SHARE Atlanta's Angel arrives in Atlanta on August 28, 2001 - the story!
Thanks to all who participated in today's "angel delivery."
The Christmas Box/Angel of Hope arrives early
Ted, a long time friend of RPE, Lisa May's husband, and the official “angel delivery man” showed up a day early at the angel’s new home at Arlington Cemetery. As he was looking over the garden’s progress , Joe and Polly (SHARE parents and the landscapers and designers of the angel's garden home) returned from lunch and were surprised to see Ted! After discussion about placing the angel in the garden, Ted parked the trailer in their backyard to await today’s “angel sighting” with parents and children from SHARE’s committee.
Official Gathering and Opening ~ of the angel’s traveling home
About ten adults and eight children arrived today at 10 a.m. to greet the angel in Joe and Polly’s backyard. We all gathered around the back of the trailer as Joe and Ted edged the big crate out of the side. Then Ted used his power drill to loosen the nails to remove one side of the crate. The children crawled into the box with the angel as they gently felt the wonderful texture of the bronze. We were all instantly touched by how the children loved the angel. The angel looked like a child ready to come out for a visit.
The children’s touch ~ surrounded by “hope”
Then Ted and Joe gently removed the angel from the crate to the driveway. The angel stood about as tall as some of the four years olds in the group. They stroked the angel’s face and held the outreached hands. Several of us exclaimed how great it was to see our angel in person!!
Ted and Joe carried the angel over to a grassy spot in front of the rose garden so pictures could be made, and we could all explore the angel a little closer. Joseph, age four, took off his shoes and expressed how his foot was the same size as the angels! Ted then told us something none of us had realized—the word “hope” is in more than one place on the angel. It is in various kinds of script all over the gently draped gown and at the base. We began looking for these little bursts of “hope.”
The Angel of Hope’s traveling delivery trailer
We gathered around the trailer that has “The Christmas Box Angel” inscribed on it along with a silhouette of the angel. All around the top of the trailer are the 23 other “homes” that the Angel of Hope has been placed. Ours will be the 24th name to be inscribed at the top. We had our picture made with Ted by the trailer.
Saying goodbye and waiting until October 21 ~ angel to be there forever...
After sharing many thoughts and taking more pictures, Ted and Joe recrated the angel to await a date later in October to be placed in the garden. Ted waved his goodbyes as he headed back to Utah.
My memories will be strong of the children lingering by the angel’s side. Jenna, age four, kept holding the outreached hand. She seemed entranced by the presence of this special angel—as were we all. The Angel of Hope will soon be there for all to touch and discover—forever more. Marcia McGinnis
The Story of SA's Angel Garden & Memorial Bricks
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