The Live The Adventure Letter 
The production Under Drake’s Flag delves into the life and times of Sir Francis Drake.
Heirloom Audio Productions has a mission to bring real history to life without the sanitization of secularists who have removed God’s providence from the narratives. The mission of the Audio Adventures is to engage our listener’s imagination by taking them back in time and immersing them in the story. The production Under Drake’s Flag takes the listener through a two-part journey. The audio drama delves into the life and times of Sir Francis Drake. The team has adapted the story from the book of the same name by famed author G.A. Henty. When it comes to training and reinforcing worldviews, parents know that there isn’t much help from the classroom. This is why Heirloom Audio has invested in creating these faith-based historical adventures.
Under Drake’s Flag introduces families to two young boys, Ned and Gerald. Ned is the typical grade school boy. He does not relish that he has to spend time completing his history homework, the topic of which is Sir Francis Drake. Ned remarks, “History is nothing but dead men and dates.” To which his friend Gerald waxes a bit poetic, “History is the parade and pageantry of daring and decadence.” Families of faith will be encouraged that the Heirloom team understands the push and pull for children’s attention. As such, they have crafted these audio dramas to draw the listener into a world where faith is in action. Moreover, their Christian worldview is presented in life reinforcing narratives.
An elderly man introduces himself as Mr. George and tells the boys that he has a story project that he would like them to assist him with. Mr. George, voiced by acclaimed voice actor Brian Blessed, serves as the narrator for this historical drama. It’s a production that brings the listener into contact with the time-period, sounds, and characters of the topic. Ned and Gerald are thrust into history to experience life at sea. They do so with one of the most exciting naval captains of the 1500’s, Sir Francis Drake. This story brings the listener into contact with the Spanish Inquisition, British Imperialism, and the discovery of the Americas.
In the story, Drake calls upon a young Ned to join his crew. This is an assignment he has been waiting for all of his young life. Many people already know Ned as a brave young man. He’s the bravest that Gerald knows, but he lives with the fear that he will not live up to his father’s example. Also, he is afraid that he might fall short in his responsibility to Christ. Ned and Gerald are developing their Christian worldview and how to apply their faith throughout the adventure. They accomplish these things when they face life-altering situations, as well as when they encounter positive examples from characters like Sir Francis Drake. Drake is a principled man in a time of war.
Furthermore, his distaste for the tactics of the Spanish Armada comes from his own core values. He highly esteems the treatment of all men with the respect called for by Jesus. This holds true regardless of their position or status, and he even employs this standard with his enemies. Captain Drake holds a high standard for his men as well. These principles enable him to live his Christian worldview even though his opponents label him as a pirate.
The boys face a challenge when they attempt to show respect for a superior that treats them unfairly, Master Giles Thompson. However, Ned and Gerald observe Sir Francis showing kindness to his enemies. This happens both in how he treats the enemies that they capture as well how he deals with a young Spanish girl whom Ned jumps into shark-infested waters to save. The girl is at first afraid of Drake and warns him not to harm her.
Notwithstanding, she learns that the Captain is a principled man and she gives Ned a necklace in gratitude. This object is something that will come in handy in their later adventures. Captain Drake remarks that Ned is a brave young man. He states that he is even braver than many of his own sailors and that he is proud of the man he is becoming. Ned also saves Gerald, to which Gerald remarks that he owes Ned his life. Ned then replies, “We both owe our lives to Christ.”
As boys, the two friends are learning how to grow into men by the experiences they face. The worldview they have been taught and the values they are seeing reinforced are continually shaping their lives. Ned and Gerald see that enemies often outnumber and outgun Sir Francis Drake. This is literally the case, as many of their hand-to-hand combat excursions have the English fighting with bows and arrows against Spanish rifles.
When the young men ask Drake’s brother John how they are able to win, he remarks that some believe it is a curse upon the Spanish for their ill-treatment of their enemies and slaves. He further explains that it could be the reputation of Drake creating fear or that it is the favor of God. Captain Drake clearly gives credit to God after each encounter and reminds his men of their duty. They have such high regard for their captain throughout the narrative. It’s even to the point that they turn their backs on countless treasures to assist him back to the ship when he is wounded.
In the first part of this two-hour long adventure, the boys grow into young men. Moreover, they develop their worldview as the climactic events in the story try their faith. The story progresses from battles on sea and land during the Spanish Inquisition to an exploration of the America’s which unfolds in part two. Bill Heid and his Heirloom Audio Production team have extensively researched their topics during the creation of this project. In addition, they have walked in the places where history was experienced by true Christian heroes. They have done this in order to capture the whole essence of these stories. Families can interact with the Heirloom Audio Productions team through their Facebook account. They can also explore their five star rated library of Christian Worldview enforcing dramas which families have found entertaining as well as inspiring.
You may also consider reading another Live The Adventure Letter article: Sir Francis Drake: America’s Forgotten Founder
What are your thoughts on using Sir Francis Drake and the Under Drake’s Flag audio drama for worldview training? Let us know in the comments below.
