THE MESSAGE OF ENDURING GRACE
My mind began to flash back again.
Police cars sped down a gravel road, followed by fire engines. Converging in a field with ambulances already on scene, the entire brigade of sirens surrounded a horrific car accident in a lake of red, blue and amber flashing lights.
As responders stepped out with rescue equipment in hand and a crowd of wide-eyed party-goers watched, the director of the film crew yelled, “Cut!”
Months earlier, an unprecedented event had taken place in Georgetown, Kentucky. A multitude of public service agencies had gathered together: Emergency Medical Services, Fire and Rescue, Sheriff’s Office and Coroner’s Office. They had come with a professional film crew at the request of the Church of the Living God in Winchester, Kentucky. An idea for a unique ministry opportunity combined with public service announcement had become a reality.
The community of Georgetown had donated resources in support. COLG’s Human Video team “HaVen” had already spent early morning hours filming scenes at Georgetown Community Hospital, who eagerly provided facilities for a realistic effect. The project now widely known as “Witness” was underway.
The video story follows two characters with different backgrounds through a day of seemingly benign decisions that catapult them into eternal consequences after a fatal crash. What follows is a tidal wave of emotional scenes with twists, turns, and shocking realism. The intent was to convey the stark sense of reality surrounding everyday decisions, their’ potential to have permanent consequences, and ultimately the grace of God that surrounds it all. Its purpose was fulfilled after the video went viral on YouTube and DVD copies made their way across several states.
A community united together by truth and love confirmed that while life is short and fragile, God is faithful to carry us through.
Not since “Witness” had Georgetown rallied behind such a great cause, until the months that followed Finley’s death. Those of us who fought for his life began to see another opportunity that would stand on the shoulders of this sense of community. Finley’s cause of death had been determined Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), a phenomenon that researchers are still working to unravel. Together with Dwayne and Christina Ellison, we organized the Finley 5K Run/Walk For SIDS Awareness.
The event took place on September 7, 2013 on the campus of Georgetown College and was expected to have 100-200 participants. As the event began and hundreds of community volunteers were in place to hand out water and work information booths, over 900 participants took their places at the starting mark. We were barely able to accommodate them! There at the mark, a banner was raised, proudly showing several pictures of a pink, smiling, bright eyed baby boy.
The love and support the community poured out for this family in memory of their son was overwhelming. At the halfway mark, I manned a First Aid tent and water station as I watched runners of all ages go by, including the entire Ellison family. I remember thinking that this was how it should be in every community. The story continued, people rose from the lose and were knit together in healing and comfort. In the end, $25,000 was raised for the awareness campaign. A grieving family found the drive to press on. A community united together by truth and love confirmed that while life is short and fragile, God is faithful to carry us through.
