“Possum Trot” Sends a Message of Adoption to the World

(KGET) — The Rev. W. C. Martin’s ministry in the small East Texas community of Possum Trot has changed the lives of everyone in his congregation. The story of how he and his wife, First Lady Donna Martin, rallied area families to adopt 77 children is the basis of the new feature film “Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot.”

The work there served as a springboard for congregations across the country to adopt children, especially those who were considered too sick to be helped. One of the reasons Rev. Martin agreed to make the film was so he could preach beyond the choir.

“It’s one thing to speak to a small audience, but it’s great to be able to speak to the whole country because you can only go as far as the region allows you to go,” says Rev. Martin. “It’s going to be in many regions and many places.”

“And it’s going to have consequences everywhere it goes. People will see a change in attitude and mindset throughout this adoption process. They’ll know that this is something that we missed and should have been doing all along.”

The film, set to open nationwide on July 4, follows Donna (Nika King) and Reverend Martin (Demetrius Grosse) as they convince members of their small rural church to take in foster children no one else would. By doing the impossible, they prove that with true love and determination, the battle to provide a good life for children can be won.

There are currently over 100,000 children in foster care in the United States who need a family. Writer and producer Rebekah Weigel describes the film as the story of a courageous small church fighting for exploited and abused children.

First Lady Donna Martin points out that this problem is solvable given that there are a specific number of children in the foster system. She adds that the solution is simply to open our hearts because “love can fix anything.”

She speaks from experience, as she and Pastor Martin have been married for more than 30 years. They have six children – four adopted – and five grandchildren.

The film follows on from the work Angel Studios began last year with the release of “Sound of Freedom,” a study of child trafficking. Jared Geesey, Angel Studios’ distribution director, describes “Sound of Hope” as highlighting a solution to the adoption problem.

“With hundreds of thousands of local churches and civic organizations across America, there are more than enough resources to ensure every child has a safe, loving home,” Geesey said.

Another reason Rev. Martin is so excited to see the film come out is that it’s an opportunity to take the story beyond the confines of a church wall.

“It’s going to resonate because we all have a common denominator, whether we’re religious or not, and that’s that we love children,” says Rev. Martin. “That’s what’s going to move hearts and minds. People are going to understand the value of adoption.”

Rev. Martin became a tireless worker in adoption, but he was hesitant at first. It was his wife who felt the need to welcome more children into their home.

Grosse was tasked with transforming from skeptic to advocate while playing the man who was both a loving father and a wise minister. He approached the role with a deep reverence, a departure from his previous roles, from “Justified” to “The Rookie.”

He found playing Reverend Martin to be different from any other acting role he had ever had.

“It’s the kind of film that stays with you,” Grosse says. “You watch it and you’re transformed. It holds up a mirror to us and asks what we can do to address this foster care crisis.”

Given that the work within the Possum Trot community was led by both Martins, King knew she also had a huge responsibility to ensure she played that role as accurately as possible.

The work began with the search for the essence of First Lady Donna Martin.

“Not to mention being a mother, a wife, a woman of God,” King said. “Who is this woman deep down? How does she show herself to others?”

“In the film, you see her go through a lot of different stages. The key moment with her mother. How she interacts with her family. How she interacts with her church. Overall, her essence is that she is a strong woman.”

King considers his work on “The Sound of Hope” to be the most satisfying of his career.