A Message from Jacqui Brown

Since the fire at Three Trees we have held two group nights at Eastminster Presbyterian Church which has graciously opened its doors to our families and facilitators. Their lovely parlor room is where we gather together before and after each group. Thursday night was the first meeting for group #69 and I wanted to use the Story of the Three Trees for the closing piece.

Jeri and I knew where the Three Trees story books were likely to be in our burnt building and the afternoon of group we rescued the copy from the fireplace in Jeri’s office. It needed to be carefully cleaned of smoke and soot damage and last night the families could smell the smoke on the Three Trees book. The parlor room was very quiet as I read the story and showed the pictures of the three little trees to the gathered caregivers, facilitators and children.

The significance of the fire damaged book still able to be read, and the hope in the story, was not lost on anyone last night. Children, who a few minutes before were excited and bouncy, sat still and quiet as mice through the whole story. There were tears on the faces of some of the adults. Family and facilitators had their own private thoughts, but all were held for a moment by the power of hope and one little story and the significance of our very own Three Trees.