Unlike the exploitative and atrocious bloody Hollywood "Blood Diamond" movie story starring Leonardo DiCaprio, my screenplay - DIAMOND OF HOPE - adapted from my memoir book, a prequel & prelude to the "Blood Diamond" movie story and rebel war; DIAMOND OF HOPE will inspire and unify worldwide audience, see great value of interracial friendship, uplift the human spirit, perseverance against great many odds, and will restore faith and dignity and decency in humanity.

SYNOPSIS:

Concept and Synopsis for screenplay - DIAMOND OF HOPE - by Shawn Justice based on true story and novel by Francis Mandewah

Concept:

An abused African boy from the region made famous by the Hollywood film “BLOOD DIAMOND” dreams of a better future but sees no way out of his circumstances. After praying for deliverance from his ‘terrible’ circumstances, he experiences a ‘genuine miracle’ – an encounter with an American diamond transport pilot who will change the course of his life, bringing him opportunities and blessings that affirm his faith in a God of miracles. He continues to experience more divine appointments in harrowing circumstances.

Synopsis:

A chief and pastor acknowledge 14-year old Francis Mandewah in Sierra Leone as a wise, responsible, brave young man, as he is sent to another region to school. However, in his new home with extended family and in his school, Francis encounters harsh abuse. But Francis also divinely encounters Tom Johnson, a young Christian American pilot, who encourages Francis and enables him to continue his schooling. As a good student, despite bullying, Francis constantly seeks God’s help and believes God is smiling on him. After graduation, Francis sees God open doors for him to see other countries and to work there. While staying with Tom’s family in their African home, Francis becomes interested in traveling through the Sahara Desert to get a job in Italy.

When Francis almost dies on the trip across the Sahara, a couple of strangers take him into their home where he recovers. After he comes back from death’s door on the Sahara, he continues to encounter challenges but learns that God will always see him through. When he gets to Algeria he finds that his traveler’s cheques were disintegrated; but as Francis seeks God’s help as always, the checks are honored.

He takes a cruise ship to Italy, where Tom catches up with Francis, who tells him that he would like to continue his schooling in America. Francis works in Italy but his visa runs out before he can get to the U.S. Miraculously, however, Francis is able to get an exception. Tom reminds Francis that he needs to trust God and gives him a check for his tuition in the U.S. Francis chooses to trust God, while forgiving those who have hurt him in the past.

Tom attends Francis’ graduation in the US. Francis and Tom tell their story to a reporter. Francis starts his first job as a probation officer and learns that Tom has died. Francis goes back to Africa to visit his home, where he shares how God has helped him and where he expresses forgiveness for those who hurt him there as a child. He returns to the US to visit the Johnson home, where Tom’s mother speaks of God’s loving divine interventions in our lives. Francis learns that Tom came from a great missionary family.

Back to his job again, Francis encounters prejudice and mistreatment, when he makes a naïve mistake. Again, Francis must trust God and again, God smiles on Francis because his case in court is dismissed. Francis sees in the US one of the teaching Catholic nuns he had in Sierra Leone. He tells her that God is still smiling on him and that he has new job with the Illinois Department of Corrections as an Educational Counselor. The sister says, “You’ve grown into a fine man, Francis. If there are blood diamonds, then there are diamonds of hope too. You are one of them. Keep shining, Francis. Show the world God’s faithfulness, his grace, and his love. That will make Tom proud, and us proud too.”