By Dan Zigler and Elton Smith

Staging: The set consists of two (2) right angle flats that are covered with a simulated red brick design. The right building should have a dilapidated fake storefront, half-tilted & faded sign, with "Bakery", a "condemned" notice and boarded up windows down the side with iron bars (wooden dowels), fake door, with "police" streamers in an "X" pattern over the door. The left building is a church entrance. A sign on the front should read: "Jesus Saves Mission" with a Cross emblem, a fake door entrance.

The audience is on the "street side" of the drama and should be able to easily see Reverend Rolland and Pastor Thomas in the alley. Only the feet of the drunk are visible to the audience.

Author’s Note: If I were staging this play, I would probably take a little different method . I would enlist the aid of our Young Adults class and video tape each sequence "on location" and then, each night, present the pre-recorded video using an LCD projector on our large sanctuary screen. The songs would still be performed "live" at the end of each video presentation. This would allow more people to be involved in the production, especially our younger adults, and permit more realistic presentation on actual locations.

Juanitta: (leaning against the abandoned bakery storefront, talking to herself) "Come on Juanitta, you needs to get your act together. You gots to stop feeling sorry for yourself. It ain’t as bad as it could gets."

Weatherly: (walking up to Juanitta) "Why are you here?" (looking up and down Juanitta at her appearance) "Don’t you get cold, dressing like that?"

Juanitta: (slightly defensive) "Mrs. Weatherly, I ain’t never done anything to you, why’re ya always criticizin’ me?"

Weatherly: "Young lady, I know what you’re doing out here! No, God fearing Christian, would dress like that! Why don’t you change your life, why don’t you go get a decent job? Where are your parents?"

Juanitta: (nervous laugh) "My parents aren’t "God Fearing" -- my daddy was the only one who desired havin’ me around and it wasn’t because he loved me, it was because he wanted me -- if you know what I mean. And my Momma was more worried about her face than interfering with my Daddy’s desires. So I ran away from both of them when I was 14 years old and I ain’t looked back yet!"

Weatherly: (putting on her white gloves) "Well! It just seems to me that you could find some position, some skill more suitable for a young lady than doing this! What if you had children, would you want them to do this too?"

Juanitta: (Looking off to the side, tearing up) "I do have a baby, Mrs. Weatherly" (her voice cracking as she turns back to Mrs. Weatherly) "I can barely read or write, this is the only thing I know! It puts milk in the bottle, it pays the rent and heat and puts warm diapers on my baby." (turning and looking away again) "I love my baby, Mrs. Weatherly, she’ll never do this, as God is my witness!"

Weatherly: (As she walks away) "Well, you know what they say -- the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree."

Rolland & Thomas: (Rev. Rolland & Pastor Thomas, walking down the street, enter from stage right)

Pastor Thomas: "Rev. Rolland, I am so excited about helping to serve your church here in the inner city. I can’t wait to lead these people to know Jesus!"

Rev. Rolland: (patting Thomas on the back) "I only pray Pastor Thomas, that your perseverance burns as deeply and brightly as your enthusiasm."

Thomas: "Ever since I graduated from seminary, I’ve been planning to serve a church like this. I know that I can accomplish great things here! I just feel it!"

Rolland: (with wisdom) "I can feel that God has many lessons to teach you about serving Him." (As Mrs. Weatherly approaches) "Here’s Mrs. Weatherly. Hello Wilma!"

Weatherly: (somewhat indignant) "Rev. Rolland, is there not something you can do to help that young lady, Juanitta, get off the street and our sidewalk?" (pointing towards Juanitta)

Juanitta: (spots her pointing gesture, and slips around to the side of the store out of view of the group)

Rolland: "Wilma, you know full well that I am working with Juanitta. I’ve gotten her baby into our day care and I’m trying to help her as much as possible. But she won’t change until she’s ready to change. We just need to continue to love her, be patient with her, witness to her and to help her when she asks for it."

Weatherly: (indignant and changing the subject) "Are you going to introduce me?"

Rolland: "Oh, forgive me!" (Pointing to Thomas) "Pastor Thomas, this is Wilma Weatherly, she’s one of our important financial supporters for the mission here."

Thomas: (extending his hand) "It’s a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Weatherly"

Weatherly: (abruptly dismissing him) "Yes, I’m sure it is, Pastor Thomas - now if you two gentlemen will excuse me I have other important business to attend to!" (Starts to walk off, then turns to address them both) "and don’t forget what I’ve said, we MUST do something about Juanitta."

