Forgiveness

By Lucy Hawkins

Summary
Farhan cannot forgive Mamat for losing his old football, even though Mamat forgave
him for the same mistake. A puppet play for kids up to about 10.

Scripture
Matthew 18

Characters
Narrator
Boy 1- Mamat
Boy 2 - Farhan
Girl - Mimi

Script
NARRATOR - ( looks around, then sees audience ) Oh! Hello! Didnt see you
there! .... I was just remembering a story I heard a few days ago. I dont suppose
youd like to hear it? Its quite interesting - its got excitement, mystery, a great
ending ... Yes, Ill think Ill tell you, its a story worth remembering. It happened in a
park not far from here. Three young people were playing football, with their brand
new ball...
( Boy 1 & 2 & girl come up, running back and forth a bit )
BOY 1: Pass us the ball, Farhan! Youve had it for ages!!!
MIMI : Yeah Farhan! Youre always hogging the ball!
BOY 2: Wait a minute, Mimi! Im not ready, Im gonna score, ready.... 1, 2, ...3!!!
(Ball flies over the wall into audience! All stare out into audience after their ball,
dumbstruck)
MIMI: Oh dear!

BOY 1: (angry) Look what youve done! You idiot! Its gone right out of the park!!!
That was my brand new, Tottenham Hotspur, signed by all the team, football! I only
got it yesterday!
BOY 2: Im sorry, Mamat, I really am... but I didnt mean to ... it was an accident! I
just kicked it a bit too high, thats all!
BOY 1: Thats all! Thats all! What am I going to do now! Its ages till my
Birthday! I wont be able to practise and now Ill never ever be the next Michael
Owen!
BOY 2: Well it wasnt really likelyMIMI: Watch it!
BOY 2: Sorry! But look, about the ball I know youre upset but Im really sorry!
Please forgive me!
MIMI: Yeah, forgive him Mamat, he didnt mean to lose it.
NARRATOR: Well, Mamat thought a bit. It was his best ever ball, and now it was
lost! But he also knew that his friend was really sorry, so he decided to forgive him,
after all it wasnt worth losing the friendship over, right?
BOY 1: Yeah, OK, I suppose I forgive you.
BOY 2: Really?
BOY 1: Yeah, it doesnt matter any more.
MIMI: Good! Now, what about some tennis instead...(exuent Boys 1 & 2 & Mimi)
NARRATOR: ...And so they all went home to get their rackets, and everything had
turned out just fine. Or had it? A week later, they were at the park again, playing
football with Farhans football. It was a really awful football. The sides were
cracking, it was nearly flat and was covered in dirt and grime. It had been festering
away at the botFarhan of his Dads compost heap, when he had dug it out, and you
could tell from the horrible smell. Farhan didnt like it at all, but it was better than
nothing. They had been trying to play with it for a while when...
(enter Boys 1 & 2 & Mimi)

BOY 2: Give me the ball, Mamat! Its time to get going! Isnt your Mum doing us
pizza for tea, Mimi!
MIMI: Yeah, with extra cheese! Cmon! I cant wait!
BOY 1: OK! Ill just get it - it went down that ditch over there ( goes down to find it comes up with a flat, mangled ball)
BOY 1: Umm... Farhan.... I think a dog must have got to it before I did... its got a bit
of a hole and teethmarks!
BOY 2: What!
BOY 1: A bit of a hole and teethmarks! Dont worry! It was only an old ball and you
never liked it in the first place, right?
BOY 2: That doesnt matter! Its my ball and you let it get ruined!
BOY 1: I didnt mean to - its not my fault!
BOY 2: Yes it is!
MIMI: Calm down, Farhan - was a horrible ball anyway!
BOY 2: That doesnt matter!
BOY 1: Well, Im sorry then, OK? Will you forgive me?
BOY 2: I dont see why I should, youve ruined my ball! Im going home! (leaves in
a huff)
BOY 1: But I forgave him when it was my ball...
NARRATOR: Well, from that day on, Farhan wouldnt be friends with Mamat. He
wouldnt sit with him in class, he wouldnt even talk to him. But it was Farhan who
lost out. He tried to persuade himself that he hated Mamat and didnt want to play
with him, but when he saw Mamat & Mimi playing football in the park, he found
himself wishing that he could be there too.
(Farhan comes up alone)

One day as Farhan was sitting alone on the playground, he looked up to see Mamat
coming towards him. (Mamat enters and goes towards Farhan) He got up to leave
(Farhan moves in opposite direction) but Mamat stopped him.
BOY 1: Wait! Im fed up of only playing football with Mimi. Its not as good as
when theres 3 of us. Cant we forget our arguement and just go back to being
friends?
NARRATOR: Farhan thought for a while and then smiled.
FARHAN: Cmon. Do you fancy a game then?
(EXUENT Farhan and Mamat)
NARRATOR: Farhan had learnt a lot from Mamat. He realised that Mamat had
forgiven him twice: once for losing his favourite ball, and once for being silly, not
forgiving him for losing his old ball. Farhan realised that he had been selfish, and was
glad that he had a forgiving friend like Mamat