AFA Staff
AFA Journal staff reviews movies, books and other resources
Above, Samaritan Purse med team in hazmat suits treats patient on bed in Facing Darkness.
March 2017 – Devastating real life drama
Joseph Gbembo opens Facing Darkness, a heart-rending film, reciting the names and ages of family members he lost during the devastating 2014 outbreak of Ebola in West Africa. Seventeen. Yes, seventeen members of the Gbenbo family met Ebola’s painful death, leaving young Joseph to care for the survivors.
The Ebola virus is named for the Ebola River in Zaire, site of a 1976 outbreak. But earlier outbreaks pale in comparison to the explosive 2014 Ebola crisis that erupted and took root in Monrovia, Liberia, a city of one million.
As the pandemic swept across West Africa, Samaritan’s Purse quickly responded with human and medical resources. SP president Franklin Graham and volunteers for the mission knew they were putting their lives at risk, but they were eager to go and serve in the name of Jesus.
The whole world watched as SP personnel, most notably Dr. Kent Brantly, fell victim to the deadly virus. Brantly’s life hung in the balance for days before he could be transported back to the U.S. for recovery.
Produced by Samaritan’s Purse, Facing Darkness is a gripping docudrama of perseverance, prayer, and miracles. It will debut March 30 in a one-night theater release. Learn more at facing
darknessmovie.com.
Randall Murphree
Teens and technology: help for parents
Christian parents needing to better understand and manage their teens’ use of technology will find no better resource than Screens and Teens by Dr. Kathy Koch. (See “Am I Smart?,” AFA Journal, 1/17.)
In Screens and Teens, Dr. Koch helps parents understand their teens’ affinity to the online world. She explains how technology can contribute to or detract from fulfilling their “core needs” of security, identity, belonging, purpose, and competence.
The 250-page book also includes suggestions on communicating with teens about their use of technology, as well as establishing helpful practices in the home. Emphasis is placed on cutting back on technology and prioritizing relationships.
Particularly insightful is Dr. Koch’s list of lies that come to teens through the use of technology in their lives.
Screens and Teens is widely available at online booksellers. For more information, visit drkathykoch.com.
Rusty Benson
