Drug Drama

Drug Drama.

In the early 1970s, Sri Lanka’s schools were infiltrated by a radical socialist group called the People’s Liberation Front (JVP).

At that time, the schools were open to all visitors, and Every Home for Christ Sri Lanka made the most of the opportunity to share the Good News. Our ministry on this island nation off India’s southern tip was still in its infancy, but National Director Sam Thevabalasingham knew that reaching students at their schools was an effective step toward reaching whole families.

“Children always take the message home,” Sam says. “Through schools we touch the community.”

An actor dressed as a guard pretends to beat an actor dressed as a prisoner in an outdoor space while an audience of uniformed schoolgirls watch.
Two evangelists perform a drama about a prisoner who attempts to escape. Dramas like this captivate audiences and make a way for presentations of the Gospel.

Uniformed students form a large circle outside to watch actors who perform a drama in the middle.
Young students at a Sri Lankan school circle up to watch a drama about drug addiction — and hear a presentation of the Gospel message.

But that access ended when the JVP arrived. This extremist group spread its propaganda on campuses and recruited young people to join its secret military movement. Its goal was to overthrow Sri Lanka’s democratically elected government and establish a revolutionary socialistic rule in its place.

Sri Lanka’s schools responded to the threat by blocking all visitor access. Though this move protected students from the influence of the JVP, it also prevented Every Home for Christ from reaching the youth where they studied.

“Hence, Every Home for Christ’s student outreach work came to a standstill,” Sam remembers. But Sam always knew that God still had a plan for Sri Lanka’s students. “For decades, we have mobilized people to pray for students in high schools, colleges and universities.”

The answer to those prayers would come in an indirect and unexpected way.

While the threat of revolution had been mitigated, a new threat was creeping into the schools and the rest of Sri Lanka as well: drugs.

An actor dressed as a prisoner raises his hands in chains.
A member of the drama team performs the role of a prisoner.

The street drama team holds up posters while making an outdoor presentation of the gospel to a group of uniformed schoolboys.
As part of their presentation, drama team members present the Gospel of Jesus to gathered students.

“More than 500,000 men and women have been affected as Sri Lanka has become a transit point for drug traffickers from India and Pakistan,” Sam explains. “It became a big challenge for the government and law enforcement agencies.”

One of those affected by the drug trade was Chandrasena Pieris, the son of a Hindu priest. As a child, Chandrasena skipped school to join a gang. His crimes consisted of breaking into people’s homes and petty theft, but things grew more serious when Chandrasena became the leader of his own gang. Soon, he was trafficking drugs on behalf of big-time dealers — and becoming addicted himself. Eventually, Chandrasena’s offenses caught up with him. He was arrested, subjected to a violent interrogation and given a harsh prison sentence.

“He knew there was no one to help him, and the punishment was horrendous,” Sam says. “He began to cry and call upon the gods of his father.”

Uniformed Sri Lankan Policemen sit in a row of chairs to watch a presentation.
The EHC drama team was invited to perform for the Sri Lankan police, partnering with them to address the drug epidemic in their nation.
Hands post a sticker advertising the street drama team on a car.
The drama team’s messages are posted in public places.

Rajah, a Christian visiting the prison at the time, overheard Chandrasena’s cries and met with him to share Jesus. Their meetings continued whenever Rajah visited the prison. Over time, Chandrasena realized that his cries to his father’s gods had been met with silence — but Jesus answered and showed Himself to be the living God. Deeply moved, Chandrasena put his faith in Jesus.

When a yearly presidential pardon unexpectedly released Chandrasena a few months later, he went straight to the rehabilitation center run by Rajah. Chandrasena spent the next five years at the center, breaking his addiction and growing in his newfound faith. Rajah then introduced Chandrasena to the South Asia Institute of Theology, a Bible school EHC’s Brother Sam had established in the 1980s, and Chandrasena went on to earn a degree in theology.

Having come so far on his own journey from drug addiction, Chandrasena proposed an idea to Sam. This idea was unconventional, but Sam was willing to try it. In 2016, they formed a street drama team to perform a retelling of Chandrasena’s story — bringing to light the struggles of an addict and introducing audiences to the freedom found only in Jesus.

A missionary hands out gospel literature to a row of uniformed schoolgirls seated outside.
Students receive gospel literature as part of the drama team’s presentation.

Smiling schoolgirls gather outside to watch the street drama team.
Students happily gather outside to watch the drama team’s skit and hear a message of Jesus’ love.

“This is often an emotional time, moving those in the audience to tears,” Sam shares. “Onlookers often forget this is a street drama and shout to save the prisoner.”

These street dramas caught the attention of an unexpected audience, the Sri Lankan government — and the government wanted to offer its support. Not only did it invite the team to perform for the Sri Lankan Police’s 150th anniversary celebration, it also opened up the schools to Every Home for Christ again.

Now, in schools throughout Sri Lanka, kids gather for special assemblies, standing on tiptoes to see over each other’s heads. They watch and listen, a captive audience to a drama that preaches freedom from addiction and freedom in Christ. Since its inception, the street drama team has performed at 98 schools, reached 120,000 people and shared 150,000 gospel messages.

For over three decades, Sam and his team were prevented from sharing the Gospel on school campuses. Now, they are invited back by the schools themselves with the blessing of the national government. God answered their prayers to reach students by working through the life of a drug addict — and they are seeing incredible fruit as a result.

“Schoolchildren are amazed to hear the name of Jesus.” Sam shares. “He has the power to deliver and protect them.”

Every Home for Christ

 

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