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Dear Healing Field Team,
I spoke with this gentleman Sunday when he came back to purchase a flag.
I told him I remembered him from Thursday at the opening ceremony. I had noticed him because he was alone and I had spoken to him briefly when I gave him a program. I wondered then who he was, but didn't ask.
He told me about his daughter being in the choir and that he was so moved by the field and the music that he had gone back to his office, researched the music on the internet and then sent off a mass e-mail to everybody at the State of Michigan offices where he works.
What he wrote is also very moving and powerful. I'm so glad that we reached someone, however accidently, that was so moved he was inclined to react like this.
BTW, his name is Fred Covert.
Kathi - Lansing Healing Field committee member
"Can you hear the prayer of the children?
On bended knee, in the shadow of an unknown room,"
My daughter's question was simple, "Dad, will you come listen to my choir sing today?" Short notice kid, that's my Ashleigh. They were only singing one song, for "some type of charity event" at a park in downtown Lansing. But I looked at my calendar and figured I could take an hour at lunch, drive down for the one song that her Lansing Community College choir would perform and get back to the office quickly. I looked up Ferris Park in the phone book map. Just a couple blocks west of the LCC campus. Ashleigh didn't know anything about the charity, so neither did I.
"Empty eyes with no more tears to cry,
Turning heavenward toward the light."
As I walked up Walnut Street toward the park, I was welcomed by hundreds and hundreds of full size American Flags, planted on long 8 foot tall poles in the soft green grass of the park. The park was filled with this beautiful display. Now I wondered what the charity event was? Today is a beautiful, sunny Michigan spring day with a light breeze that gently fluttered the flags. The rows were precisely set and demanded respect. Everyone approaching the bandstand at the west end of the park, clearly walked around the field of flags and not through them.
"Can you feel the hearts of the children?
Aching for home, for something of their very own,"
Child Abuse Prevention Services (CAPS) and the Exchange Club of Lansing sponsored this event, which is called the Healing Field. It's at Ferris Park, between Pine and Walnut streets. The flags represent the children killed last year by child abuse. 1,400 flags for 1,400 children killed in 2008. Wow. Then Dr. Stephen Guertin from Sparrow Hospital hushed an already humbled crowd by telling us that 90% of those children were less than 3 years old. And 90% of THOSE children were less than 1 year old...
"Reaching hands, with nothing to hold on to,
But hope for a better day, a better day."
If you get the chance, drive by this incredible display. It will be up through this Sunday. The flags can be purchased with a $30 donation. There is a tent at the west end of the display and members of the CAPS will be there all day today, Friday, Saturday and until Sunday afternoon when the flags will be removed.
I went to hear a song. I didn't plan to cry. I love to watch and listen to my daughter sing. I didn't plan to watch her cry as she sang. The choir closed the short 25 minute program. There wasn't a dry eye in the park when they were finished.
"Crying Jesus, help me,
To see the morning light-of one more day,
But if I should die before I wake,
I pray my soul to take."
The song is called Prayer of the Children by Kurt Bestor.
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