Rolland: "We’ll continue to try our best, Wilma."

Weatherly: (with a short disgusted sigh, turns around and walks off-stage)

Thomas: "Wow, she’s a little stuffy, prim and proper!"

Rolland: "Pastor Thomas, don’t underestimate Mrs. Weatherly. She’s very generous to us and I think deep down, she has the heart of a saint, but she’s afraid to show her true self to others."

Thomas: "Rev. Rolland, I love you already! You’re like the young boy, searching through the manure pile for the pony!"

Rolland: (Slapping Pastor Thomas on the back) "And I love you too, Pastor Thomas!" (pointing towards the alley) ".... and there’s a pony sleeping right under that pile of newspapers!"

Thomas: (walking towards the newspapers, lifting one edge and peering under it) "And what shall we do with this pony? He’s drunk, passed out and very, very smelly! Wheee!"

Rolland: (walking over beside Pastor Thomas) "HER name is Stella, I don’t think anybody knows her real name, but she is what we lovingly call a "bag lady" here in the inner city, Pastor Thomas."

Thomas: (crouching down again to see) "A lady?"

Rolland: (handing Pastor Thomas his bible) "Yes, a lady. I think God has a lesson to teach you, Pastor Thomas. Here, why don’t you share the gospel with Stella?"

Juanitta: (peeks from around the corner to see what the preachers are doing, and begins to creep towards to alley, but out of sight)

Rolland: (cocking his head slightly to peek at Juanitta) "Yes, Pastor Thomas, I want you to lead Stella down the Roman Road to salvation." (It should be obvious that Juanitta is his real objective)

Thomas: "Rev. Rolland, I must object! We are not to throw our pearls before swine!"

Rolland: "Open your bible my young friend and read that verse."

Thomas: (open his bible to Matthew 7:6) "Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces."

Rolland: (motioning for Pastor Thomas to continue) "Now read the next verse."

Thomas: (continuing) "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."

Rolland: "Pastor Thomas, you’re objection is noted - but I will remind you that God’s word never goes out void -- you never know who might be listening, or who may be asking!" (In a slighter louder voice, for Juanitta’s benefit) "So now my young friend, reach out in love and preach God's word."

Thomas: "Yes, Reverend, but I still don’t see the value in preaching to a drunk."

Rolland: "Don’t think with your brain, preach from your heart - the best, soul-saving message of salvation you’ve ever given. Please, Pastor, for me."

Thomas: (Bending down to his knees beside Stella) "I don't know how you came to be here, I don't know what has been so terrible in your life that has led you to these circumstances, I don't even know if you are listening to the words I will share with you, but I pray that God will use this time to reach out to you, to allow you to feel His abiding love, grace and mercy."

Juanitta: (moves very close to the corner of the alleyway, straining to hear every word)

Thomas: (the following is a sermon that Thomas delivers, it may be preached by the actor or expanded and embellished to be preached by the minister during the evangelistic service)

• When we Ask, we are promised "it will be given to you" --
• When we Seek, we are promised "You will find" and
• When we Knock, we are promised "the door will be opened".

These are promises, they are not "maybe(s)", they are not "if(s)", the do not include conditions and requirements -- they are promises! They are powerful promises! In Matthew 6:8b is says: "for your Father knows what you need before you ask him." God knows you from inside out, every hair on your head, just waiting for you to "ask".

And what question should you ask? Do as all the Jews did, ask as all unbelievers do, ask him directly --Mt 11:3 "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?" Is Jesus the true Son of God, the King of Kings, the one in whom you should believe, the one in whom you should trust?

Then when He has "given" the answer to you -- then begin to "Seek". In Matthew again we are told Mt 6:33 "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." So seek first God's Word, seek first among those who know God and are part of His kingdom, seek first among those who preach God, seek fist among those live God and know God's righteousness, and then -- "all these things will be given to you!".

Then you can stand before the very doors to Heaven -- knock on it -- call out to God! Come into my heart, I believe in Jesus. I believe that Jesus is the only way to salvation. I believe that Jesus died for my sins. I believe that He rose again from the dead. I believe that Jesus is alive! I accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Knock with your fists, knock with your heart, knock with your very soul -- and "the door will be opened" Jesus himself will enter through the door, and Jesus himself will answer your plea.