On December 11 and 12, 2009, more than 100 cast members and volunteers worked together to present "The Journey to Bethlehem," an interactive, outdoor walk through the true story of Jesus' birth. Live actors from the Door Prairie Adventist School and the La Porte (Indiana) Church took on the characters of angels, shepherds, wise men, townspeople and soldiers, and joined the live chickens, ducks, horses and donkeys to give a true-to-life experience.

A friendly first-century traveler named "Simeon" led guests as they went on a search to find the newborn King. With the first scene introducing the main characters and foretelling the coming Messiah through Old Testament prophecies, the journey then took guests to scenes beginning in Nazareth, continuing onto Jerusalem and ending in Bethlehem.

On the streets of Bethlehem, the sights and sounds of that busy night were created by Roman soldiers, beggars, census takers and merchants, including blacksmiths, bakers, cloth sellers, vegetable vendors and carpenters. The final scene led travelers to the stable where the angels, shepherds, wise men and the family of the baby Jesus met and celebrated the birth of the King.

Event organizer Becky Reis says that from the beginning this event was planned as an outreach and Christmas gift to the surrounding community. Retelling the Christmas story in an interactive way was the goal of planners, and actors were encouraged to talk with the guests who traveled through Bethlehem. "The Journey to Bethlehem" scriptwriter, Kelly Hayman, used the Christmas story found in Scripture to inspire his writing.

All of the participants were eager to provide time and resources to make "The Journey to Bethlehem" an excellent production. Linda Hayman, lead costumer, said, "I had more fun than the kids did!"

Another volunteer, Sharon Daley, who provided costuming and helped with prop set-up, said, "The program was so nice; I went through the walk every time."

The students also enjoyed the experience. A second-grade student, Carson Crass, who played the role of a Roman soldier along with his father, said, "Can't we do it again?"

Some commented on the amazing numbers of volunteers and the teamwork that were evident in this production. A community guest said, "I had no idea how elaborate this was going to be!"

The event took place over two days, with a total of five performances for more than 200 guests. The weather was chilly, but in God's providence the winds died down and temperatures were moderate. Organizers provided fire barrels and a campfire near the shepherds for guests to warm up along the journey. At the end of the journey, guests were invited to warm up inside with hot drinks and Christmas treats, and to fellowship with church members who were appointed in hospitality teams to interact with guests.

The production's outreach to the community will continue this year. Organizers plan to team up again to produce "The Journey to Bethlehem" on December 3 and 4. To the glory of the newborn King who reigns forevermore!

Jennifer Miller is the principal of the Door Prairie Adventist School in La Porte, Indiana.