Dr Bob and Nancy Martin

OUR USA CONNECTIONS

Words will always fall short while trying to explain Dr Robert and Nancy Martin’s contribution to the Nazareth Hospital. Just like the Vartans, they worked closely together, embarking on a life-changing mission. Even after returning to the United States in 1995, Nancy kept in touch with the Nazareth Trust as a member of the Board for many years. Today, her legacy lives on with the Nancy Martin Memorial Scholarship, supporting students at the School of Nursing. The school wouldn’t be the same without her. Robert Martin reflects on their time in Nazareth:

What motivated you to pursue a career in medicine, and specifically, missionary medicine?

It grew out of my life experience. When I was a teenager, my mother had quite a serious chronic illness. saw her suffering and had compassion for her. I grew up on a farm and didn’t think I could be a doctor. When went off to college, my friends were preparing to go to medical school, and I thought: “Well, you never know unless you try.” In college, I felt a willingness to be involved in missions. After becoming a doctor, I was drafted for military service, but my faith background is pacifist, non-resistant and Anabaptist, so I had the choice to explore nonmilitary service. The doors was seeking in the United States didn’t work out, but the one in Nazareth kept opening up.

Dr Tester, who was in charge of the Nazareth Hospital, visited the Mennonite Board of Missions. Yes, he came to the US to learn more about the Mennonites, our church background. Nine months later, we left the US to go to Israel. We didn’t know much about the Nazareth Hospital. My wife and I had no overseas experience. We did not know Arabic or the culture, and our son was only a year old. It was a step in faith.

How did your faith impact your work at the hospital and vice versa?

We went as learners. We came to value and appreciate the ancient churches of the Middle East. It was a privilege to be in a healing ministry in the hometown of Jesus, to look at how He went about healing and receiving people. My faith and my wife’s faith developed in new and meaningful ways relating to the Christians in Nazareth.

What makes the Nazareth Hospital unique compared to other hospitals in Israel?

To be honest with you, Jesus makes the difference: the compassion, the love and the care that He demonstrated - that’s not to be said it’s not found in other faiths. Our aim at the hospital is to give testimony to the life of Jesus. Its standard of care has improved greatly: it’s excellent. The fact that it’s been there for 160 years and has been there as a presence during so many wars: it’s been the people who have led us through these difficult periods that helped the hospital grow and develop. Our goal is to be a reconciling presence: we’re open to all people.

First Registered Nurse graduation, 1989

What memories stand out from your time at the hospital?

The tremendous hospitality shown by the people who lived there. The turmoil and political unrest. I had never experienced anything like being in a conflict zone. I enjoyed very much the privilege of developing and upgrading the hospital services. During my years of medical practice there, I saw the need for mental health services. One of the great joys was hiring a psychiatrist during my management and seeing the mental health service develop to what you see today: the only psychiatric department in Israel which is culturally relevant to the Arab population.

What was Nancy’s role at the hospital?

They would often ask her to substitute and help in the School of Nursing, which had about a dozen students at that time. When we returned to Israel for the second time, she was invited to do support teaching in the school.

And there was a third time. You were appointed General Director, and Nancy became Director of Nursing Education.

I was surprised Nancy was willing to say yes to going back again. I shouldn’t be surprised as she felt, and I came to feel too, that this was a calling of the Lord and not just an idea we had. We were both in good jobs here in the States. We weren’t so eager to sell our home and leave our children, but we’re glad we did. Now in retrospect, we can see the fruit of those early beginnings. Nancy worked for seven years, from 1987 until 1994, to get the State of Israel to accredit the Registered Nursing Program. Since then, it has been the work of Dr Amal Khazin to develop the school as it is today. Now there’s a new director, Dr Salam Hadid. The School of Nursing has flourished and blossomed beyond what we could have imagined.

This year we’re celebrating our 160th anniversary. What thoughts come to mind?

God’s faithfulness and also the sacrifices that people have made over the 160 years. As you read the history, you discover that Dr Vartan lost five children in infancy and Dr Bathgate served there for 40-45 years with his wife being hospitalised with a chronic illness in the UK. His daughter was killed during World War II. When Tester was there, there was hardly enough food to nourish their children. One of my joys was to introduce the hospital to Mr John

Dr Bernath doing surgery and Dr Martin administering anaesthesia during the 1967 War.

Vartan, the great-grandson of our founder. John Vartan never knew that his great grandfather started the hospital. We think of the work of Nazareth as being the work of expatriate persons. But we should give huge recognition to the role of the local staff. Dr Nakhle Bishara did a lot to get the local staff on board: we have a hospital now thanks to them.

In 1996, you received an Order of the British Empire (OBE). What was that for?

It’s an award that’s been given to several previous administrators: Dr Bathgate, Dr Tester and Dr Bernath. It’s a bit unusual for a non-British citizen to receive that award. During the Gulf War in 1991, as in previous wars, the American Embassy asked us to leave the country for our families’ safety, and we didn’t. Since was the General Director, it was a tremendous time of stress, preparing the hospital for chemical attacks. But I think it was a gift of peace and assurance from God that we were to stay, trust and not be afraid. Although my name is on it, it’s an award that rightfully goes to my wife as well because she stood by me.

Can you tell us a bit about the Nancy Martin Memorial Scholarship Fund?

My wife was diagnosed with cancer in 2019 and she died five months later. Our son suggested that maybe a way to honour mum’s memory was to set up a scholarship. So he approached Nazareth Project US (partner organisation of the Nazareth Trust), which led to setting up the scholarship fund about a year ago. Some will get help based on their special ability, others based on financial need. I’m told that even small amounts of money are such an encouragement for those who receive it that, in some cases, it keeps them from dropping out of school.

How do you see the hospital today?

think the basics of skills, faith and the current leadership there, in my estimation, give it a bright future. I’m so pleased that the spiritual aspect of the work is being emphasised, recognised and strengthened under the current administration and the Pastoral Care Team.

Dr Amal Khazin, Nancy and Bob Martin