A6 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM
It takes a village to make a little town
By JAYATI RAMAKRISHNAN
STAFF WRITER
People from the area have
been enjoying the Journey to
Bethlehem interactive tour
for a decade now, getting
immersed in scenes from the
time of Jesus Christ’s birth.
The event requires an
army of volunteers, from the
actors to behind-the-scenes
volunteers who work to
accommodate about 2,000
people each year.
The annual 20-minute
tour at the Hermiston Sev-
enth-Day Adventist Church
takes visitors back more
than 2,000 years, where they
play the role of travelers
from Nazareth, who arrive
in Bethlehem on the night of
Jesus’ birth. Travelers made
the 90-mile journey when
the census was being taken,
to pay the tax collector.
During Journey to Beth-
lehem, travelers leaving the
tax collector’s office hear of
the birth of Jesus Christ and
complete their journey at
the manger where Mary and
Joseph are cradling a new-
born Jesus. The tour ends
with the guides reminding
travelers of Jesus’ life, and
asking them to remember its
significance in modern times.
Those roles, as well as
the nearly 90 others on the
tour, are filled by volunteers
ranging in age from 10 to
80-plus, with people playing
every part from lepers out-
side Bethlehem to vendors
in the city, to a set of bellig-
erent Roman guards.
“The roles are all vol-
unteer,” said cast direc-
tor Sheila Botti, who has
directed the show for all of
its 10 years. “It’s people that
just believe what the mes-
sage behind ‘Journey’ is.”
Botti said the cast direc-
tor usually offers the same
role to the person who
played it the previous year,
and otherwise they send out
a request for a person to fill
that role. There are no audi-
tions for the roles, she said.
Some actors have taken
it upon themselves to lend
their own personality to their
roles. Phil Rand, who has
been a part of the tour since
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2017
LOCAL
POLICE LOG
Tuesday, Nov. 28
iston. A report was taken.
7:27 a.m. — Someone at South-
west 9th Street reported that their
20-year-old daughter called and
said she was going to drive into
the Columbia River. She drives a
dark gray Lexus and had called the
reporter about 30 minutes before
they called the police.
6:10 p.m. — A runaway was reported
at Southwest Desert Oak Drive,
Hermiston.
Saturday, Dec. 2
Wednesday, Nov. 29
11:23 p.m. — An employee reported
a man hiding behind the Christmas
tree at their business on South High-
way 395, Hermiston.
Thursday, Nov. 30
7:03 p.m. — Shots fired were reported
at North First Street, Hermiston, but
officers were unable to locate them.
Friday, Dec. 1
12:16 a.m. A caller said a gun was
drawn on her husband, then dis-
connected. The call came from East
Beech Avenue, Hermiston.
7:46 p.m. — A runaway was reported
at Southwest Desert Oak Drive, Herm-
STAFF PHOTO BY JAYATI RAMAKRISHNAN
Ayden Randall and Aaliyah Giles pet a donkey that was on the set of the Journey to Bethlehem.
There were several live animals used in the event, including goats, sheep and chickens.
it started, recalled his char-
acter progression.
“I started as a grumpy
Roman guard, and now I’m a
grumpy innkeeper,” he said.
“So I’ve been promoted.”
He said visitors now
anticipate his ornery per-
formance. “People come to
see me snarl and growl,” he
said. But he has mellowed.
“I have not made a child
cry in years,” he said.
Rand enjoys seeing peo-
ple he knows on the tours,
especially from his days as
a teacher in Hermiston and
Umatilla. He said for him,
this is the true start of the
Christmas season.
“No (event) has more
significance than this,” he
said. “People can buy all
the Christmas presents they
want, but this is the true
meaning.”
For some of the younger
performers, it’s a chance to
understand what they learn
in church a little better.
“This is my first year,”
said Aaliyah Giles, 12, who
was playing the role of a
perfume vendor. “I like get-
ting to see friends, and get-
ting to share the Bible.”
Ayden Randall, 12, has
been performing with the
event for two years, and this
year serves as the tax collec-
tor’s assistant, who loudly
and threateningly introduces
travelers to the tax collector,
and collects the money.
“I really like it, especially
since I can be over-dra-
matic,” he said. “I can catch
them by surprise.”
Behind the scenes, the
crew includes people who
keep the torches and fires lit,
the musicians, the greeters
and people serving refresh-
ments. Others are in charge
of the live animals.
Before Saturday’s tours
began, Botti gathered the
actors to go over points from
the previous evening, pray
for some church members
who had been injured in a car
crash, and discussed import-
ant things to remember for
that night’s performance.
