Next weekend, December 21 and 22, in the Old School after all Masses at St. Thomas, there will be an opportunity to purchase Olive Wood Products from the Holy Land. George Awwad and the Good Shepherds of Bethlehem will be visiting us with a large selection of traditional olive wood crafts that are made in Bethlehem in the Holy Land. Olive wood religious carvings have long provided a living for those families who live in the town of Our Savior’s birth but the decline in tourism has made it difficult for families to get by. George tells us that his parents and brothers left their homes in 2001; his wife’s family in 2003. The sale of these crafts help many to remain. Please stop by and see the displays of creches, crosses, and statues for sale and help support these friends maintain a Christian presence in the Holy Land.