Don't send me Lord

Don't send me is a song from the mini- musical 'Who will go for me?', an original production written, directed and performed by the Flame Youth Ministry in 2002.

In this moving and yet funny musical drama, God [Damien Doherty] calls his Servant [Patrick Carre] out of the blue to turn back to him and then go to all his friends with a message to bring them back to God. The Servant, although inspired by God's Call and the exciting new life God offers, begins to perceive the reality of the Calling and becomes reticent to respond for fear of ridicule and rejection. However, he does as God wants and awaits the opportunity to tell his friends how great God is and how exciting it is to come back to him.

Throughout the interplay we see tableau's of life in the fast lane as well as in the couch-potato lane: The Servant's friends are all caught up in the cares and pleasures of life; the corporate world, sport, sitcom addiction, the good life and all else besides with no place or time for God.

When the Servant enthusiastically approaches each friend individually as they happen by his way, he experiences the rejection, indifference and ridicule that cuts to his heart. At each encounter he returns to God in shock and despair. God continues to encourage him to keep going back and try again only to experience more of the same. "My son, My children perish. Will you go for Me?" God continues to plead with the Servant. As each provocative encounter unfolds we see the Servant becoming more and more despondent with the rejection and indifference of his friends until he finally breaks down in tears of deep anguish, grief and frustration. At his limit the Servant finally gives up, turns in anger and rejects God once more.

In the final scene, the Servant, broken and lonely gives up completely, throws down his bag and bible and leaves the stage fighting all the way with God's pleas for a response. God desperately calls to him, "My son, My son. Please! My children perish... Won't you go for me? My son, My son....". Finally the servant vanishes from the scene leaving only God's lonely voice echoing in the darkness.

The stage now has an eerie look: It is black, empty, silent and still. The only activity is the pulsing light and smoke billowing from the pearly gates from where God's voice was emanating. In the emptiness God cries out, "Hello... Is anyone out there? Will someone go for Me?... Hello? Hello? Hello?......". The curtain falls in silence and the children in the audience who had been calling out, "I'll go for you God!" suddenly become aware that unless someone is willing to give up everything for their friends nothing is going to change.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Musical.
• Christian.
• Evangelization.
• Original.
• Theatre.
• Catholic.

[fmitv]

What a blast seeing this after so long. It is still a timely message.