Bethlehem Walk 2015

Hi, so this week is an awesome week because this week is Bethlehem Walk.  Every year, over 300 people from many different churches in the area participate in a reenactment of the reason we celebrate Christmas.


Welcome to Bethlehem...

Travelers walk through a city of Bethlehem, set up with period shops, like a tapestry shop, candle shop, blacksmith, carpenter, tunic shop, spice shop, basket shop, meat shop, bakery, and so much more.

And, as you walk through, you hear about the oppression of the people as well as the hope for the Messiah.  You will even hear "rumors," such as the story of Zacharias and Elizabeth having a baby in their old age.

And then you walk through some scenes from the story: The Inn, the shepherds' field, the manger, the wise men, the dedication at the temple, the sermons and miracles, the cross, the tomb, and then thinking about what you are going to do now that you have heard this story.  At the end is hot chocolate and cookies and people available if you have questions or needs or you want somebody to pray with you for anything.

 It's is awesome and wonderful, and I enjoy it very much.  We have already finished the first two nights, and there are three more to go.  This year I am working in the tapestry shop and in the scene of Mary at the manger.  Here's how far we got on our primitive loom in the first two nights:

And here is a picture of what our booth looks like.  The people are missing in this picture.  So you have to imagine them.  There are 2-4 people working on the big loom.  There's one sitting down and working on a little lap loom.  And somebody is standing to the side, spinning wool into yarn or flax into linen.  And sometimes there is a little tiny girl out front with a basket of yarn, shouting "Finest wool in all of Bethlehem!  Two shekels!"

This is a close-up of one of our weavings from a couple years ago.  Pretty neat, huh?

 So, there is a snap-shot of what my week is like this week.  A little piece of my life.  And I wish you were here!  Merry Christmas!