Sound of Hope Bishop Shares Foster Care Journey with Ben Shapiro

In a heartfelt "Sunday Special" interview, Daily Wire Editor Emeritus Ben Shapiro spoke with Bishop W.C. Martin, the pastor behind a remarkable adoption movement in Possum Trot, Texas. Martin and his wife, Donna, led 22 families from their Bennett Chapel congregation to adopt 77 children from the local foster care system, a story now featured in the upcoming film Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot.

DailyWire+ is partnering with Angel Studios, known for producing The Chosen, to bring this inspiring tale to theaters on July 4th.

Opening their discussion, Shapiro asked Martin about the challenges of integrating foster children, who often require special attention, into his already busy household. Martin shared his own family's struggles, emphasizing the significant commitment involved.

"You don’t get these Gerber babies," Martin noted. "If you were in the system, they got some problems. They got some trauma."

Martin recalled the difficulties his family faced, including an incident where one of his adopted sons set the bathroom on fire and his adopted daughter's initial habit of stealing due to past hunger. Despite these challenges, Martin and his wife were determined to provide a stable and loving home for the children.

• Challenges Faced: Martin's biological son was born with severe brain damage, adding to the family's existing responsibilities. He recounted having to be "a policeman" in his own home to manage the behaviors of the newly adopted children.

• Overcoming Trauma: One of his adopted daughters had developed a habit of stealing food, a behavior stemming from her need to care for her younger brother while they were in the foster system. Martin's compassionate approach involved showing her that their home had plenty of food, helping her feel secure and cared for.

Martin's dedication to these children was driven by his faith and a deep sense of compassion. He described the profound impact of witnessing the trauma and neglect the children had experienced, emphasizing the transformative power of love and care.

"For me to see life and the beauty of life and to look at what I have witnessed in the eyes and the mind, and how the abuse and neglect and the turmoil that have happened," Martin said, "if anybody has any love of God in their heart at all, this will definitely do something to you inwardly."

Martin believes that adopting foster children is a way to emulate the life of Christ, encouraging others to look beyond their own circumstances to make a positive difference in the world.

"But you know sometimes I think we’ve got to look beyond ourselves, look beyond where we are and to reach out into this world," Martin reflected. "More or less like what Jesus did for us, the suffering that he went through for us that we may have a better life and a greater life."

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