PROPS: Bible, Rope (To Swing With), Banana, Toilet Plunger

JUNGLE MANMISSIONARY WOMAN

JUNGLE WOMANGORILLA

MISSIONARY MAN

PROPS: Bible, rope (to swing with), banana, toilet plunger

IN THE JUNGLE

(Opening Scene: JUNGLE MAN swings down from a perch and demonstrates how much he enjoys his jungle. A banana is on the stage floor. MUSIC: The Lion Sleeps Tonight, ends when JUNGLE MAN begins to speak.)

JUNGLE MAN: (loudly and forcefully) This is my kingdom! Me reign over all this kingdom! No one can come between me and my jungle! It is good to live here in this awesome kingdom!

(JUNGLE WOMAN ENTERS)

JUNGLE WOMAN: Oh, brother! Will you stop all this nonsense and go hunt some wild game so we can eat tonight? I’m tired of eating berries and bananas and coconuts.

JUNGLE MAN: (deflated) Yes, dear; I will get it as soon as I can.

JUNGLE WOMAN: And when are you going to get some palm leaves to fix that leaky roof of our tree house? Do I have to do everything around here?

JUNGLE MAN: Okay, I’m on it.

JUNGLE WOMAN: Okay. I’m going down by the river to wash the laundry.

(GORILLA ENTERS animatedly and greets both JUNGLE WOMAN and JUNGLE MAN by making gorilla noises and dangling his arms down low)

JUNGLE WOMAN: (to Gorilla) Oh, hello, Harry.

(JUNGLE WOMAN EXITS)

JUNGLE MAN: Oh, this woman getting to me day by day. I am sure glad to have you as my hairy friend.

(GORILLA nods head, agreeing with Jungle Man, and rubs stomach to show his hunger)

JUNGLE MAN: Oh, I see you are hungry.

(MISSIONARY MAN AND MISSIONARY WOMAN, with Bible, ENTER. GORILLA jumps and thumps his chest at them. MISSIONARY WOMAN hits him with a Bible.)

JUNGLE MAN: No, hairy friend; leave them alone. Do not attack. Here, I have food for you.

(JUNGLE MAN picks up a banana from the floor and hands it to GORILLA, who begins to eat it)

JUNGLE MAN: And who you?

MISSIONARY MAN: We are missionaries.

JUNGLE: Missionaries from where? What you doing in my jungle?

MISSIONARY WOMAN: We are from America and are here to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ so you can be in God’s kingdom.

JUNGLE MAN: We want to let you know Jesus died for your sins. Have you heard about God’s kingdom?

JUNGLE MAN: Me believe only in my kingdom (beats his chest)!

(GORILLA starts making motions like he is not feeling well. Suddenly, GORILLA falls to the ground and lies still.)

MISSIONARY MAN: Oh! I’m afraid your hairy friend just took a tumble.

JUNGLE MAN: Oh, my! What to do?

MISSIONARY MAN: Check to see if he has a heart beat.

(JUNGLE MAN gets down close to GORILLA and listens to his chest)

JUNGLE MAN: (rising up to his knees) Yes, I hear heart beat. What to do next?

MISSIONARY MAN: Well, that was step one. I don’t think you’re going to like step two.

JUNGLE MAN: MUST save hairy friend! Tell me step two!

MISSIONARY MAN: You must really care about your friend. Okay, step two is . . . mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

JUNGLE MAN: Good idea! Me do that!

(JUNGLE MAN gets back down close to GORILLA, but reacts to GORILLA’S stinky breath by waving his hand back and forth in front of his nose)

JUNGLE MAN: (standing up) Me need another idea.

(JUNGLE WOMAN ENTERS with toilet plunger)

JUNGLE WOMAN: What’s going on here?

JUNGLE MAN: Hairy friend sick and me trying to save him.

(JUNGLE MAN takes the plunger, puts it to GORILLA’S mouth, and does the motion of pumping in and out a few times. GORILLA stirs and finally stands up.)

JUNGLE MAN: Oh, my friend; me thought you were gone.What happened to you?

(GORILLA grunts and gestures to his stomach)

JUNGLE MAN: You don’t say . . . so you think that banana was bad and made you sick.

MISSIONARY WOMAN: You can understand what that gorilla says? That’s incredible!

(GORILLA shrugs his shoulders, grunts, and motions to JUNGLE MAN that he wants to know how he was rescued)

JUNGLE MAN: (holding up the toilet plunger) This, my friend.

(GORILLA frantically wipes his mouth with the backs of his hands several times and grunts loudly, jumping up and down to show extreme disapproval. Finally, GORILLA quickly lumbers away either through the audience or just through the curtains, EXITING.)

MISSIONARY MAN: (arm around JUNGLE MAN) Looks like your friend is gone. But Jesus said he will NEVER leave you. And just like you resuscitated your friend, the Bible says although you are dead in your sins, you can be alive through the power of Jesus Christ, if you choose to be born again.

JUNGLE MAN: Sounds like good message. What must I do to receive Jesus and be born again?

MISSIONARY WOMAN: Just repent of your sins and ask Jesus into your life.

JUNGLE WOMAN: Is that for me, too?

MISSIONARY WOMAN: Yes, it’s for everyone. God wants everyone to believe in Jesus and be saved.

JUNGLE MAN: Sounds good. Me want that.

JUNGLE WOMAN: Me, too.

MISSIONARY MAN: Then let’s pray.

(THEY ALL bow their heads)

MISSIONARY MAN: Jesus, we turn from sin (THEY repeat) . . . and turn to you. (THEY repeat that part) Please be the Lord of our jungle (THEY repeat). Amen (THEY repeat).

JUNGLE MAN: So Jesus forgives me?

(MISSIONARY MAN nods his head, affirming that)

JUNGLE MAN: Me feel different inside . . . me feel good! Let’s go see if we can find hairy friend and ask him to forgive me, too.

THE END