Portland church to host famed camel and his friends
By Christian News Northwest
How to subscribe
PORTLAND — Now known worldwide as the camel who was rescued in September from a sinkhole at his rural Oregon City home, Moses the camel and other “Bible Zoo” animals will make a special appearance on the grounds of a historic Portland church for three nights this month. The Apostolic Faith Church will feature Moses and Bethlehem, Mike and Kim Dilworth’s rare Bactrian camels, when it opens its campground facilities at 5414 S.E. Duke St. to the community for Christmas on the Campground Friday through Sunday, Dec. 10-12.
The event will include stunning light displays, hay rides winding through the church-owned cabins on the 11-acre wooded plot, a petting zoo, festive music performances, and the re-enactment of the Christmas story by Sunday school students. All activities are free to the public, and the church is hoping many people will turn out to celebrate Jesus’ birth with them.
Bob Downey, one of the event coordinators, said, “Our goal is to spread the Christmas story. We’re a worldwide organization and we have over one thousand churches around the world, but we want to reach into our local community also.”
The campground has a longstanding history in Portland, dating back to 1920, and the Apostolic Faith Church hopes that many who have never visited before will come out for the occasion.
A very special addition this year is Moses — the camel who was rescued from the sink hole in September. Seven firefighters with Clackamas County Fair District No. 1 dug for several hours with their own hands to free Moses, a two-hump camel weighing from 1,200 to 1,500 pounds, from his plight. When the Dilworths first found that the camel was stuck, only his head could be seen sticking out of the mud. The story garnered international publicity and was one of the most reported stories in the world that day, according to Kim Dilworth.
The Apostolic Faith Church is excited to have Moses for his debut appearance since his accident, and many look forward to seeing him make a strong comeback. Hours are 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 10 and 5 to 8 p.m. on both Dec. 11 and 12.
The following weekend, on Dec. 19, the church will also host a free concert in the church sanctuary, located across the street from the campground at 5601 S.E Duke St.
The performance will feature a full choir and orchestra and will be given twice, at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.
For more on Moses and the Bible Zoo, or to donate, go to www.biblezoo.com.
Disclaimer: Articles featured on Oregon Report are the creation, responsibility and opinion of the authoring individual or organization which is featured at the top of every article.