Day Seventeen

The main reason for Piper staying with us was staged this night for us. We drove across Melbourne to the east side to be part of the moving audience in the presentation: The Road to Bethlehem. This is presented each year and it is free, but people have to book in for a viewing time with different groups going through each half hour or so. Our group was the last one for the evening on this particular day. What was unusual about this day was the rain. We have been having such a long dry spell that no one really complained and many still came. The huge cast, all dressed as Jews or Romans, had to set aside their microphones and simply project their voices. They were willing to get wet and even added the rainy conditions into their script. A centurion even yelled at the audience to enquire what those shields on sticks were. So many of us had umbrellas that it was quite comical. He then called us "soft". And spare a thought for the shepherds who were lying asleep waiting for the angel to herald them. Shepherds with muddy bare feet. Now that's commitment.

The children all had a ball. Most ran from location to location with adults in the rear trying not to slip. Piper followed the story very well and enjoyed the drama build up. She was most impressed that the baby Jesus was a real baby and on the way home we discussed this point a lot, like who was the real mum, and was she the one who acted as Mary, etc. After all, the baby was very relaxed in her arms the whole time at the stable scene.

We agreed that we must come back to see it again next year and bring Jasper too.