The Shepherd Society
Our Vision
The Shepherd Society was established in Bethlehem in June 1996 when several Palestinian pastors and Christian leaders felt called to extend Christ's love in a practical way to those in great need within their community.
The goal of the Shepherd Society is to provide means for the global community and Christians worldwide to encourage and financially assist the struggling Palestinian people in the West Bank.
The name "The Shepherd Society" is a reference to Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who told his disciple Peter to care for his sheep (John 21:16).
This imagery was later used by the apostle Peter to instruct church leaders in caring for the needy when he said, "Shepherd the flock of God which is among you" (1 Peter 5:2-4). Here on the hillsides of Bethlehem, we still see shepherds caring for their flocks, reminding us to continue Peter's mission.
The Need
The people of the Holy Land, the birthplace of our Lord, have witnessed much turmoil over the centuries. In the last fifty years, Palestinian Christians and Muslims alike have been steadily impoverished by the loss of ancestral lands, jobs, and freedom of movement.
In particular, since 1993, Palestinians have found themselves confined to their towns without adequate employment. They must obtain special permits for working, attending universities, visiting relatives, worshiping at Jerusalem's holy sites, or doing anything else outside their own ghetto-like areas. The result is a despairing people reaching for hope.
Our Response
The Shepherd Society aids families in two main ways:
First: Urgent/Humanitarian Help: Fulfilling immediate needs
- Food Coupons - a $50 coupon sustains a family of five for three weeks.
- Medical Aid - in the absence of adequate medical insurance, The Shepherd Society provides financial help to cover part of medical expenses.
- Job Creation - The Shepherd Society sends workers to various organizations to work for one week per month and covers their salary.
- Tuition - The Shepherd Society provides funds to students who cannot pay their tuition in order to keep the children in school.
- Utilities - The Shepherd Society subsidizes families with their electric or water bill to ensure that these services will not be cut off from these poor families.
- Family Sponsorships - Local or international families may partner with a Palestinian Christian family who is struggling to survive by sending $50 a month for a year. Information and a picture of the family can be provided for the sponsoring family.
Second: Long-term/Development Aid: Helping families help themselves
- Revolving Loans - The Shepherd Society will provide loans to help families start their own small business or develop an alread-established business.
- Crafts and Farmers' Products - The Shepherd Society will buy and market local products and crafts produced locally by the families, such as olive oil, soap, olive wood, etc.
Support this Ministry
We invite you to join in this venture of faith. Your donations help keep this program running.
To donate, click the link below and select "Shepherd Society" for your donation.
Donate
You can save the brochure by looking at the bottoim of this page and get the shepherd society brochure.
