“The Blind Side’s” Michael Oher in Town

by Ellis Eskew

It was played out on the big screen by Hollywood actors. 

“After a couple of seasons went by, I was getting letters from people across the world,” said Michael Oher.

But Oher’s life was anything but glamorous as a child growing up on the streets of Memphis,
which is a harsh reality for 500 thousand children in foster care in the U.S.
Agape of Central Alabama is trying to change that.

“What you don’t get in the movie is that there were lots of folks in the community, coaches, teachers, social workers, tutors, and the Tuohys. So the event tonight is to try to engage them in a discussion about what we can do to help all our kids,” said Exec. Director Jimmy Dobbs.

Tuesday night Oher came to Montogmery to help tell his story and maybe some things the movie didn’t necessarily include, like the fact he decided on his own at the age of 12 to stay away from drugs, violence, and go to school everyday.
He says he wants kids to know they can beat the odds, as he tells in his book, it takes a decision to make it, along with a loving community to help make a difference.

The Greers are one family that is trying to do just that.

“We, especially our kids, have learned to love people that aren’t exactly like them. When you do foster care , you bring kids in your family that aren’t exactly like you. And it’s been great. It’s been great for us, not just us, but our kids too,” said adoptive parent Ben Greer.

“And it’s given us an avenue to minister to their family,” said Greer’s wife, Abbie.

 
All in hopes that each family and child will one day have a success story of their own to tell. 

Agape of Central Alabama is a non-profit organization that helps places children in nurturing foster and adoptive homes.