Last Updated: Thursday, 07. August 2008
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The Lost Son and the 'Lost' Daughter

China, December 22-23, 2006

A man named Mr. Benny had two children, a daughter named Ani and a younger son named Tommy. Tommy lived a carefree life and one day he asked his father a big sum of money and went away from his father’s house. Mr. Benny granted his son’s wish with sadness.

Tommy went on to spent his father’s money from one nightclub to another. His money run out quickly and his ‘friends’ deserted him afterwards. He was very hungry and went on begging in the streets. An event triggered him to realize that in his father’s house, even the servants ate a decent meal everyday, so he decided to go back and ask for his father’s forgiveness. Back at home, Mr. Benny was longing for his lost son. Tommy went in and apologize to his father. To his surprise, his father forgave him and ordered the servants to prepare a banquet to celebrate the return of his lost son.

When Mr. Benny’s older daughter returned home from her father’s company, she heard about the banquet and become angry and sulking. She complained that her father is unfair. Why the prodigal son, her younger brother, who had wasted their family’s money and reputation, was so easily forgiven and given the ‘hundredth’ chance while she, who worked so hard on behalf of her father, didn’t get that kind of attention.

Mr. Benny said to her daughter that he loved all his children, that Ani always with him and whatever he possessed was also hers. Mr. Benny persuaded her daughter to give her brother another chance that her brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

The story mentioned just now is a familiar one to many Christian, usually titled “The parable of the Lost Son” in many Bible translations. This Christmas, the same story is presented as a drama titled “The Father’s Heart” which was performed in the Christmas celebration by PD Daniel - the Indonesian Prayer Meeting group in a Mandarin Language University for Non-Local Chinese who are living overseas on Saturday, December 23, 2006.

Some Biblically-aware Christian will be easily aware that the version presented in this drama actually deviates a lot if compared with the actual version written in the Bible (refer to Luke 15:11-32) due to various improvisations. The most notable example is the change of main actors from “one father and two sons” to “one father, one older daughter, and one younger son”, probably because of the obvious lack of male casts available in this predominantly female University, and perhaps to relate more with the potential audiences, which again will be mostly female. The setting for the drama is also changed from Jewish family in Biblical era into a modern family.

However, such improvisations don’t seem to affect the actual Biblical message. “Through this familiar but improvised drama, we want to portray to our Indonesian friends studying in this University that sometimes not only the Lost Son requires grace from His Father but that the daughter (the older son in the original story-editor) also needs to understand that overall His father loves her (him) too,” said Grace Suryani Tioso, head coordinator of this drama.

Being a final year student, this drama was probably her (and her final year friends in this prayer meeting) last involvement in the God’s ministry to the Indonesian students in this foreign University.

Stefany Valentina, Grace’s friend, who is also a final year student, takes a part in the choir. The choir, consisting almost the entire member of the prayer meeting who don’t have a role in the drama, will sing several songs in between the drama and also lead the audience in the renowned candlelight service tomorrow night. The songs that will be performed include the familiar “Amazing Grace” song written by the slave trader turned hymn writer John Newton but this time some part will be sung in, you guess, Chinese. They also sing the pop improvisation from Beethoven. Stefany said that the preparation of this drama is designed so that every member of this prayer meeting has the chance to serve the Lord with the talents that they have. She added the facts that people some have talents in acting, some others in music, some others in choreographing the drama, etc, and everyone have their part in this big project. As a side note, these songs are performed again in a local church during Christmas services.

Preparing and playing the role in the drama has been a wonderful experience for those who are involved. Benny said that this story taught us that God cares about His children not because what the children did for Him but simply because He cares for the children and that God's love also never fails, always believe in Him. Tommy said that God worked in this drama so that it can be a successful one. Ani said that this drama is her first time doing public performance. She also mentioned that we often like the character of the daughter in the story, that we relies on our self and we don't really know the Father's heart.

One day before the D-Day, Grace gave a remark: “We already practiced this drama many times. These trainings have been our chance to deepen our relationship with God and with fellow members of this prayer meeting group. We pray to God that this drama, the songs, and the related sermon afterwards, which will be delivered by our advisor, Mr. Silas, will be a chance for our other Indonesian friends to relate what they see and hear into a more personal level, that they may get to know and believe that the one whose birth we celebrate, Jesus Christ, have been born on the first Christmas day and have given us that saving grace”. Personally, I believe many who attended the event felt exactly like what Grace have mentioned.

Merry Christmas...

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