“It was difficult to live without our mother.” – Yazan

My name is Yazan William Hanna Giacaman. I was born September 20, 2001 in Bethlehem. I still live in Bethlehem, and I started school at Terra Sancta College in 2004. In 2019 I graduated and placed first in my school on the Scientific Stream, and 6th place in the city of Bethlehem. I started attending University in September 2019, and finished my first semester with straight A’s. I will continue doing my best in my medical studies, since I am most interested in pursuing a humanitarian career so I can help others. I will finish my first general 6 years, and then seek another University abroad to continue a specialized study.

I have two sisters and one brother. In 2010, my mom left my dad, so we have been living with just my dad since then. At the time, I was nine years old, my sisters were six and seven years old, and my brother was two years old. It was difficult to live without our mother. My dad hasn’t been able to work since 2015 so he can look after us. He does the cooking and we all help him with the cleaning and housework. 

In January 2020, I met with some members from St. Paul Methodist Church. We had lunch together and learned about one another. It was so nice to meet them here in the Holy Land and get to have lunch together. I hope I will have a chance to meet them in the United States someday. I really love St. Paul’s Methodist Church. The people are so kind and we have frequent contact with each other. I am so thankful for them!

I have always been determined to become successful. I have participate in every opportunity that I am able to, and have always had high grades in school. One of my favorite hobbies is playing table tennis, which I have earned 9 trophies. In 2018, I participated in the Palestinian tournament with The Catholic Action Team, and our team placed 4th overall. Additionally, I have a talent for playing piano. I bought a piano in 2016, and love practicing. I consider myself quite a good pianist now. I also play bagpipes and trumpet with Terra Sancta Scout. In 2016, I earned a scholarship to study trumpet at Edward Said National Conservatory. Over the last two years, I have completed four levels, then I stopped because of Tawjihi. I attended many camps with my scout, and I usually earn the ‘best boy scout.’ I have been a member of the Arab Educational Institute (AEI) in Bethlehem since 2016, and have played trumpet with its band for two years. We performed in Germany in 2018. 

I always strive for the best for myself, even though my parents have had conflicts. I always look for scholarship opportunities since my dad is not able to work and cannot afford the high fees.  

Thank you for reading this.

Best Regards!

Yazan – St. Paul’s Israel Student

A special thanks to Gay Morris, along with Randy and Kathy Hall for taking the time to meet Yazan on their recent pilgrimage to Israel.

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