By all accounts, yesterday was a total success. I arrived at market Square in Portsmouth about 11:30. I sat patiently waiting to see who would show up. On the next bench was a homeless woman dressed in a heavy overcoat with an overflowing push cart parked next to her. After a few minutes she approached me and said "Nice bags" (commenting on my large size LL Bean bags). From there we launched into a conversation about bags to carry things and then about my project. I asked her to contribute a message of hope. She hesitated and then with a little encouragement and help with spelling she wrote "I hope that all the people will pull together when things gets rougher." This was a blessed beginning to giving voice to all the prayers of the world.
By 1:30 over 400 messages had been read by a collection of people ranging in age from 3 years to 80. There were tourists from as far away as Jerusalem and as close as a Portsmouth day camp. Friends and family joined me to read and to pause a reflect. Again, I am ever grateful for the help of Bill Rogers for helping me to document this event. Stay tuned for video clips and photos of this beautiful day in Market Square. If any of you reading this blog were there and took photos...please send me a few!
I plan to come back to market Square on August 11th to continue reading messages. Around July 28th I will be inviting the community to join me in weaving the prayer flags in my York studio.
Here are links to two wonderful newspaper articles about the project:
Thank you to all who help read and who listened. Many heartfelt blessings and thoughts of gratitude.
Sarah
Read the story.
http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080712/NEWS/807120321/-1/NEWS09&sfad=1
http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080710/NEWS/807100414
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