planting trust

This has been quite an eventful week. My primary focus has been working on the community garden project, trying to get supplies donated and secure our location. It turns out that our original donor is no longer able to offer his land but another volunteer offered his spacious backyard, so all is not lost. I actually think that this smaller size will work well because it will force our gardeners to be a close-knit group with a set schedule and leader.

I also posted a grant application on dosomething.org (check out Solidarity Community Garden) in hopes of getting volunteers and supplies (soil, tools, hoses, watering cans, etc.). This morning we moved the donated concrete bricks to the garden site and it was really great to see the project under way. Even if in baby steps, we are moving forward and laughing a lot in the process. You just have to love team work. And getting lost in Houston!

I also worked to schedule follow-up meetings at various apartments and one introductory meeting at the apartment with the largest number of refugees. It is really interesting to notice how each apartment has a very distinct personality, and I can’t figure out if it is because of the amount of time the refugees have been in the country, whether or not they are still receiving the 90 days of aid and from which organization, or their neighborhoods and security.

Two themes that I’m noticing are desperation and community. In some apartments, these go hand in hand to balance each other. In other apartments, the desperation seems to overcome any chance at community; there is such a need for employment, and the desired job, that our efforts to help our often frustrated. It seems that where a sense of community and initiative remains, we have made much more progress. So, how do you build trust, encourage honesty, and repair community? Tricky questions, but ultimately SEWA and Women’s Issues’ goal.

Obstacles are part of life and of any worthwhile project. So honestly, I’m not that frustrated with the challenges we have faced thus far. Instead, I think I am now more committed to lead this Women’s Issues group. Our work is both never ending and unpredictable because we have to convince the Bhutanese community- especially the men- that we are not trying to Americanize the women but help the Bhutanese women live whole, safe, and satisfied lives in America. We are here to learn as much as we are hoping to share our Houston resources with them. Team work!