“Whether it’s the first
group or the last group that
goes in there, they deserve
your best foot forward,”
Botti said. “I know you’ll get
tired or thirsty. But every sin-
gle person is here to witness
the night Jesus was born.”
4:17 p.m. — A lost child was reported
at North First Street, Hermiston.
5:45 p.m. — Possible elder abuse was
reported at West Hermiston Avenue,
Hermiston.
Sunday, Dec. 3
7:17 p.m. — A jack-knifed semi was
reported at West Quince Avenue, but
the police were unable to locate it.
10:18 p.m. — A front desk manager
reported that a man kicked a woman
out of a room and she was now in
the parking lot naked.
11:07 p.m. — A missing person was
reported on Northeast Aspen Drive,
Hermiston.
Monday, Dec. 4
2:55 p.m. — A first-grade female was
reported missing at East Catherine
Avenue, Hermiston.
3:40 p.m. — A caller said a woman in
a silver Chevrolet Malibu nearly ran
her off the road at South First Street,
Hermiston.
4:58 p.m. — A runaway was reported
at East Gladys Avenue, Hermiston.
WORSHIP
COMMUNITY
First Christian Church
“Proclaiming the Message of Hope,
Living the Gospel of Love”
Sunday School 9:15am
Worship Service 10:30am
Children’s Church 10:30am
567-3013
775 W. Highland Ave., Hermiston
NEW BEGINNINGS
CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
Worship Service 10:30 AM
Sunday School 9:00 AM
Pastor J.C. Barnett
Children’s Church &
Nursery Available
700 West Orchard Avenue
P.O. Box 933
Hermiston, Oregon
541-567-8441
Seventh-day
Adventist Church
Saturdays
Sabbath School........9:30 a.m.
Worship Service......11:00 a.m.
English & Spanish Services
567-8241
855 W. Highland • Hermiston
St. Johns
Episcopal Church
Join Us
On Our Journey
With Jesus.
Scripture, Tradition and Reason
Family service 9am Sunday
N.E. Gladys Ave & 7th, Hermiston
t. PH: 567-6672
We are an all inclusive Church
who welcomes all.
OREGON MANUFACTURERS.
LOCAL BUSINESSES.
YOUR NEIGHBORS.
LANDMARK BAPTIST
CHURCH
125 E. Beech Ave. • 567-3232
Pastor David Dever
Sun. Bible Classes...................10:00am
Sun. Worship Service..............11:00am
Sun. Evening Worship..............6:00pm
Wed. Prayer & Bible Study......6:00pm
www.hermistonlmbc.com
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First United
Methodist
Church
Hermiston
191 E. Gladys Ave , Hermiston OR
Sunday Worship 11am • 541-567-3002
Nursery available Check us out on Face Book
Worship Livestream at herfumc.com
Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors
Rev. Dr. Jim Pierce, pastor
Our Lady of Angels
Catholic Church
565 W. HERMISTON AVE.
DAILY MASS: Monday-Friday
...............................English 7:00 am
Thursday...............Spanish 6:00 pm
SATURDAY:.........English 5:00 pm
...............................Spanish 7:00 pm
SUNDAY:..............English 9:00 am
..........................Bilingual 11:00 am
..............................Spanish 1:00 pm
Offi ce..............................567-5812
The Full Gospel
Home Church
235 SW 3rd
Phone 567-7678
Rev. Ed Baker - Rev. Nina Baker
Sunday:
Sunday School........10:00 am
Worship...................11:00 am
Evening Service........7:00 pm
Wednesday Service..7:00 pm
“Casting all your care upon him;
for he careth for you.”
1 Pet. 5:7
Grace Baptist Church
555 SW 11th, Hermiston
567-9497
Nursery provided for all services
Sunday School - 9:30 AM
Worship - 10:45 AM
6:00 PM
Wed Prayer & Worship - 7:00 PM
“Proclaiming God’s word,
growing in God’s grace”
Echo
Community Church
21 N. Bonanza Street, Echo OR
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1520 W ORCHARD AVE
Sunday Worship Service
10:30 am Classes for Kids @ 9:15 am
SEEKING JESUS, SHARING LIFE,
SERVING PEOPLE
www.hermistonnazarene.org
Phone: (541) 376-8108
Sunday School • 9:30am
Worship • 10:45am
Children’s Church • 11:15am
Potluck & Communion ~
First Sunday of the Month
To share your
worship times call
541-278-2678