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Garden For Lost Children
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No family is ever prepared for such immeasurable grief-the loss of a child. Members of one Tennessee United Methodist church wanted to help grieving members of their congregation, so volunteers created a special garden to honor the late children. Nestled among stone walls, plants and trees, the memorial garden has become a spiritual oasis-a place of remembrance for family and friends. |
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SCRIPT:
With a mixture of pride and regret, Leon Jones shows off his latest creation.
Leon Jones: “These crosses, that idea came to me one night about 3 AM.”
Pride at what was accomplished.
Leon Jones: “It worked out beautifully.”
Regret at what it is for.
Leon Jones: “The contribution that children made was mostly forgotten, and this is a way of honoring their memory.”
15 stones bear the names of children now deceased – their legacy etched into the history of First United Methodist, Franklin, TN.
Mamie Jeter: “It’s just a beautiful place, because Katie came to church every Sunday. So it’s nice to come and have that special presence of her still here.”
Jones and volunteers spent months transforming unused church property into a healing garden – a place to remember and grieve.
Sarah McGinley: “It’s hard. I start thinking about how painful that was.”
Sarah McGinley, who gave her premature twins’ bodies to science, feels as if this is their final resting place.
Sarah McGinley: “So when this came up it really was, ‘Thank you, Lord’ that we’ll have a chance to have a spot for them.”
Leon Jones: “These are stories that we would have never known about had this not been here.”
It’s a place full of symbols. Stone walls abruptly end, representing the unfinished lives of the children.
Mamie Jeter: “She had 19 years. We weren’t ready for that to be over. But she seemed to be prepared.”
With flowers, rocks and trees, this church family has turned grief into a living tribute.
Sarah McGinley: “That they’re remembered, not only by God, but by us here.”
TAG:
The Children’s Memorial Garden is a work in progress. Children from the church are busy making stepping stones and birdhouses to add to the garden.