OLIVE AID is a charity which helps Palestinians who have lost their olive trees, usually their only source of income, to the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements on the West bank and that dreadful security wall.  Olive trees are precious: just twenty trees can sustain a family for a year.  Olive Aid is a self-help project run by the Catholic Bethlehem University which provides needy families with 3 year old olive saplings.  Christian and Muslim alike are helped but the project particularly aims to stem the emigration of Christian families who suffer the most in conflict. Today, Christians in Bethlehem constitute less than 15% of the population.  Fifty years ago, Christians living in the birthplace of Jesus made up more than 70% of the population!  You can donate a tree for £25.  For details see me or go to www.oliveaid.com.  It is a Christmas Charity that I support and a number of parishioners have joined with me over the past few years.

Fr John.