When Carma received a phone call last year from Focus on the Family Canada, telling her family had won an all-inclusive trip to Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs, CO, she initially thought she was being scammed. “We were quite shocked to have won anything,” she recalls, “but of course, once we realized it was true, we were very excited!”

In celebration of the 1,000th episode of Adventures in Odyssey, Focus on the Family in the U.S. celebrated with the One Grand Party at their headquarters. At Focus on the Family Canada, we joined in the fun by sending one special family to be part of the multi-day event. From watching how an episode gets made, to meeting the voice actors, to watching the live recording of the 1,000th episode, it was a jam-packed event.

Carma and Richard’s family were one of nearly 6,000 contest entrants and were flown down to join in the festivities.

“Our kids are huge fans of Adventures in Odyssey,” Carma explains. “Even as teenagers, they still listen.”

When asked, her kids said they especially enjoyed going into what’s called the “Foley Room,” which is where all the sound effects are created for the show. They also got to meet Katie Leigh, who voices the beloved character of Connie Kendall. But the main highlight was watching the live episode get recorded.

“The live session was fantastic,” Richard explains. “It brought a level of personality to it that you don't get just by listening.”

Both Carma and Richard have known about Focus on the Family since they were children themselves, but their own kids are the ones who really got into Adventures in Odyssey. And they recognize the blessing this program has had on their faith journeys.

“It's just been like a lifeline in some ways,” Carma explains. “Our youngest who is 12 still listens to Odyssey every night, but our oldest who is 18 and the next is 16 – they still listen from time to time too. Although five years ago, all of them were listening consistently before bed – sometimes we had to put a stop to how many were happening!! But when they’d have friends stay overnight, they would be searching for the right one to have their friends listen to. And the Bible stories coming to life and just good Christian values through the stories – it's been really important for our family.”

As with most Christian parents, Carma and Richard hope their children come to a personal faith in God, and they’re thankful for Focus on the Family Canada’s resources that help them instill biblical values.

“I know when we look on your bookstore, we can trust to give these resources to our kids and that it definitely aids them in their walks with the Lord,” Carma adds.

Thanks to our generous donors, Focus on the Family Canada can help Canadian families find trusted, biblically based resources like Adventures in Odyssey.