OPINION:
One of the very best things we’ve ever come up with here at Focus on the Family has been “Adventures in Odyssey” – a radio drama for children.
There were a lot of skeptics in its early days back in the late 1980s. They didn’t believe in an age of television and movies that an “old-fashioned” radio adventure program could capture the hearts and minds of the young and old alike. But it quickly developed a loyal following. It became “appointment listening” before bedtimes or on family car trips.
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Whenever I travel, I regularly run into people of all ages who share how much the show means to them. I’ve even spoken with professionals in Washington, D.C., young congressional staffers in their 20s, who tell me how instrumental the program was for them as kids. Some will even pull me aside and admit they still listen!
I’m delighted to report the program is about to reach a significant milestone. This coming weekend here in Colorado Springs, the cast of “Adventures in Odyssey” will be in town to record the program’s 1,000th episode.
We’re calling the special gathering “One Grand Party,” and guests will be able to step into the town of Odyssey, enjoy a Raspberry Ripple at Whit’s End, stop by McAlister Park and meet and chat with some of their favorite “Odyssey” characters like John Avery Whittaker, Connie Kendall and Wooten Bassett. The highlight will be a live recording, a rare treat.
The special weekend is sold out, but you’ll be able to listen to the program later this year. Guests are also always welcome on our campus other times, where you can visit Whit’s End and enjoy lunch or ice cream with your children or grandchildren. Over 250,000 visitors stop by every year. It’s a wonderful destination on a vacation.
How many programs have reached one thousand episodes? Not many. In fact, the vast majority have been soap operas: “The Guiding Light,” “General Hospital” and “Days of Our Lives.” There have been familiar game shows: “The Price is Right,” “Jeopardy!” and “Wheel of Fortune.” But when it comes to animated television, “The Simpsons” has yet to hit 800 episodes.
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The town of Odyssey bears little resemblance to Homer’s Springfield or the sex-saturated drama of your typical soap opera. It’s not without its problems, of course, but the storylines and lessons serve to lift up and encourage rather than tear down and demoralize.
It would be impossible to overstate how important it is to monitor what kind of media our children consume on a regular basis. It was this concern that led us to launch the radio drama, but also what we originally called “Parental Guidance,” now called “Plugged In.”
In today’s world of Smartphones and YouTube, it can feel impossible to keep pace with what our children are watching. Our “Plugged In” website exists to help you and your children make informed media decisions.
You’re inevitably aware of Anne Frank, the German-born Jewish girl who died a tragic death in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp during World War II. The 15-year-old girl famously evaded her captors for two years while hiding in an attic back room. We know a bit about what a young Anne Frank was thinking as she was hiding from the Nazis. She loved the radio. Found in her diary is this entry:
“Our blessed radio. It gives us eyes and ears into the world. We listen to the German station only for good music. And we listen to the BBC for hope.”
It would be impossible to know how many children – and adults – have listened to “Adventures in Odyssey” for hope over the years, but we’ve heard from many of them. What’s the show’s draw?
“Adventures in Odyssey” entertains, educates, encourages – and helps kids deepen their faith in Christ. It’s helped make long car rides more bearable and even more enjoyable. It’s helped anxious kids get to sleep, placed good thoughts in their minds – and inspired them to take action, make friends and deepen their faith in Christ.
If you haven’t yet listened to this award-winning radio program, please count this as your invitation. In a world hungry for hope and encouragement, the “Adventures in Odyssey” gang stands ready to serve – hopefully and prayerfully, for another one thousand episodes to come.
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Jim Daly is president of Focus on the Family and host of its daily radio broadcast, heard by more than 6 million listeners a week on nearly 2,000 radio stations across the U.S. He also hosts the podcast ReFocus with Jim Daly.
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