On behalf of the Trustees of the Cambridge Nazareth Trust (CNT) I welcome you to our website. We would like to thank all those of you who have supported our cause by contributing financially, as well as those who have contributed their valuable time, energy, skills and other resources.

Please take a little time to explore the site and to let us know what you think of it. Messages about navigation problems, broken links, etc. should be sent to the . Suggestions or requests for content changes, additional material, new external links, and the like should be sent to , who is in overall charge of this project. To communicate with us, you can use the email links here or on the Contacts Page or fill in and submit a feedback form.

, the Trust's current Chairman, writes:

Many of you who read this message will be long standing and faithful supporters of the work of The Cambridge Nazareth Trust (CNT), whilst others will be entirely new to the Trust and (hopefully) potential new donors to support the education of the children of the Holy Land.

It is important that we all realise the nature of the Holy Land at the present time, and understand how CNT can help the Christian Community there. In terms of territory, the Holy Land covers what is now Israel, Palestine — the West Bank and Gaza — and Jordan and part of the Lebanon. Each area is different but all have one thing in common — they are in a state of tension and conflict. We receive letters from children and their message is: "We are not at peace". The economy is in tatters. Those at greatest risk of suffering are the children. Many are traumatised. This newsletter includes quotes from letters sent to me by some of these children. Our Lord said "Suffer little children to come to me" and we, the trustees of CNT, are very mindful of the need to help provide the children with the resources for a Christian education that properly equips them for the world of today and tomorrow. That education, based on the Christian gospel, must address the issues those young people face, be supported by modern teaching aids and be respectful of other faiths.

One of our committee, our adviser, Tony Ockenden, a regular visitor to the Holy Land, has just returned from Jerusalem. He attended Christmas Midnight Mass in Bethlehem and an abridged report appears elsewhere on the site. Trustee Patricia Richardson also visited Jordan and Madaba Boys School in October to see the computer suite donated by CNT. Also in the Special Events section we report on the visit by three Misdar School students and their teacher to St Gregory's Middle School, Bedford.

CNT has chosen since 2001 to support the schools of the Latin Patriarchate, whose greatest needs are increasingly to help families pay their school fees and to provide modern computing equipment. Unless fees are paid teachers cannot be paid, nor can adequate resources be provided, and if this continues schools will close. We stress computing facilities because they help to give the children access to a wider world and are now an essential aid to learning.

Please appeal in your local parish, or at your local school, for funds to help support those in the Holy Land. CNT's income is not high, just £50,000 per annum for the last two years. Since January 2002, as a result of your generosity, we have sent £355,000 to the Latin Patriarch. I would like to be able to tell the Patriarch later this year that we can offer more help. My best wishes to you all for 2007. Please remember the children of The Holy Land in your prayers and know that they are extremely grateful for your help.