On December 18, 2014, the campus of Taiwan Adventist College was briefly transformed back in time to recreate the little town of Bethlehem. In Taiwan the majority of society loves Christmas, they know about Santa and giving presents. However, few understand the real reason behind the season. We wanted to present the Gospel to our community in a fun and exciting way so that we could attract many people who may know very little about Jesus and his birth to come and experience the events of that historical night for themselves. And they did, over 500 guests participated, taking the journey, including over 80 new visitors, all from the surrounding communities, who came to walk through Bethlehem, and see for themselves the events that took place on the night of our Saviors’ birth.
We were prepared to welcome each visitor at the gate of the campus. As visitors arrived, they enjoyed a miniature concert of students singing and playing instruments. Jerry Hall the orchestra teacher for Taiwan Adventist International School coordinated the music as other staff and helpers organized the visitors into groups that would soon set off on their journey.
As they began their journey across campus, walking through the open field, they found a small group of shepherds watching their flock of sheep. Suddenly angels appeared and began singing ‘Joy to the World’. The Students from Taiwan Adventist Academy, in Dave and Ulena Robertson’s ESL Bible classes, prepared the shepherd’s scene, creating cutout sheep and hanging lights that turned on, eliminating the place as the angels appeared.
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The students from Taiwan Adventist International School worked together to create backdrops for market places and shops around the village of Bethlehem. There were basket shops and a pottery shops. A fish market and a spice market, a bakery with samples of fresh baked bread, a clothing shop and a jewelry shop. Students from both Taiwan Adventist Academy and Taiwan Adventist International School acted the parts, portraying the shop keepers pretending to try to sell their products to each of the visitors as they passed by.
It was a wonderful evening, full of laughing and fun as students gave visitors the guided tour through the Bethlehem stages set up all around the campus, making sure they were stopping at each location along the way. Students from all three of our Adventist schools on campus, Taiwan Adventist Academy, Taiwan Adventist International School and Taiwan Adventist College all played major roles as actors: either being shepherds abiding in the fields, angels come down to sing proclaimig the Messiah’s birth, Roman soldiers, shop keepers, wise men, and of course Mary and Joseph.
After our guest visited each of the shops, they needed to fulfill their most important obligation. That was to be registered for the Roman census and pay their taxes. The student guides leading the visitors distributed pretend coins to each person in their group. Then each person had to go before the Roman tax collector, played by Taiwan Adventist College Professor, Dr. Kah Eng Kuah. Once the taxes were paid, the visitors began seeking an inn where they could go to sleep for the night, but as they knocked on the doors, unfortunately, they found that there were no more rooms available. They told them, they even had to turn away a pregnant lady earlier that night, there were no rooms for our guest. So they had to continue their journey a little further across campus toward the campus church
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Along their trip, they had to beware of the Roman soldiers, yet they found a stable. But even it was occupied by Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus, just as the angels had described when the guests were in the field with the shepherds earlier. As Mary and Joseph told everyone about their experiences, to everyone’s surprise three wise men, bringing gifts arrived at the stable. The wise men explained how they followed the star to find the place of Jesus’ birth. Finally, the visitors found a place to rest and hear more about the plan of salvation from the Taiwan Adventist College theology department students. Pastor George Liu helped run and organize the TAC students, who were sharing the message of salvation in the church, softly playing music on the piano, playing the parts as Innkeepers, Mary and Joseph, wise men, and Roman soldiers.
After our guest left the church they were invited to receive refreshments in the International Education Center, TAIS Jr. High Teacher, Moriah Hawkins, led the students in decorating the IEC and passing out delicious snacks and warm drinks.
However, the event was more than just an evening of fun, there were weeks and weeks of preparation, drawing backdrops, setting up outdoor stages, installing lights, sewing costumes, preparing food and refreshments, practicing lines and learning Christmas Carols. It took the combined effort of many, many people, it could not have happened without the coordinated effort of all of our schools and the cooperation from each different administration to enable this gift to the community to take place.
Article by Dannie and Tamara Storie, Taiwan Adventist International School