If you’ve been encouraged by the inspirational story of Jaycee Dugard, who has miraculously overcome the trauma of being kidnapped and raped for 18 years and who has demonstrated the resilience of the human spirit, mark your calendar for a new independent film, scheduled for screening at Wilshire Baptist Church July 22 and 23. Heaven’s Rain tells the true-life story of Brooks Douglass and his family’s ordeal with murder, anger and forgiveness. Brooks wrote the screenplay for Heaven’s Rain and will be on hand at the church for the screenings.
Brooks and his sister, Leslie, were teenagers in 1979 when drug-crazed drifters invaded the family’s rural Oklahoma home, bound the family, repeatedly attacked Leslie and shot them all, leaving both parents dead and both children seriously injured. Brooks struggled for years with the emotional after-effects, including financial, marital and emotional troubles. Eventually he found his voice, dedicating his life to championing victims’ rights legislation and becoming Oklahoma’s youngest state senator.
In 1995, Brooks met face-to-face with the trigger man who killed his parents after his death sentence was commuted to life. When the man sought Brooks’ forgiveness and he granted it, Brooks found release from the prison of hatred and bitterness which had infected his life and relationships.
The inspiration for Brooks’ life-changing forgiveness is shown via flashbacks to happier times for the Douglass family. His Baptist missionary parents, toiling for others in Brazil, modeled the Christian virtues of forgiveness and self-sacrifice. When the family returned to Oklahoma, Brooks heard his father preach from the pulpit that God’s grace falls on us like a gentle rain from heaven.
Heaven’s Rain stars Mike Vogel (The Help, Cloverfield, Miami Medical) as Brooks and Taryn Manning (Hawaii Five-O) as Leslie. Brooks Douglass plays the role of his father, Richard, in his film debut. The film also features General Hospital’s Erin Chambers, Marilyn McIntyre, Megan Paul, Kelly Curran, Silas Weir Mitchell, Nicholas Braico and Taylor Pigeon.
Heaven’s Rain will be shown Friday, July 22 at 7 pm and Saturday, July 23 at 6 pm at Wilshire Baptist Church, 4316 Abrams Road near Mockingbird. Admission is $5 and tickets will be sold at the door.