This scene takes place downtown.
Players:
Lucie - The street girl
Christian and Marianne - brother and sister
Father - Mother - Eric (their young son)
The waiter - 5 passers-by
LUCIE:
Just look at them! It's another Christmas full of trinkets!
I feel hopeless, I'm hungry, and I'm chilled to the bone.
I'd like to put an end it all!
I feel so old...and I'm only 18...Another Santa Claus Christmas!! Buy your baubles & trinkets.
Well, Let's see what this crowd has at heart this time of the year. Will they give a few dollars to someone as shabby as me today? They're all running every which way, and they're only thinking of their holiday shopping, well, let's just see...
She settles in and begins to beg, holding out her hand to those passing by in the crowd.
THE REACTIONS OF THE PASSERS-BY
1st passer-by: "I don't have time for you!"
2nd passer-by: "Don't bother me, beggar, you smell!..."
3rd passer-by: (Puts in a few coins without a word, without looking at her....)
4th passer-by: "If you think I'm going to give you money so that you can go and buy drugs, forget it!
5th passer-by: Puts in a few coins and a tract.
Intrigued, Lucie picks up the slip of paper and reads a few sentences out loud:
"BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HUNGER AND THIRST FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS, FOR THEY WILL BE FILLED."
"WHOEVER DRINKS THE WATER I GIVE HIM WILL NEVER THIRST."
"COME TO ME ALL YOU WHO ARE WEARY AND BURDENED, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST."
LUCIE: "Where is this person who can do all this?? I don't know him!"
MARIANNE AND CHRISTIAN NOTICE LUCIE.
MARIANNE: "Christian, lets go talk to her!"
CHRISTIAN: "But talk about what?"
MARIANNE: "I don't know, but she must be cold. Let's ask her to come with us for a coffee and warm up a bit."
CHRISTIAN: "I feel a little funny doing that, but I think that is what Jesus would want; so, by the Grace of God, let's take a step of faith."
MARIANNE AND CHRISTIAN APPROACH LUCIE
MARIANNE: "Hi, my name is Marianne and this is my brother Christian.
We're going in to get a cup of coffee. If you feel like coming along to warm up a bit, we'd like to invite you!"
LUCIE: "This is so strange - someone just gave me this slip of paper about God that says: 'Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.'
I would like to warm up a bit and most places don't let people like me get in alone...so I accept your invitation."
THEY GO TO THE RESTAURANT
CHRISTIAN: "What's your name?"
LUCIE: "Lucie."
CHRISTIAN: "Have you been living on the street for a long time, Lucie?"
LUCIE: "It will soon be 3 years. I left home at 15. My mother died when I was 13. My father was unbearable. I told myself I would be better off leaving, nothing could be worse than staying with him in that house..."
MARIANNE: "Do you have any other family?"
LUCIE: "Yes, but they don't want to have anything to do with me! They think I'm hopeless and they're all ashamed of me!"
CHRISTIAN : "Will you be all alone for Christmas?"
LUCIE: "Yes...but you know...you get used to being alone during holidays."
THE WAITER ARRIVES
MARIANNE EXCUSES HERSELF: "Excuse me. I'll be back in a few minutes."
CHRISTIAN: "Lucie, would you like something to eat?"
MARIANNE CALLS THEIR PARENTS, WHILE CHRISTIAN AND LUCIE TALK QUIETLY. THE WAITER BRINGS THE COFFEES AND CHRISTIAN PAYS THE BILL.
MARIANNE: "Hi Mom. I'd like to talk to you and Dad at the same time. Can you ask him to take the other line?"
MOTHER: "Sure! Wait a minute, Marianne. Sweetheart, can you take the other line? It's Marianne - she wants to talk to both of us."
MARIANNE: "Mom, Dad, I'm downtown with Christian. We've just met a girl named Lucie. She's 18 and she lives alone on the street. God has prepared the way before us, someone just gave her a tract that speaks of His Love. The Lord has put it on my heart to invite her to our Christmas night celebration. What do you think? Are you willing to open our doors to her for an evening?"
MOTHER SPEAKS TO HER HUSBAND: "What do you think, Darling?"
FATHER: "Let's trust our daughter and open our doors, and our hearts, to this child!"
MARIANNE: "Great! You guys are just great! Let's pray now that she'll say yes. See you soon!"
MARIANNE GOES BACK TO SIT DOWN AND TAKES A SIP OF COFFEE.
