A Walk through Bethlehem

I made a few friends the last two weeks as I became involved in a community drama that is jointly produced by several churches in the Mooresville area.
The production involved leading a group through the city of Bethlehem on the night of Jesus’ birth. Guests are brought to the city gates as the host explains that they are about to enter the city of Bethlehem 2000 years ago. This is done amidst the reading of the decree of Caesar Augustus that all must be taxed by a Roman official. The host then explains a little of the culture and circumstance regarding this small Judean village.
After passing through the gates, visitors can glimpse the main street of the city with shops, villagers, travelers and of course the occupying Roman army.
Here the guests are introduced to a guide, (that was me) who is persuaded to lead these visitors from a far, far country into the city and perhaps locate for them a place of lodging.
Beginning with the tax collector setting the stage of the oppression the Jewish people under an occupying Roman military we wound our way along the street which was masterfully built to resemble an ancient market.
Each act of the drama was performed with interaction from the guests. Each shop along the market was a scene including an interaction with the town gossip who informs us of an unmarried woman who claims to be a virgin. The people of Bethlehem we met weave a story that leads to the shepherds in the fields. There the heavenly host (actually only one angle, but the effect was good, the angel seemed to appear out of the night sky and then disappear into blackness once the announcement was made.) This lead us back to the stable where we discover the Christ-child just as the angel had said.
I learned that this was the third year of doing this drama which the organizers hope will become an annual tradition in the community. This year the two night performance drew over 1200 people not including the cast of 100 plus many other volunteers. This more than doubled last year’s attendance of 500.
LINK TO A SLIDE SHOW OF THE EVENT