Over 2,000 years ago an angel appeared to a young woman named Mary. He announced that she would give birth to a baby. God would be the father of that baby boy.
An angel also appeared to Joseph, the man who would be the boy’s earthly father. Both Mary and Joseph realized they would be the parents of a very special child!
Sometime later, the government decided to take a census. For this reason, Joseph and Mary had to go from Nazareth to Joseph’s hometown of Bethlehem. For Mary, it was a very long and difficult trip. She walked or rode on a donkey for 111 kilometers. When the couple finally arrived, it was time for the baby to be born. But all of the inns were full. They finally found a place to stay where farm animals were kept.
There, among smelly animals, the Son of God was born! Mary and Joseph named him “Jesus” just as the angels had instructed them. |