Memorial Garden Honors COVID-19 Victims

e must have heard the story hundreds of times during the painful months that COVID-19 raged over the world: the tragedy of the pandemic compounded because so many were not able to physically be with or say goodbye to their loved ones who passed away.

In response, the Shiloh Cares Community Outreach and Grief Ministry team of Shiloh SDA Church in Smyrna, Georgia established a memorial garden on the church grounds as a lasting tribute to those who lost family members.

God believes in memorials. The Bible includes several accounts of memorials that God set up because of specific times or situations. Glenn Wallace, a church elder, officiated the installation service and noted how God instructed Joshua to have one man from each of the tribes of Israel take a stone from the Jordan River. They set the stones up at Gilgal as a lasting memorial to remind future generations of the time when the Lord stopped the flowing of the Jordan. Likewise, the Shiloh Memorial Garden reminds the Smyrna community of the church’s care, concern and presence.

When future generations ask, “What is this? Who is it for? Why is it here?” We can tell them that there was a time when we couldn’t come together to see or touch or hold our loved ones. Some of the ones we loved who are gone now, left when we couldn’t talk with them. We couldn’t even come to funerals.

Whenever we pass and see the garden’s rose blossoms, we will remember that this is not the end of our collective journey. Because of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and the wonderful plan of salvation, we know the time is coming when we won’t need any more memorials because we’ll be with our loved ones upon Christ’s return.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:4, NKJV).

Nancy Howard, Smyrna, Georgia