By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
Nearly a year ago, Angel Studios “turned the world upside down” as did the Apostles of old by having the guts to expose the industry that makes billions through the trafficking of children. That film was called Sound of Freedom, and it was the all-time David-and-Goliath story when it came to Hollywood’s attempts to keep it from ever being seen by more than a comparative handful of people. Viewers by the millions saw it, bought tickets for others, invested in the film’s production, and caused a $14 million dollar project gross more than $260 million dollars at the box office. In our own state, legislation is currently being carefully crafted to deal with the scourge of slavery, and the sponsors will tell you that Sound of Freedom was the eye-opener that caused them to want to sound an alarm and do something about it.
Sound of Freedom premiered on 4th of July weekend, and Angel is about to do it again this Independence Day, 2024. Angel has a strong commitment to making films that make a difference, or as they call it, “amplify light.” That means that when they have to deal with tough subjects, they do it in a way that brings hope, purpose, and a call to action that is as possible as it is daunting.
So, it is with great joy and anticipation that I am announcing that a film with the odd title of Possum Trot is going to go up soon against the big blockbusters, and just like last year, I am going to do my best to spread the word. I am going to shock you with a statistic that I found unbelievable: in the United States of America, a full 90% of children who end up being trafficked have been in the foster care system!!
Now, lest you think I am painting foster parents with a broad brush, nothing could be further from the truth. I honor the ones that are honorable, and have known some that are stellar. They do what they do because they love kids, not the paycheck. That being said, even if you have a perfect foster parent, (and they simply do not exist) the fact that the kids are often shuffled around and then age out of a strained system without ever having a “forever home” is what sets them up to believe the lies of their would-be traffickers.
About a year ago, when I was at a retreat at Pure Hope Ranch, I heard the testimony of a young woman who had experienced exactly what I have just described. What made her story even more horrific was that her trafficker was her foster dad and was also a pastor. May God deal with that man according to His plan, and if possible, redeem him. And, what made her story one that “amplifies light” is that the caliber of help that the young women get at Pure Hope is becoming a global standard for those who help to restore the trafficked. They come to the ranch to learn how to transform the trafficked, and it’s working. Hearing her story was “positively painful,” and I mean that in the most glowing of terms.
Possum Trot is based on the true story of a small rural church in Texas that made history by giving foster kids a forever home and adopting 77 of them. If it was going to be at all possible on their watch, no kid was ever again going to be vulnerable to the false promises of vultures. Please buy your tickets now so together, we can help Angel do it again. I can hardly wait!
July 19, 2024
