Ovis Hill Farm Update

From Ovis Hill Farm:

For perhaps 25 years of Nativity Programs I have taken special care when loading and unloading the lambs, mothers and calves, but this year there was an escape. In retrospect, it was predictable. The Bethea Baptist Home Nativity Program (“Come to Bethlehem”) was set on a green within a roadway loop in front of the main building on a large campus. The village with its 200 or so “actors” was arranged around the green. We loaded the mothers, new lambs, and small calves from their corral beside the manger. We backed the trailer up to the larger flock of sheep (shepherds in the field) on the other side of the green and opened the fence to load. When Diz the border collie moved the flock toward the corner gate a nervous ewe balked at the sight of an “actor shepherd” too near the trailer and bolted behind Diz. When he moved back to fetch her, she jumped the fence. We missed retrieving her near the truck and she disappeared around the buildings. Diz and I walked around the complex and returned to the truck without sighting her. At the truck we all exchanged cell phone numbers and split up to look for the lost sheep. Within a few minutes one of Pastors called with news that a nurse at the covered entrance for ambulances, wheel chairs, etc. on the far side of the buildings reported the sheep was in the building. We gathered at the entrance. To a sheep it looked like a well lit (like us they do not like dark spooky places) welcoming barn with bushes on each side for snacks. When she walked in the automatic doors opened and she went in, as we all might. She seemed relieved to see me and I caught her with little difficulty. Actually we were all relieved and there was even mention of possible sermon material.