MARIANNE: "I just spoke with our parents on the phone. I told them about you, and they would like it very much if you would come and celebrate Christmas with us. What do you say? It would be an honour for us if you would celebrate this holiday with us, this remembrance of the birth of Jesus."
LUCIE: "You know, for me, Jesus, I put him pretty well out of my life. He abandoned me a long time ago. Why are you doing this for me?"
CHRISTIAN: "We believe that Jesus deeply loves mankind, and that that is why he came in the flesh to live among us and to bring us Good News. Jesus cared about people, particularly the sick, the poor, the outcast. This is the Jesus we celebrate, the One who loved mankind so much that he gave his life for them. There is no greater love!"
LUCIE: "That's all Chinese to me, but, I have nothing to lose! You seem like a pretty close family, and I can't say that I have anywhere else to go...so, okay!"
CHRISTIAN: "You'll see, we'll have a wonderful evening! If you like, we can pick you up at a Metro station at 5pm, December 25th. That's the easiest way! Here is our telephone number, in case you need it."
LUCIE: "Okay, I'll be there! Thanks for your time. I have to go now, I'd like to make a little money and take advantage of the crowds that are in the streets today. Bye and thanks for everything!"
CHRISTIAN: "Listen, Lucie, here's 5 dollars if you feel like eating later!"
LUCIE: "Whoa! Thanks!"
CHRISTMAS EVENING
MARIANNE AND CHRISTIAN PICK LUCIE UP, AS PRE-ARRANGED.
(Throughout the evening, there are Christmas songs playing in the background.)
CHRISTIAN: "Hi Dad, Hi Mum!" (taking off their coats)
MARIANNE: "Mom, Dad, this is Lucie!"
FATHER: "Welcome Lucie! May the Love of God touch your heart tonight."
MOTHER: "Thank you for coming! We have really been looking forward to meeting you. This is Eric, our youngest!"
ERIC: "Hello, Miss! Welcome!"
LUCIE: "And here I am, thank you! I feel a little out-of-place, but I'm touched that you've invited me into your home. I don't understand why you're paying so much attention to me. I'm not worth it."
MOTHER: "Please, let's all sit down.
Lucie, you're more valuable than you think. God paid a high price for your life. Did you know that God separated Himself from His Son, and let him come and live among sinful men in order to bring them Good News? He came to bring Love, Peace, Joy. And to receive these gifts from God, we need to acknowledge that we have turned away from Him, that we have rejected Him.
He wants to offer us new life, if we are willing to follow His ways marked out for us in the Bible, and leave behind our own aimless ways."
LUCIE: "All that sounds very nice, but how does that help me? Does that mean I'll be less hungry?"
MOTHER: "God does not promise us an easy life, but He does ask us to let Him know our needs, and that He will direct us. He wants to rebuild our lives, but we must give Him time to act.
God promises to take care of His children and never to abandon them."
FATHER: "God wants us to trust Him despite the circumstances we find ourselves in."
MARIANNE: "Lucie, I tried for a long time to make sense out of my life. I turned this way and that, and I often thought of ending it all! Then one day, after having turned my back on Him for years, I cried out to God. He put a friend in front of me, who knew Jesus and who spoke to me about him. It was a turning point in my life. I see my difficulties so differently now with Him!"
ERIC: "Even though I am young, I too know Jesus. He is my best friend now. I see the misery in my school, and I can see the difference between my friends who know Jesus and those who don't. We know that Jesus loves us and that he wants to help us in our difficulties, but the others, they're alone with their problems, and some of them have even tried to commit suicide, or gotten involved in drugs and alcohol."
LUCIE: "This is all very interesting, but I have to think about it."
FATHER: "That's right Lucie, take your time and think about it. We'll talk about it again at our next visit."
FATHER SPEAKS TO HIS WIFE
FATHER: "Sweetheart, how about singing that beautiful Christmas song for us that we love so much?"
EVERYONE: "Oh, yes, please!"
MOTHER: "Eric, can you start the cassette for me, please? Thank you."
(Mother sings song that speaks of what Jesus has done for us)
To save us, He gave His life, yes for me, Jesus
died on a cross, for this lost world, He
accomplished it all, giving me reason to live...
My dear, dear Manon,
I'd like to thank you, my dear little sister in Christ, for always having accepted to work with me in our various projects together for the Lord. You were always ready to give of your time, your gifts, and your love. This time, Manon, as you well know, the project is a big one. But thanks to the Lord, we will succeed. You said it well when you said to me: "He has prepared us for this time."
Glory to God! And thank you for your gentleness, your kindness, your generosity, your love, and your friendship.
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