Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot Review

If you’re in the mood for a tearjerker, look no further than “Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot.” Now, I’ll admit—I’d never heard of this film either. But when I found out it’s set right here in my home state of Texas, I was intrigued. So, one lazy Sunday morning, I decided to give it a shot—it was free, after all!

The movie draws inspiration from Bishop WC Martin, his wife Donna, and the congregation at Bennett Chapel Baptist Church. Their mission? To adopt every high-risk child in foster care. While most folks were gunning for the younger kiddos, the Martins felt they could do more as servants of God. And boy, did they step up.

They started with a pair of troubled siblings—a 5-year-old and a 2-year-old. The film beautifully portrays how the family adjusted their lives to ensure these kids felt loved. Even when the social worker offered to take them back, the Martins stood their ground, determined to care for these children in their own home. These little ones had been through the wringer, with abusive pasts, but the Martins showed them both discipline and affection.

During a sermon, the Bishop challenged his congregation to follow suit. Now, most of these folks were retirees, dealing with bills and had grown children. But they believed that living their Bible teachings meant more than just lip service—it meant action.

The movie doesn’t shy away from tough moments. Early on, we see children hiding from their mother’s abusive partner, bullets narrowly missing them. That scene sets the emotional tone, and I was grateful I’d grabbed extra napkins at the concession stand.

Sure, the film gets a tad preachy—it’s centered around a Baptist Church community, after all; but hey, I counted it as my Sunday service! There are slower moments, intentionally giving viewers time to recover from their tears. And trust me, there will be tears—of both sadness and joy.

The adoption journey also impacts struggling families. The Bishop rallies the church to donate and help their community. It’s a true “village raising a kid” scenario. They don’t just support the children; they’re there for the adults, too.

By the end, you’ll still be wiping your eyes—but this time, it’s tears of joy. The East Texas community ends up adopting a whopping 77 children. As a proud native Texan, I left the theater wishing I could change lives like that. But hey, sometimes just making it through the day feels like a victory, right?

And the movie wraps up with a heartwarming glimpse of the community’s grown-up kids—still helping each other out.I highly recommend this movie but be warned, you will definitely need to have the Kleenex close by. I give this movie 3 out of 5 acorns.