MCLEAN, Va. — Colorful, spiraling pinwheels are a perfect symbol of childhood and spring — and the children at McLean (Va.) Baptist Church planted a garden of them on Easter Sunday.
The flashing blue and silver Pinwheels for Prevention are not only a symbolic reminder of National Child Abuse Prevention Month but also “show the community that the church values children and is concerned about issues that are real,” said Trisha Miller Manarin, McLean’s associate pastor.
The lawn of McLean Baptist Church became a garden of pinwheels as the congregation participated in efforts to end child abuse.
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McLean Baptist is a “pinwheel partner” with other faith groups and businesses which purchase and sell pinwheels, with the proceeds to benefit Stop Child Abuse Now of Northern Virginia, an organization that raises awareness about the role people can play in valuing children, strengthening families and preventing child abuse. In 2008 more than 400,000 pinwheels were displayed across the country.
Manarin said the church purchased 500 pinwheels. Some were given to a nearby elementary school. Church members could purchase 10 pinwheels and a sign for a “family pinwheel garden” at their homes. About 200 pinwheels were planted by the children as part of their Easter Extravaganza on March 31.
According to SCAN’s website, nearly 53,000 cases of possible child abuse and neglect were reported in Virginia over a 12-month period ending last June. Of those, 28 children died and 23 of them were age 4 or younger.
“That’s an alarming number that we must do something about,” said Manarin. “Some instances of abuse come from parents or caregivers who are under extreme stress, maybe just lost a job and needing help learning or improving their skills to be a supportive, positive parent or caregiver, as well as techniques for managing and reducing stress.”
Child abuse is often thought of as only physical harm, but it also includes emotional abuse that impairs a child’s emotional development and self-worth, and neglect, which is failure to provide for a child’s basic needs — physical, educational and emotional.
To motivate people to get involved and to learn about child abuse prevention, McLean is inviting the community to Darkness of Light: Stewards of Children training led by SCAN on Saturday, April 20, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. As a follow-up to this training, there will be a Christian-based parenting class offered on Sundays, said Mararin.
A spaghetti lunch will be held April 14 with adults and children engaging in games and making a quilt which will include pinwheel squares. Church members also will join in the River Run for Orphans in May in Washington. This 5K race raises money for groups which work with homeless families in Northern Virginia and around the world.
To the children who planted the garden at McLean, the eye-catching pinwheels were colorful and fun. “We didn’t want to frighten them with explanations about child abuse,” said Manarin. “We told them they were planting the pinwheels because Jesus loves them and all children.”
“We look at this as a holistic approach to ministry, bringing the church and community together to show that we value all of God’s children,” said Manarin.
Barbara Francis ([email protected]) is on the staff of the Religious Herald.