Current and past members of the organising committee, more than 300 cast members and another 300 volunteers in supporting roles, and about 14,500 visitors celebrated Melbourne’s 30th year of Road to Bethlehem over the four nights of December 9 to 12. As well as the regular walk-through nativity story, the 30th year featured a celebration evening with many of those who have volunteered and served as part of the organising team over the years, as well as hosting a designated group for Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals and their families with an Auslan interpreter.
Road to Bethlehem is hosted on the grounds of the Adventist Church’s Edinburgh College and attracts visitors from across Melbourne. “I think that one of the reasons Road to Bethlehem is so successful is you can take what you need from it,” commented Alicia Ralph, chair of the Road to Bethlehem (RTB) organising committee.
In reflecting on Road to Bethlehem for a feature article in the December issue of Signs of the Times, Ms Ralph demonstrated the intentionality that goes into planning the various elements of the RTB experience. “From the beginning, you’ve got this sense of being welcomed. And there’s a warmth in that front area where people are laughing. There’s music playing. There are things you can do regardless of your age or ability, whether it be to get into the photo booth, have some food, and to sit down and chat.
“And then, as you walk through, you can be entertained by the soldiers and some of the other characters you meet on the journey. Then there’s the invitation to be moved, and to open your heart to experiencing Jesus. And then there’s the opportunity to go to the prayer tent to be prayed for.”
According to RTB volunteers, the focus on Jesus is key to the program’s longevity. “Road to Bethlehem is different, because the focus is on the Baby,” explained Shane Winfield, a long-time contributor to RTB. “That is the main focal point of the whole RTB program: we are reminding or introducing people to the story of Jesus’ birth and what that means for them. It calls for a reflection on the gift God gave us through His Son and our response to that.”
As volunteers and participants share a new batch of stories and responses from the crowds who visited this year, this year’s event was also a time for remembering the growth of the program over the years and the hundreds of thousands of people who have visited. “I think it’s such a nice moment to look back and praise God,” Ms Ralph said, “—to appreciate and recognise and celebrate, because there had been a lot of, sweat and tears—and Jesus— in all of the 30 times.”
