Our family moved to Newark, New Jersey, as World Impact missionaries in 1986. When they got old enough, our children became part of the Bible Clubs and attended Newark Christian School. In 1990 and 1991 Tim and Janet Goddu organized the local Bible club children into an outdoor Nativity at Christmas time.
Neighbors from up and down the street gathered to see and hear their children reenact the coming of our Savior. Tim would narrate and read Scriptures as the “angel” announced the Good News from our front porch to the shepherds watching their cardboard sheep in front of the playground fence that ran between two of our staff houses.
Everyone would sing Christmas carols at each station, as we moved from the porch to the jungle gym where the Holy Family sat with Jesus in the manger surrounded by cardboard animals.
We have warm memories of our five-year-old Amber portraying a shepherd and seven-year-old Adam being part of the crowd as we moved from place to place. Our family was a part of the neighborhood and also part of the eternal story of the Incarnation.
Merry Christmas from World Impact!