Two faith-based organizations have teamed up to help refugees in Austin. They're doing it with, of all things, a garden.
Two months ago, the Grow Together Team from Gateway Church along with Mobile Loaves and Fishes broke ground on a garden at the Capital Village Apartments in Central East Austin. The complex is home to numerous refugees.
"At one point we were all new to this country," said Michael McKee, the Director of Grow Together. "What a great way to remember our new fellow citizens than by helping them out and people transitioning in."
The garden allows them to grow food and relationships with other refugees.
"Like know each others feelings and what kinds of plants they grow in their country," said Kalpana Kharel, a refugee from Nepal. "Just working together."
Even youngsters like Thangtinuk Sakawthang from Burma like working in the garden.
"To do is fun," he said.
Besides Burma and Nepal, there are refugees from Africa, India, Iran and Iraq. On a wall surrounding the garden, refugees made chalk outlines of their hand prints. They wrote the names of their home countries as well.
Also participating are men like Danny and Jose. They were once homeless, but now, through Mobile Loaves and Fishes, they help cultivate the garden so the refugees can plant their food.
"It makes me feel good that I'm giving back into the community and seeing the progress and smiles on people's faces," said Jose Coronado, who works for Mobile Loaves and Fishes.
"It's not necessarily a bunch of different communities, homeless, refugees, whatever. It's one community coming together," said McKee. "That's where I feel like the Holy Spirit really brings everybody there, and it meshes and it's just one beautiful moment."
