March to Bethlehem

I was greatly blessed this past Friday and Saturday to assist at the evangelism outreach in Limoge, Ontario. Two local French churches organized a march to Bethlehem: a well-maintained half-kilometer trail that took us in time to Bethlehem.

Both evenings had three guided tours, well-attended by an estimated 45-65 people per tour. Many came as a family. This was a phenomenally well-organized event. Parking attendants welcomed all visitors, helping them to park and inviting them to wait for the next tour by the outside fire (which a Roman soldier supervised to keep the peace). Then everyone was given a denarius (our old Canadian penny) to be guarded dearly to pay the Roman Empire’s taxes later on the walk. People were also invited to wait inside the church if the outside fire was not sufficient to keep them warm. The entire auditorium had been turned into a hospitality center with “all you can eat” sweet goodies and drinks (hot and cold). Church members serving as well-identified counselors welcomed all. A man also offered free literature at his booth as people entered before their tour or after they came back.

The six-foot wide trail in the church’s wooded property was very well-lit. A portable sound system circulated ahead of the group. A choir of some 12 angels led the crowd on the trail and sang great Christmas songs between the stations.

The first station was where Mary lived when she received the message from the angel Gabriel. The second station was where Joseph lived when he was wondering what to do about his fiancée Mary who had become pregnant by the Holy-Spirit. Roman soldiers guarded the entrance to Bethlehem, giving stern warnings to be on one’s best behavior at the risk of being thrown in jail or, at worst, thrown into the lion’s den. When entering Bethlehem, everyone had to register at the registration station and pay taxes (our denarius) to Caesar. Jail awaited those who had lost their denarius.

Afterwards, we could enter the town of Bethlehem to visit the food market with all kinds of delicious food. Everyone was delighted to realize how real everything had been made to look. We then followed Mary, whom Joseph pulled in a small buggy, to find a place to give birth to Jesus. All the hotels in Bethlehem were filled to capacity except a little manger at the end of the road. We also witnessed the impressive scene of the shepherds being visited by the angel and then the multitude of angels who joined in singing.

 We further witnessed the wise men traveling on their camels from the east, following the star to visit Jesus, worship him, and offer their gifts. The tour guide then took us further on the trail, indicating Jesus’ many different ministries, such as the miraculous catch of fish, the calming of the storm, the multiplication of the fish and bread, the changing of water into wine, and the resurrection of Lazarus. Finally, the tour ended at the cross of Christ where a pastor shared a clear Gospel message. Then the group was invited inside the church to warm up with a selection of hot drinks and a great variety of desserts where well-identified counselors asked if people had questions about the presentation. People were also asked to fill in a questionnaire in order to improve next year’s presentation.

 This is certainly an event to be repeated for many years to come. We are grateful to all involved in the planning, preparation, and execution that made this evangelism campaign a reality. We are especially grateful to Every Home for Christ which publicized this event to 6,000 homes in the area as well as on social media to 12,636 people, 292 of whom clicked through to their website. Now we must continue to pray as the two churches involved are busy harvesting souls and following up with interested contacts.

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