New Christian radio drama trains caregivers to help abused children

“You can’t stay here … he’ll be back any minute.”

“He’ll kill you, he’ll kill us both!”

“I’m not going to let this keep happening. Hurry, hurry! He’s coming!”

The excerpt, presented in rich, British-African accents, is from Holding Esther, an audio drama written to help train caregivers of children traumatized by physical or sexual abuse. It’s the debut project of Rivercross, Inc., which announced last week it is coming under the umbrella of TransWorld Radio to broadcast the program internationally.

“I went after this subject matter because … I wanted to go after the worst,” said Susan Vonolszewski,president of Rivercross and Holding Esther’s executive producer.

The drama tells the story of two orphaned sisters,12-year-old Esther and 10-year-old Sarah, who face betrayal and sexual abuse in their own family. They escape, only to find themselves suffering more hardship on the streets. Eventually, the girls find a safe house where caregivers help them on the road to emotional and spiritual healing.

The story models proven methods of care that national workers in Africa and elsewhere can imitate to help open children’s hearts to the gospel.

Vonolszewski said she has a heart for missions but never went into the field. Sexual abuse is the biggest deterrent to the gospel for children who have been affected by it, in part because children abused by an adult often won’t trust any adult.

Moreover, “once somebody’s self-image is spoiled,” explains Pastor Johnny of the Good Samaritan Center in Uganda in a video on RiverCross’s website, “it is very hard for that child to understand God, because when you tell them Jesus cares, they say, but where was he when I was undergoing all this?”

Vonolszewski pulled together a team of experts in trauma care, child development, human trafficking, and other areas to consult on the project. She chose radio drama because studies suggest that, in an oral culture, stories can spur more change than pamphlets or other written materials.

Kathy Buchanan from Focus on the Family’s Adventures in Odyssey developed the script and Cathy Sara, who played Mrs. Drake on Downton Abbey, is the featured actress. Director Todd Busteed has worked on other faith-themed projects, including Amazing Grace, Narnia, and Left Behind. John Campbell, a composer for The Walt Disney Co., wrote the original music score.

When she started the project, Vonolszewski didn’t realize caregivers often struggle with loving the children they deal with daily. Some have unresolved abuse or trauma in their own backgrounds, and most have little formal education or training. That makes it difficult for foreign directors of orphanages or organizations to communicate effectively with them. Vonolszewski heard of one orphanage in which workers knew girls were being systematically raped in the bathroom but never told the director because the subject was taboo.

Holding Esther can help bring these issues into the open and, more importantly, help national workers view caregiving as something more than a job, Vonolszewski said. One early showing got a very positive response from workers because they “considered the caregiver the hero,” Vonolszewski said. “I didn’t think we were going to accomplish that in three episodes. But that’s what we ended up accomplishing; the caregivers realized they needed to love the children.”

To reach a wider audience, Rivercross joined forces with TransWorld Radio (TWR), the most far-reaching Christian broadcasting network in the world. It reaches 160 countries in more than 230 languages. TWR has already translated the production into several different languages, including African-French, Swahili, Spanish, and Ugandan.

Listeners can access the first three episodes of Holding Esther online and over satellite phones. Writing and production for the remaining episodes are in the works but waiting for more funding. Although the program can’t make abused children whole, Vonolszewski hopes it will help point them and their caregivers to the One who can.

“How do you bring lasting healing?” Vonolszewski asked. “You can’t. Nothing but the blood of Christ can.”