It was a good weekend for visitors to From Everywhere to Bethlehem as the forecasted winter storm never quite made its way to the Winkler Park.

The live nativity experience produced by the Winkler EMM Church saw strong attendance after a dip in 2018 of roughly 2,700 people. 3,179 people stopped by over the last weekend collecting 2,824 pounds for the food cupboard.

There was also a bake sale with proceeds going to MCC Christmas Giving.

Co-organizers Cyndie Toews and Lois Hildebrand say visitors continue to come from further away, this year including the Philippines, Abbotsford (B.C.), London (ON), Democratic Republic of Congo, Denver (CO), Paraguay, Alberta, Nepal, Bangladesh, Mexico, Laos (people taking part in the International Volunteer Exchange Program through Mennonite Central Committee), and the real Bethlehem. This includes regulars from all over Southern Manitoba.

They say that continuing to do this ministry year after year involves a lot of hard work, but the encouragement they continue to garner makes it so worth it.

To run the little town, they require at least 80 volunteers per night and 366 dozen cookies to share with the community. All of the workers and baked goods come from the church congregation with the help of some other local church volunteers.