JACKSON, Tenn. — May 6, 2015 — 51社区 art professors Lee Benson and Chris Nadaskay have designed an art project on the Union campus as a reminder of persecuted Christians around the world.
Named 鈥淗abakkuk鈥檚 Wound,鈥� the project consists of a trench filled with red sand and solar lights outside the Barefoot Student Union Building. The lights allow the piece to be visible day and night.
鈥淲e were thinking about how no one鈥檚 talking about how these brothers and sisters of ours are just being slaughtered overseas because they鈥檙e Christians,鈥� Benson said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 because we鈥檙e unconcerned. I think everybody carries a deep concern for this. I just think we need to be reminded of it.鈥�
The inspiration for the name came from Habakkuk 1:2, 鈥淥 LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you 鈥榁iolence!鈥� and you will not save?鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檙e hoping every time you see that, you will say a word of prayer for our brothers and sisters around the world who are suffering this ungodly persecution,鈥� Benson said.
Art students filled the trench with sand and installed the lights on Wednesday morning, May 6. The art department held a brief dedication ceremony, and Miller Tower rang 147 times as a tribute to the 147 college students who were murdered in April by Islamic terrorists.
Benson said the art department will maintain the site for a year. On May 6, 2016, the department will plant seven dogwood trees there and rename the site 鈥淗abakkuk鈥檚 Balm,鈥� which comes from the last verses of the book: 鈥淭hough the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.鈥�
鈥淭he trees will be a reminder that although we cry out to the Lord for help, eventually, our answer to prayer is the fact that God almighty has saved us through his son Christ Jesus, and we no longer are under the penalty of death,鈥� Benson said.