I only managed to sit through two third of the show as I had to entertain some foreign guests. What was sorely missing in most other religious organizations in Malaysia was nicely cultivated here in this hall. Youths (young and slightly older ones) were literally undergoing training to survive in the real world by improving their event management and many other skills - human interaction, stage decoration, music recital, band performance, sound system engineering skills, allaying stage fright, developing public speaking skills and many many more.
It may be a little preachy but, hey, good deeds and good values are universal to the betterment of mankind in general. In my opinion, the highlight of the show was the short film presentation symbolically depicting the gripping tale of a father who sacrified his son for the safety of 400 over passengers aboard a speeding train. It was supposed to be a true story of a John Griffin in 1937 who became a rail bridge operator after losing all his money in the 1930 stock market - symbolically depicting the sacrifice of God in giving his only Son to die on the cross to wash the sins of mankind!
That my friend, is the true meaning of Christmas - the celebration of the birth of a Son of God to the world to save Man, not the clinging of wine glasses, countdown to stroke of midnight on Christmas eve, the Santarinas and Santa and his elves!... Watch and learn....
Based on a true story:
The father's name was John Griffith. He had lost all he had in the stock market crash. He moved to Mississippi where he took a job as bridge operator for a railroad trestle. In 1937 he was involved in a horrible accident. One day his 8 year-old son, Greg, spent the day with his Dad at work. The boy poked around the office and asked dozens of questions - just like little boys do. The bridge was over a river and whenever a ship came John had to open the bridge to allow the ships to pass. The day the boy was there with his father a ship was coming so John opened up the drawbridge. After a moment or two he realized his son wasn't in the office and as he looked around, to his horror, John saw his son climbing around on the gears of the draw bridge. He hurried outside to rescue his son but just then he heard a fast approaching passenger train, the Memphis Express, filled with 400 people. He yelled to his son, but the noise of the now clearing ship and the oncoming train made it impossible for the boy to hear him. All of a sudden John Griffith realized his horrible dilemma. If he took the time to rescue his son the train would crash killing all aboard, but if he closed the bridge, the boy would be crushed in the gears. John would sacrifice his son. He made the horrible decision, pulled the lever and closed the bridge. It is said, as the train went by John could see the faces of the passengers, some reading, some even waving, all of them oblivious to the sacrifice that had just been made for them.
You better watch out,
You better not cry,
You better not pout,
I'm telling you why,
Jesus Christ is coming to town!!!!
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Happy Holidays!
Merry Christmas
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