we asked one of our partners in Galilee to write a devotional that would be fitting for the season. Majd, who serves at the church in Tur’an, wrote the following reflection on what the olive tree can teach us about faith and fruitfulness in Christ. From Majd - Olive Trees: The Tough Cookie of Trees, part 1 "Olive trees hold a place of importance and reverence throughout the Bible. In the Old Testament, the olive is listed among

This post was originally sent as an email newsletter to CHLF supporters on October 20th, 2025. We continue to be amazed at the doors God is opening for the women on the Galilee team to reach women of all ages across the Holy Land. In places where faith can feel fragile, relationships strained, and opportunities limited, they are finding new ways to bring light, healing, and hope into people’s lives. Rose, who serves in the church at Tur’an and leads a local radio ministry, an

Randa, one of our Galilee team members from the Beine church, sent us the following account about their 2025 VBS. Every year, VBS is a huge outreach effort for our team! We praise God for the way it opens doors for His love to be shared with so many people in the Holy Land. From Randa - VBS Family Day “The Lord magnified His work with us more than expected on the last day, and we give glory to Him for He is good. On the last day, we invited the parents with their children who

The Jordan River (for safety purposes, baptized individuals are not pictured) In September 2025, we witnessed something extraordinary. In the span of just seven days, twenty-five people, most of them young adults, followed God in obedience through baptism. Fifteen one weekend, ten more the next. One after another, they stepped into the waters of the Jordan and came out with faces radiant with the joy of new life. At CHLF, we believe every part of what we do matters. Helping s

Over the spring and summer of 2025, the Galilee Team lost several family members. Among them was Um William, the mother of Andera, sister of Pastor Hanna, and grandmother of Majd. Her husband, Abu William, had gone before her only a few months before. And Abu Rami, father of our team member Ekhlas, and of our partner, Ziad Farraj, pastor of the church in Tur’an, passed away in late July. The Christian community in Galilee is small, and the loss of these stalwart elders was fe

This post was originally sent as an email newsletter to CHLF supporters on August 1st, 2025. *Names marked with an asterisk have been changed for safety purposes. These three stories were shared with us by Hani, one of our partners who ministers in Cana of Galilee. Each carries the weight of heartache, but also the unmistakable light of hope in darkness. You won't hear of these God sightings on the evening news, but they are glimpses of God on the move that remind us why our