By Jayna Richardson
“The film is amazing and taught me the importance of preparing myself in the Word to direct my children to the path of God.” This is one testimony from a viewer who participated in the national premiere of Like Arrows in Portugal—a movie about the power of family and the hope of redemption. Hundreds of Portuguese people participated in live and virtual events to watch this powerful film and learn next steps for nurturing spiritual growth in their own families.
The FamilyLife team in Portugal organized the premiere to coincide with National Family Day on May 15. It took many hours of work and a large team of volunteers to help with translation, subtitling, promotion, test groups, and the organizing of various live and virtual events on the big day. The team also translated FamilyLife’s Art of Parenting® small-group course to be used as a follow-up to the film.
Initial feedback was incredibly positive. The team estimates that at least 2,000 people watched the film around the time of the launch, and more have continued to watch since then. Viewers tuned in from Portugal, Brazil, Angola, UK, Ireland, Switzerland, US, Colombia, France, and Australia.
A single mom named Karina saw a trailer for the movie on TV, so she signed up to watch the premiere. She identified with the mother from the film, doing her best, but in need of direction. She reached out to the FamilyLife team, and they invited her to join a moms group where she could meet Christian women and hear their struggles and victories. She described the movie as bringing up “a huge mix of emotions,” and said that the spiritual journey of the family in the movie was “a path I want to take.”
The FamilyLife team is also supporting individuals and churches that want to start an Art of Parenting group following the movie. Some churches have already launched groups. One attendee described it as “an impactful course, which made us wake up to the art of being parents in such challenging times.” Another said, “This course is an investment in your family and your children’s future!”
“We really want to serve Portuguese-speaking families with this tool,” said Junia Barbosa, FamilyLife leader in Portugal. “We believe that this challenge of educating our children is increasingly difficult in a society that does not value the family and that relativizes everything, even the essentials. As parents we need direction and support in the legacy we want to leave for our children, and this is not a task that can be done alone.”
God is at work in Portuguese families around the world, showing them His plan and providing hope and redemption through the message of the gospel. The FamilyLife Portugal team is thankful to be part of it.