Reflection in the Garden of Angles

 

In the centre of Tao Fong Shan Cemetery lies the Garden of Angels, which is reserved for the burial of foetus (less than 24 weeks) from miscarriage with tender love and ample respect.

 

The garden is overlooked by the grave of the founder of Tao Fong Shan, Dr. Karl Ludvig Reichelt.

 

There are 12 trees in the graveyard.  It reminds me of the tree of life in the Holy Bible. As far as the type of trees is concerned, the 12 trees are olive trees which is one of the most prominent and notable trees amid biblical scriptures.

 

 

 

From a biblical point of view, olive trees stand as an emblem of prosperity, beauty, life and religious privilege, as mentioned in Psalms 52:8, it symbolises the blissful after-life of babies who died of miscarriage with God.

 

Added to the above, the Mount of Olives is the holy place where Jesus met his disciples and was betrayed. Jesus encountered many hardships on the Mount of Olives before his crucifixion and it represents parents’ hardships.

 

I sincerely hoped that these trees can prosper and re-illuminate the lives of the melancholic parents whose loving children deceased due to miscarriage.

 

Eligible parents can apply for this burial service. They can direct the sculptor to crave the name of their babies on a stone if any or words with pictures they ponder to tell their babies.

 

 

The carefully and whole-heartedly craved stone will then be placed aside one of the 12 trees. A maximum of 12 stones could be placed around the olive tree whereby the foetus of babies will be placed inside a customised bamboo container of your choice.

 

Contemplating that the demand for burial grounds for foetus of babies surged in Hong Kong and there are recently no burial grounds in Hong Kong available for such burials, Garden of Angels is constructed and designed as a place for parents who undergo miscarriage to bury not only the foetus of their babies, but also their grief and sorrows in so that they could restart their life.

 

“I believe that every baby, irrespective of birth, should be subjected to burial the way humans are subjected to and parents should be entitled to the right of giving their baby a proper burial.”

 

These are the words that came to my mind when I walked into the Garden of Angles and learned about its stories.

 

Words to parents who have unfortunately undergone miscarriage

 

“The death of loved ones often takes its toll on those left behind, and at times it can feel like grief is never ending. Nevertheless, there is eternal life in God, there will soon be reunion between you and your child.”

 

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.

 

Written by Collini Lam Hoi Ying (A local secondary student )

For the 91st Anniversary of Tao Fong Shan Christian Centre on Nov. 2021.