When popular surfer Ryan Jennings was a young teenager, his parents divorced, leaving him confused and full of questions about his life. One of his mentors, also a surfer, took him on an amazing trip to some of the most challenging surf spots and taught him valuable lessons, not only about the sport, but about himself. As an adult, Ryan wanted to pay it forward and do the same for two young surfers.
He found the two boys he wanted to take by watching their performance on the water. Tyler was a fourteen-year-old with a shock of yellow curls. His parents had divorced and his little sister had been diagnosed with brain cancer. He turned to the waves for comfort. Luke was a twelve-year-old homeschooled student who had also been surfing from a very young age. Ryan saw in both these boys the spirit and determination it takes to become world-class surfers.
He obtained permission from the boys’ parents, and they set off on the adventure of a lifetime. They traveled to Peru, Australia, South Africa, and France, not only hitting the waves in each place, but learning about the culture and some of the struggles faced by the people in each nation. The boys immersed themselves not only in water, but in communicating with the people.
As the boys went from place to place, they were joined by some of surfing’s biggest stars, who not only spent time with them on the water, but spoke to them about core values that would help them in their lives. Most surprising to me, they also expressed their firm belief in Jesus Christ, and bore their testimonies of His power to save. That was really refreshing, to see these big, strong athletes give credit to Christ for their success.
“Walking on Water” is a great documentary for any family who is interested in surfing, who wants to see unique footage of areas in the world that are less well-known, or who wants to see positive people living their lives in a value-driven way. Homeschool students will be especially interested to watch Luke on his adventures, knowing they have so much in common with him.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this DVD for review purposes. This did not alter my opinion of the film.
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