Bethlehem comes to life at Daytona church

"Shorty" the camel and handler Morgan Strickland add to the realism Sunday at CrossRoads Baptist Church as hundreds wait to "Walk through Bethlehem."

DAYTONA BEACH The little town of Bethlehem came to life at one Daytona Beach Church that does far more than present a living Nativity.

Some 250 members of the CrossRoads Baptist church including Senior Pastor the Rev. Dan Proctor and his family dress in costume to recreate Bethlehem the night that Jesus was born during the weekend presentation. The Nativity continues again next weekend.

Our purpose is to cause people to remember what Christmas is all about, Proctor said Sunday. It's our gift to the community.

The church started its Walk through Bethlehem in 2003, but changes and expands the production every year, said Shannon Dann, the singles and outreach pastor. Nearly 10,000 people take the walk each year.

Port Orange resident Eileen Kubat returns year after year.

They really do a great job, she said. There are a lot of younger ones (who perform) and it's wonderful to see that they are interested in doing this.

The time travel to the marketplace of Bethlehem covers the Ten Commandments in addition to the birth of Jesus, as the tour guide, John, tries to find a place for visitors from the Beach of Daytona to stay.

Dianna Mellinger and John Horn, snowbirds from Ohio, enjoyed homemade cookies at the end of the tour Sunday.

This is so nice, Mellinger said. This really tells the story about why Jesus was born and why he died.

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Bethlehem comes to life at Daytona church