By Merinah Mbabazi
The congregation of community worship on Tuesday 16th August 2024 was blessed with a different kind of service. This was through a sermon in drama form, performed by the Real Vine drama group. The talented actors and actresses of the group all come from diverse fields. The drama began with a humorous bus conductor looking for passengers going to Jinja. He is acted by Joseph Tumusiime, an economist who also serves as a verger in St. Francis Chapel, Makerere university .
The first passenger is Prossy, a student who has been doing the same course unit for four years. Jenifer Bukenya Namyalo, a software engineer effectively brings out this role. The lecturer of the course unit- Professor Jogo assures her that the only way she will get her hard earned marks is by giving him “a token of appreciation”. He is acted by Jessa Baganzi, an engineer. Prossy realises that this token is sleeping with him which she refuses to do as it goes against her values.
She confides in her fellow Christian friend-Jackie, the third passenger who is portrayed by Grace Akibaho. She is a film student at Makerere University. Much to Prossy’s dismay, Jackie reveals that she and other students obtained marks through sexual relations with the lecturer. Fornication is highlighted through the other passengers who are mama and papa of their fellowship. The mama is acted by Praise Muruye, a biomedical technician at Mulago Hospital while the papa is acted by Victor T, a statistician.
The mama gets pregnant and is scolded by the papa for not being careful, though he later reassures her that everything will be well. She emphasizes that it was a consequence of their sins. The audience soon learns that the papa had relations with Jackie, who left the choir for a better life that involves “sugar daddies.” Deceit is also portrayed through another christian passenger, a reverend who fires his worker for refusing to inflate figures. His intention was to acquire more funds than necessary for his project “Sincere Christian Hearts Project”. The reverend is acted by Emmanuel Ogwal a film student at Makerere University and Youth & Student’s coordinator at St. Francis Chapel. The worker is portrayed by Atamba Ainembabazi.
A pastor who is well loved by the conductor is the last passenger and the only other truthful Christian apart from Prossy in the bus. He is acted by Chapman Mulangira, an accountant by training. The pastor feels compelled to share a word with the passengers. Irony is illustrated as all but one (Prossy) complain that he is making noise, yet they are supposedly Christian. One of them actually says, “You can preach but do it with your head out of the window!” The preacher insists, urging them to do away with their wrong doings like adultery and deceit.
He cites Jeremiah 6:16, in which the Lord instructs us to “ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it”. Soon after, the passengers are involved in an accident and face near death. They refuse to speak to a news reporter who arrives at the scene, as their accident is broadcast on live television. Only the pastor speaks to the reporter and he breaks the third wall by turning to the congregation. The reporter is portrayed by Williams Matthew Karame, a law graduate of Uganda Christian University.
Mulangira explains to the congregation that they too are part of the bus and should be careful in how they live their lives. The drama portrays how short life is and the importance of being pure within. It also teaches us that not everyone in a position of power and influence is living a sincere life.
The drama was perfomed in accordance with the Integration Faith in Learning and Service (IFLS) week under the theme “My Faith, My Lifestyle.”
