Paul's Perspective
Over the past eleven years, ERICA has organized workshops to provide the refugee community with information about health, legal, and community resources in Maryland.
Earlier this year, on a Saturday morning, a couple members of ERICA and I went to the Goodnow Community Center in East Baltimore to prepare a workshop on the issue of Bullying. We met Ganga, who had volunteered to help as an interpreter. He thanked us for our previous month’s workshop and mentioned that he had already visited the Shepherd’s Clinic which had been our guest presenter.
Our friend Charan arrived, his car packed with friends from the community. He greeted us by saying, “These are honoured men” and continued, “We can learn from them.” We sensed that we should take time to recognize these senior members of the community, and this quickly became the theme of the day: we welcomed each of our guests that morning as an honoured guest.
Though the air was cold, the direct sunlight made us feel warm, so we sat on the benches in front of the Community Center. As people walked by, we called them over to join us. Each new guest greeted us with a heartfelt and contemplative, “Namaste.”
Our focus shifted from trying to provide information to listening attentively to the stories and thoughts of the men and women who had gathered. One man told of his difficulty travelling by bus each day to his job, another told of recently being robbed and struck in the face, a young student told how he and his brothers were bullied each day in school, and a young mother told us about her long, but successful, process to get medical help for her daughter. We shared cups of coffee and hot chocolate and listened carefully, encouraging each person to take their time as they shared their experiences.
As we reviewed the school procedures for cases of bullying, each family disclosed that their children had experienced bullying in some form. I felt sad as I realized that each person, no matter the age, struggled on a daily basis, seeking to feel secure and stable in their new life in Baltimore. I felt frustrated to know that many who had fled persecution in their home country now struggled each day to find basic safety and acceptance in their community in the U.S.
I am thankful to be a part of ERICA, whose members value building relationships with new immigrants living in our community. I am thankful for the opportunities to bring community members in touch with resources and support systems. In many cases, we have helped families get in touch with resources that helped them resolve specific issues. On this day, the main thing we could provide was listening and caring. By listening and caring, we made a few steps forward in our relationship as one all-welcoming community.
Earlier this year, on a Saturday morning, a couple members of ERICA and I went to the Goodnow Community Center in East Baltimore to prepare a workshop on the issue of Bullying. We met Ganga, who had volunteered to help as an interpreter. He thanked us for our previous month’s workshop and mentioned that he had already visited the Shepherd’s Clinic which had been our guest presenter.
Our friend Charan arrived, his car packed with friends from the community. He greeted us by saying, “These are honoured men” and continued, “We can learn from them.” We sensed that we should take time to recognize these senior members of the community, and this quickly became the theme of the day: we welcomed each of our guests that morning as an honoured guest.
Though the air was cold, the direct sunlight made us feel warm, so we sat on the benches in front of the Community Center. As people walked by, we called them over to join us. Each new guest greeted us with a heartfelt and contemplative, “Namaste.”
Our focus shifted from trying to provide information to listening attentively to the stories and thoughts of the men and women who had gathered. One man told of his difficulty travelling by bus each day to his job, another told of recently being robbed and struck in the face, a young student told how he and his brothers were bullied each day in school, and a young mother told us about her long, but successful, process to get medical help for her daughter. We shared cups of coffee and hot chocolate and listened carefully, encouraging each person to take their time as they shared their experiences.
As we reviewed the school procedures for cases of bullying, each family disclosed that their children had experienced bullying in some form. I felt sad as I realized that each person, no matter the age, struggled on a daily basis, seeking to feel secure and stable in their new life in Baltimore. I felt frustrated to know that many who had fled persecution in their home country now struggled each day to find basic safety and acceptance in their community in the U.S.
I am thankful to be a part of ERICA, whose members value building relationships with new immigrants living in our community. I am thankful for the opportunities to bring community members in touch with resources and support systems. In many cases, we have helped families get in touch with resources that helped them resolve specific issues. On this day, the main thing we could provide was listening and caring. By listening and caring, we made a few steps forward in our relationship as one all-welcoming community.
