Beyond skits: Drama as missions training
In October 2007 Edge Outreach hosted a water purification conference in Louisville, Kentucky. The conference drew mission workers from around the world to learn about a water purification system that is changing and saving lives in third world countries. It's an incredible tool for helping the impoverished and establishing relationships in places that have not heard the gospel. One of the biggest challenges for mission workers looking to install these systems is convincing the people in a village they need a water purifier and convincing them you have the right solution. To help the conference attendees learn the ins and outs of making that first contact, Edge led them all to a third world village called Miranda, where they were able to assess a community's needs first hand and begin the difficult task of persuading the villagers to install their water system. The mission workers spoke with the townspeople and even the chief, gathering basic information, names, and laying the groundwork to come back and install a water purifier. Miranda, of course, does not actually exist on any map. The people of Miranda were actors, and the experience they gave the attendees at the Edge conference was one they will never forget. Edge came to me several months before the conference and asked if this kind of exercise could be done. This was different from anything I had ever done, but it's nothing new. It's also not near as daunting and complicated to organize as you might think. The first step to this type of training exercise is to educate yourself. I read as much as I could about the water purification system, studied the five page questionnaire the missionaries use in the field, watched videos and read as much as I could about the cultures. Edge's staff and past volunteers were especiall useful resources, giving me not just the basics, but details that made the village come to life. The hardware store was a particularly unique setting we tried to recreate. The next step was to tell the story of a village. What is their history? What sort of government do they have? How are women viewed in the community? Do they know the water is dirty? What explanation do they have for so many illnesses? Giving your actors the right frame of reference is critical. As an example, many places in this world have no concept of germs; evil spirits are often to blame. Once you know the village you can tell the stories of the people in the village. There's Zoe, the town doctor, who is overworked and overwhelmed by the poverty. She knows the water's making people ill, but there's no one to believe her. There's the chief's daughter, the town water official, who uses out of date, contaminated tools to measure the cleanliness of the water. There's the town pastor, the hardware clerk, the mothers who see the suffering in their children's eyes. And of course, there's the chief… who for our exercise was hiding in his office taking a nap for the first part of the exercise. Casting and rehearsing come next. You want actors who are VERY comfortable with improv, good at staying in character, and have a long memory. The more they learn not just their character, but all the others, the more real the exercise becomes for the trainees. After all, in a small village, everyone knows everyone else's business. Rehearsing is tricky, but again, not as tricky as you might think. There were no lines to rehearse, so what we did was to bring the actors together, discuss the characters, and then spend time improvising and interacting in character. I would conduct interviews with each character, which allowed them to get to know their own characters as well as each other's. Edge staffers would drop by on occasion and when they did, the actors peppered them with questions. They listened, they retained, and everything they absorbed was put to use. The actual visit to Miranda happened beside a lake at Kavanaugh Retreat Center in Crestwood, KY. We used the space we were in, giving each person a place to be and something to do before the trainees arrived. Once they were in the performance space, the actors really came alive. The hardware store owner threatened people who tried to touch her things with a stick. The doctor pleaded for privacy so she could treat a sick child. Villagers dished dirt on each other in addition to discussing the town. The chief was constantly campaigning for bribes. Most interesting of all, without ever discussing it in rehearsal, all of the cast members started making references to the witch doctor up the hill in the woods. Talk about groupthink. The trainees had a debriefing as soon as the exercise was over. It was incredible. Every person gained from the experience just by being there. What made it even more educational was when the actors had a chance to speak. As the villagers, they had a completely different take on the exercise, and they were able to give the trainees invaluable lessons. Don't be in a rush. Don't be rude. Say hello, introduce yourself, then say goodbye rather than walk away once your questions are answered. Don’t be buried in your clipboard. Get to know me. Please respect our wishes when we ask to be left alone; the doctor was particularly frustrated in her efforts to treat a patient. Some actors even tested the trainees; the chief, who acquired a small container of honey dip as a bribe, would intentionally shake hands with the honey-covered, finger-licked hand, just to see if people flinched. Miranda was so successful, plans are being made to incorporate the village into next year's conference. If you're looking for other opportunities for your actors to serve, perhaps there's a missions group you can connect with and serve in this same capacity. Check out the video linked below for a closer look at Miranda. If I can be of any help in designing such a training exercise, please email me at john@righteousinsanity.com
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