Friends, I though this might be useful for folks who garden with Hmong refugees and sometimes forget why they're here....
I shared this with some of my compadres in the Bronx who say this has been helpful. Everbest, Adam Honigman Volunteer, Clinton Community Garden Monday, November 29, 2004 Variety Under the strawhat... Reflections on life, art, community, gardening By Jenny Elliott, Co-Manager, Menomonie Open Market Well, it must be time to change my hat since the full moon this week is called "Full Cold Moon" by my ancestors. It is noticeably colder and dryer and definitely "fall" is becoming "winter." The bed has more covers piled high and fluffy for greater insulation during these nights of too-expensive heating costs and the house cats are slithering in under the layers. It's time to bake a lot so your house is warmed by the oven while you are warmed by the exertion. A little over a week ago, I joined many from the community who celebrated a "Thanks Giving" dinner with the Hmong who were welcoming the new families to life in America. So many of us do not know why immigration to the U.S. was made necessary in the first place and why we are welcoming new families. When the United States became embroiled in the Viet Nam war, our government engaged the people in Laos to fight for us in areas that our soldiers could not enter. When our country dis-engaged and our soldiers came home, the Hmong warriors still living were attacked and driven from their homeland. Because the original agreement between the U.S. and these fighters was supposedly "secret," our country could not come to the defense of people who had lost everything. The Hmong have "refugee" status because they cannot return to their homeland without great risk of death. The transition into American culture is difficult when there is little shared language and many different social rules. Too often, Hmong people have been verbally abused by people who have little understanding of the hurt delivered by their words. We all need to be very aware of how our words affect others. I hear youngsters saying things they can only have learned from their elders. Taunting in schools leads to actions that are costly and frightening. Even in the halls of government, un-civil comments are made. My heart goes out to all people who have been the recipients of hurtful speech and to the families who are now entering our communities. Words have creative power and our world is made more loving or more hurtful by the words we speak. My prayer this day is that all your words may be spoken with love and may all the words directed toward you be loving and kind. Do your work well and be kind. ______________________________________________________ The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org To post an e-mail to the list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden