After a lot of hunting for resources, we came across two dance dramas to put together for the Ban San Faan Christmas presentation. The two items have the common theme of "trees".
The children will perform at 8 venues to well over 1,000 people:
- 16th Dec - Over 400 guests at a community outreach event put on by "Churches Together in Doi Saket".
- 19th Dec (am) - 350 students at a Thai elementary school. Ban San Faan have been given an open invitation to return. The head of the English program, a Thai lady, wept that she was now no longer the only Christian witness at the school
- 19th Dec (pm) - At a hospice for people suffering with HIV & TB. Four people received prayer to accept Christ.
- 20th Dec - Outreach event at a thai Church
- 21st Dec - Thai congregation outreach at our church here. It was packed and well over 40 guests came forward for prayer after being presented with the true meaning of Christmas
- 24th Dec - Ron and Mon's Christmas Party for 300+ children
- 26th Dec - At a Thai kindergarten in the neighbourhood of Ban San Faan
- 27th Dec - At the church of one of the Ban San Faan Thai teachers.
The Tale of the Three Trees
This is a traditional tale dramatised by Salt & Light Ministries. We had to make our own version of the backing track in which the House-Father spoke the narration in Thai. We chose some beautiful backing piano music; a piece called "Golden" composed by Rebecca Kragnes. (For more info about Rebecca and her music click here).
Here is the Tale of the Three Trees:
Once upon a time, on a high mountain top, three little trees stood,
and dreamed of what they wanted to become when they grew up.
| The first little tree looked up at the stars, twinkling like diamonds in the sky – “I want to hold a great treasure, and be the most beautiful treasure chest in the whole world.” The second little tree looked out at the small stream trickling by – The third little tree looked down into the valley below – |
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Years past, and the little trees grew very tall.
One day, a wood-cutter climbed the mountain.
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| He looked at the first tree and said, “This tree is beautiful.” With a swoop of his shining axe – the first tree fell. |
Then the wood-cutter looked at the second tree and said, “This tree is strong.” With a swoop of his shining axe – the second tree fell. |
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The third tree felt its heart sink when the wood-cutter looked its way. It stood straight, and tall, and pointed bravely to heaven. The wood-cutter didn’t say a word. With a swoop of his shining axe – the third tree fell. |
| The first tree was fashioned into a simple feeding box for animals and put in a stable. | The second tree was sawed and hammered into a simple fishing boat and was taken to a small lake. |
The third tree was dragged to a yard and thrown on a pile of wood.
Long years passed, and the three trees nearly forgot their dreams.
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But one night, starlight poured into the stable where the manger was being used to feed the animals. A young woman had just given birth to a baby boy, and she was looking for a place to lay him. “This manger is beautiful,” said the woman. When she gently laid the child in the manger, the first tree knew that it was holding the greatest treasure of all – the Son of God. |
Late one night, a man and his friends crowded into an old fishing boat.
They quickly fell asleep as the second tree, quietly sailed away.
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| Soon, a wind blew up over the lake, and the second tree feared that it would not be strong enough to carry the men through the storm. | But, the man stood up, and commanded the storm to be silent, and it was stilled. In that moment, the second tree knew that it was carrying the greatest King of all – the King of heaven and earth. |
One Friday morning, the third tree was startled when it was yanked from the wood pile. It was hastily made into a cross, and put on the shoulders of a man who was forced to carry the cross to a mountain top, where he was nailed to it’s cross beam, and was crucified.
Thunder and lightning broke out and the fear of God descended on that mountain in an earthquake.
The tree was filled with shame and sadness.
On the third day, on Sunday morning, the man who had been crucified was resurrected and came back to life, just as he claimed he would.
In that moment, God redeemed all that had gone so terribly wrong in the past.
As for the dreams of the three trees –
He had made the first tree beautiful again
He had made the second tree strong once more
And each time people looked upon the third tree, they raised their eyes towards heaven and thought of God – and His Son, Jesus, - the Saviour of the world.
The Perfect Tree
The second item, was also based on a resource from Salt & Light Ministries. The House-Father narrated an introduction to the song in Thai.
| The ornaments are ready The place has been prepared Strings of lights and holly Are draped across the chair Families all together I know where they must be Everyone is searching For the perfect tree |
The perfect tree Grew very long ago And it was not decked with silver Or with ornaments of gold But hanging from its branches Was a gift for you and me Jesus laid His life down On the perfect tree |
| Mother wants a straight one The children want it tall Dad just hopes that somehow He can get it down the hall Soon they’ll gather round it As proud as they can be But when they’re looking at it I wonder if they see |
With all the celebrations Sometimes the truth is lost That every step this baby took Brought Him closer to the cross |
