Possum Trot is a gritty, grace-filled story of Christian love

MPAA Rating: PG-13
Reel Rating: 4 out of 5 reels

Rev. Martin (Demetrius Grosse) is a good man. He is the pastor of a local Baptist church in a place so small it is technically not a city but the unincorporated township of Possum Trot, in east Texas. My high school classroom can hold more people than his church building. Nonetheless, he etches out a good life for his wife and two children, including one child with a mental disability.

By the measure of the world, he has succeeded in virtue, but his wife Donna feels they are being called for much, much more. What happens over the course of the next few years is a beautiful testament to what can take place if you let the grace of God come into your life. You can be more than just a “good man”; you can be a saint and improve the lives of hundreds.

The Martin family seems to have and live the perfect American dream, but with an understandable amount of suffering. They occasionally fight (being a pastor’s wife is never easy), but they genuinely love each other. They have a son with serious brain damage but also a supportive community.

Yet their lives are upended when Donna (Nika King) attends a presentation about the sorry state of the foster and adoption system. She insists, despite her husband’s hesitation, that God is calling them to adopt a needy child. Through trials and trust, the Martins not only adopt several children, but inspire others to do the same. By the end of the decade, this tiny church has adopted or fostered over seventy children.

Discernment of the Lord’s will is often tricky, especially in the context of a marriage. Not only are there two people involved, but they are easily distracted by money, careers, household duties, geography, and a thousand other minutiae of daily life. Yet the Martins do a good job navigating this route. When Donna hears about these children, her heart is moved. She doesn’t force the idea on her husband, but lets him reflect and pray on it. They then “test the spirit” by investigating the process and talking with Susan (Elizabeth Mitchell), the social worker.

Once they are convinced this is indeed what God is asking of them, they move forward with conviction even when things go awry. They don’t rush in, but they are also willing to see it through once committed. This is the same with any major decision, like a career or marriage. We can trust that if we are discerning in union with the Lord that he will “work for the good” in any situation. God rarely speaks in deliberate, audible voices, but often speaks through events and people.

This doesn’t mean the road will always be easy; in fact, the Martins become convinced that, like St. Teresa of Calcutta, they want “the worst of the worst” who no one else wants. Enter Terri (Diaana Babnicova), a fifteen-year-old girl who has gone through and endured horrible abuse. For starters, she initially identifies as a cat, eschewing her wretched humanoid origins. Yet when the Reverend offers her raw liver and sleeping outside, she quickly acquiesces. Her violent tendencies and sexual promiscuity are much harder to quell. She deliberately assaults the other Martin children, prostitutes herself in the high school bathroom, and eventually runs away.

The Martins aren’t willing to compromise their safety, but they also don’t give up on her. In the film’s final moments, Terri realizes that the Martins aren’t being fake but will indeed fight for her no matter what; she breaks down and cries an ocean of tears, pent up from years of unspoken heartbreak. Of course, her mother and father are there with a hug and loving word.

Possum Trot isn’t naïve about the challenges associated with adoption nor ignorant of its risks. There are financial and safety considerations, as well as the emotional experiences of the biological siblings. At the same time, Christians cannot turn a blind eye to those in need. Historically, the Church has always been a haven for unwanted children, especially monasteries and orphanages. Before CPS, it was countless unrecognized religious and lay people who looked after these “little ones,” and our responsibility is not negated just because the state has entered the picture.

This is not just theoretical. My own parents adopted my sister, who had unique physical needs, from a South Korean orphanage. It was a challenge, but she now is a thriving wife and sister who brings joy to everyone around her. If you, dear reader, feel even the slightest inclination or vocation to this, please pursue it.

The film ends with a barbeque attended by the real Martin family and the dozens of adoptees from the town. Many have grown up, had successful careers, and made families of their own. They smile, laugh, cry, and embrace. It’s not an accident that Jesus described heaven as a banquet. This is what it looks like.

Possum Trot isn’t without its cinematic flaws, but it has a heart made of pure gold. Living the Christian vocation is never easy, but brings a joy and peace that the world cannot provide.