Bethlehem backdrop for

The Ark’s Nativity scene

Children’s hands joined those of employees and a technician to create a Nativity scene set against a backdrop of Bethlehem at The Ark Assessment Center and Emergency Shelter for Youth in Calallen.

It took them a day to complete the display that utilizes about 100 figurines and features a running stream. The scene is approximately 10 feet long and 4 feet wide.

The scene’s focal point is the infant Jesus in a manger. Also in the display are his mother Mary and Joseph, along with angels, the Magi, shepherds and other villagers.

Lights give the impression of the scene changing from night to day.

The Ark Assessment Center and Emergency Shelter for Youth is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit agency that cares for children and youth who are removed from their homes by the state due to abuse or neglect by a parent or guardian. It is the only licensed facility within an 80-mile radius contracted by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to provide assessment services and emergency shelter for 37 of these victims, ages 0 through 17.

The Ark provides everything needed for the children’s well-being for up to 90 consecutive days while they are assessed for placement in an appropriate long-term site. More information is available at the agency’s website: www.ark4kids.com.