"Vital Seed is returning hope to the city where Hope was born!"
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After living in Jordan for 10 years, my family came back to Bethlehem to look for jobs. I was out of work for 20 years until I found this job. This factory gives us hope for a better situation for our families in the future. |
Religious and political turmoil in the Middle East has left ethnic and religious minorities struggling to survive and many are virtually on the brink of disappearing. Communities that have carried their traditions for over a thousand years are vanishing from their ancestral homes. Bethlehem, a city that changed the world, a city whose name is woven into Western civilization and whose story has brought hope to an innumerable amount of people, is home to one of these disappearing communities.
Over the last half century, the Christian population in Bethlehem has dwindled from a majority of more than 80% to a struggling minority of less than 15%. The religious and political climate has produced a difficult economic situation and threatens the ability of the Christians to survive. In 2013 Vital Seed launched The Bethlehem Project in cooperation with local ministries and business leaders, as a means to provide employment and actualize opportunity through establishing small businesses. The Bethlehem Project and its local partners identify entrepreneurs, develop their business model, provide leadership training and work to secure funding to launch their business. Through Kingdom-centered leadership and small business development Vital Seed is returning hope to the city where Hope was born!
The first step for The Bethlehem Project was a textile operation. All the purchases for production were made in Bethlehem and business is done within the Christian minority community. The long-term vision for The Bethlehem Project is to begin multiple small businesses, host regular Kingdom Business seminars and reduce the unemployment rate of the Christian minority to less than 10%. Through Vital Seed’s leadership of The Bethlehem Project, Vital Seed is glorifying God by securing the ancient tradition of a Christian presence in Bethlehem.
Over the last half century, the Christian population in Bethlehem has dwindled from a majority of more than 80% to a struggling minority of less than 15%. The religious and political climate has produced a difficult economic situation and threatens the ability of the Christians to survive. In 2013 Vital Seed launched The Bethlehem Project in cooperation with local ministries and business leaders, as a means to provide employment and actualize opportunity through establishing small businesses. The Bethlehem Project and its local partners identify entrepreneurs, develop their business model, provide leadership training and work to secure funding to launch their business. Through Kingdom-centered leadership and small business development Vital Seed is returning hope to the city where Hope was born!
The first step for The Bethlehem Project was a textile operation. All the purchases for production were made in Bethlehem and business is done within the Christian minority community. The long-term vision for The Bethlehem Project is to begin multiple small businesses, host regular Kingdom Business seminars and reduce the unemployment rate of the Christian minority to less than 10%. Through Vital Seed’s leadership of The Bethlehem Project, Vital Seed is glorifying God by securing the ancient tradition of a Christian presence in Bethlehem.