This is an inspiring and remarkable story. I found myself cheering for the two main characters, Jenna and Chu Lee. Jenna (Melyssa Ade) leaves America to teach at a boy’s school in China. Her Christian faith sustains her when she finds herself in a place in which she cannot openly practice her Christianity. She meets the leader of an orphanage, Mei Ming (Mung-Ling Tsui) and learns they have some things in common, including having been adopted. When Jenna meets eight-year-old Chu Lee and learns she was abandoned as a child (her mother let her go to save her life because she was a girl) Jenna falls for the child. She tells Chu Lee she lives in America and her home is “beyond the sun”. She considers adopting her herself but realizes she isn’t old enough to financially handle the responsibility. She solicits the help of her godfather, Pastor Dan, who finds an interested family.
Chu Lee loves Jenna and is excited about the prospects of being adopted. The paperwork is started but when Mei Ming is arrested by police who discover her Christian faith, she is replaced by Ehr Neung (Dana Ishuria) who is a hardened no-nonsense woman who bribes Jenna for money in order to allow Chu Lee’s adoption to continue. Things go from bad to worse but Jenna prays and does not lose heart. The ending includes a bit of a surprise which is inspiring and not to be missed. Although not graphic the film has enough comments on violence and a brief shooting scene so we recommend it for ages twelve plus. This is a good story which many families will enjoy. It is based on a true story. We gladly award our Dove “Family-Approved” Seal to this film. It is a story of hope.
