Bethany decides to surprise Sarah by joining the youth group on another mission trip to help the people of Phuket , Thailand who were devastated by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami . Despite her recent tragedy , she joins her youth group to help the Thai children get over their fear of the ocean . They are understandably afraid of the water , including a little boy . She decides to go into it with a surfboard , hoping this will coax him into it . It works , and the realization that she can use her gift to inspire people motivates her to take up surfing again
2004 Indian Ocean tsunami
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami
Soul Surfer (film)