the road to bethlehem

on monday night, we went to the seventh day adventist road to to bethlehem for the first time for one of our december family home evenings... one of my friends goes every single year without fail and this time we decided to give it a go with some friends from church - it was amazing! (you can read more about it here - and follow their website ready to go next year!)

basically, the road to bethlehem is exactly what it's called, you book your tickets online (don't worry - it is free, but they have had so much interest the last few years that it's been necessary to allocate tickets to ensure everyone can get through) and show up to your allocated booking time, where you are met at the gate by roman soldiers. you then begin to walk the road to bethlehem - starting with mary being told that she will bear a son, josephs reaction, the three wise men commencing their journey, cesear telling of his desire to "worship" the child, the shepherds being visited by the angels... before entering the bustling marketplace and finally seeing joseph and mary in the stable with their baby and the angels singing their praises.

it was such a wonderful experience and one that really tells of the true meaning of christmas and enables the spirit to be felt strongly by those present. it's basically a live nativity and because of this, the busy, bustling, crazy preparing and present buying that is so easily associated with christmas just fades away.

i think the market place was my favourite part, there were so many children from the church dressed in robes, haggling, shouting, calling and running - it really felt as if one had just jumped back two centuries and fallen into the time of christ. they did such a wonderful job!

the marketplace, with all its bargaining and bustling...

in the final scene prior to exit, mary and joseph are proudly showing off their baby - and what an adorable baby he was! fast asleep and not even stirring even under the bright lights and the choir of angels singing for him. 

and the best bit? we were shuttled to and from the church from a local school carpark, so my pregnant feet didn't even have to walk anywhere haha. i am so totally going every year from now on... what a blessing it was to participate and watch the greatest story ever told.