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Joshua's Garden remembers babies lost before birth
Tiadaghton Bailey sits in Joshua’s Garden beside one of the rocks that was painted in memory of his brother Joshua. Shelley Bailey lost Joshua during her sixth month of pregnancy and created the garden as a place for those who experienced loss during pregnancy to mourn.
MANSFIELD — When Shelley Bailey lost her son, Joshua, in her sixth month of pregnancy, it was one of the worst times of her life.
Heather Mitchell holds one of the rocks that was hidden in the stone wall that was placed in memory of a loss during pregnancy.
Kristie Bowles
“I had a terrible miscarriage. At first I thought it was indigestion, because it was the day after Thanksgiving. It turned out to be one of the worst holidays I’ve experienced. I didn’t get to hold him, I didn’t get to look at him. I was put in the maternity ward to heal, where I could hear babies crying all around,” said Bailey.
Bailey’s experience made her realize that women who undergo loss during pregnancy have no time to grieve or heal from that loss.
John and Juanita Berguson, owners of Kingdom Inc., cut the ribbon to open Joshua’s Garden to the public. The Bergusons donated the plot of land for the garden.
Kristie Bowles
“People say things to women in that situation like you could always have another, you could always try again. These babies are never forgotten. These babies need to be remembered,” said Bailey.
Through the creation of Joshua’s Garden, Bailey is hoping that women who have lost a child will have a quiet place to come to grieve, to remember and to validate their loss.
John and Juanita Berguson, owners of Kingdom Inc., cut the ribbon to open Joshua’s Garden to the public. The Bergusons donated the plot of land for the garden.
Kristie Bowles
Bailey cited studies that reported up to 55% of women have depression and/or anxiety after the loss of a child, and over 40% of women feeling alone, guilty and like they have done something wrong.
Tiadaghton Bailey sits in Joshua’s Garden beside one of the rocks that was painted in memory of his brother Joshua. Shelley Bailey lost Joshua during her sixth month of pregnancy and created the garden as a place for those who experienced loss during pregnancy to mourn.
Kristie Bowles
“People don’t know how to deal with this loss. Unless you’ve dealt with it yourself, you don’t understand what a loss it is. He is my forever baby, because he can never grow up. I got to hear his heartbeat, I know he was there.” said Bailey.
The garden was made possible with a donation of land from John and Juanita Berguson, owners of Kingdom Inc., as well as donations from local businesses.
“This is a community garden and it is open to the community. The goal is to see one of these gardens in every neighborhood, in every community all over the world,” said Bailey.
During the ribbon cutting ceremony Bailey’s husband, Eric, delivered a prayer, “Every person that’s had one of these unfortunate circumstances befall them, whether they miscarried, or a child is born still, or a hasty decision to give a life up was made and is now in regret, Lord, we want you to watch over this garden, to protect it, to help it grow in every sense of the word.”
Shelley Bailey holds her son Tiadaghton in the garden she made for her son Joshua who she lost during pregnancy.
Kristie Bowles
During the opening ceremony people were invited to paint rocks in memory of a child who was lost. Bailey hopes that those who come can leave a token of remembrance.
“This garden will be ever changing. October is Loss Awareness Month and we have a gathering planned for Oct. 20. We also want to raise awareness that the garden is here so we will have a booth at Final Friday in Mansfield and First Friday in Wellsboro. I would love to have a Susie’s Garden, a Peter’s Garden in every city, all over the world, a place where a mother can go and acknowledge that their baby did exist,” said Bailey.
Another aspect of the garden is a virtual garden where people can post their stories and photos, anonymously if needed, with grief counselors available at https://thejoshuagarden.com/ or on Facebook at Joshua’s Garden. Joshua’s Garden is located at 719 Lambs Creek Road in Mansfield.
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