Bhutanese Refugees Preserve Community in Community Garden

Bhutanese refugee, Kavya Tsering, waters community garden plots at Altamesa Church of Christ's Bhutan Planting Church ministry.

Bhutanese refugees began to flee their country in 1989 upon having their citizenship revoked by the government. Since they were originally of Nepali descent, they were viewed as a threat the political order.  Among the 60,000 refugees in America, 1,000 have resettled in DFW with many more to join the rest of their families. In addition to fleeing the persecutions in their homeland in search of freedom, they want to be able to provide for their families. As a part of their cultural training, provisioned by the US government, the Bhutanese refugees learn to become self-sufficient through employment. This goal has become increasingly difficult since the national recession. 

Bhutanese refugee, Lhendup Penjo, hauls refuse plants to compost at Altamesa Church of Christ's Bhutan Planting Church ministry.

Many refugees have found solace at the Altamesa Church of Christ in Fort Worth. The church’s food and clothing ministry, Neighborhood Needs, provided a great help, receiving basic household items, clothing and food. The church also has a community garden where families have their own plots to grow their own food to subsidize the groceries. They grow mostly staples of their native Bhutanese diet including green onions, okra, green beans and various herbal flowers.

 

Dawa Tobgay helps her mother water plants in the community garden.

I met some of the refugees while they were working in the Neighborhood Needs community garden. They were harvesting green onions and okra. Some were spraying pesticides for bugs while others were watering and weeding, but everyone was helping each other. I spoke with most of them and despite the language barrier of their native Nepali and Bhutanese and my English; we talked about our families and hopes for the future. After the harvest, they divided the haul between themselves and gathered for a snack of strawberries, blueberries and watermelon. Over snacks, they all shared stories and laughed and hugged. I had a wonderful time hanging out with them and sharing experiences, until finally they all piled into the church’s Astro van, heading back to their apartments.

Bhutanese refugees and their harvested okra.