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“I am not the person I was before I found CERI. Before I knew CERI, I had bad dreams, I could not stop crying, and I had to deal with my problems by myself. When I came to CERI, I felt at peace. I come to the weekly support groups, I go on field trips, and I have good friends here. I feel happy, almost all the time, especially in the garden. When I put seeds in the ground, I watch them grow and come up to be plants. It reminds me that things do grow.”
-Cambodian Community Member When we lead from our hearts, there is always growth. The medicine of our community work is in the heart to heart connections - in being with one another in the ordinary and extraordinary moments of life. Smiling over pictures of grandchildren; saying goodbye to loved ones transitioning to the next phase; showing up for each other in times of celebration and also of crisis; gardening, cooking, and eating together. All of these day-to-day actions build trust and create the sacred space necessary for community members to share stories that might not have felt safe to reveal before, finally releasing and healing what was once stuck. Witnessing and holding each other through pain and joy is how we transform. During this complicated time of year, we are here for people who feel activated or isolated, who may be navigating hardships or grief, while we also embrace gratitude and hope. We are so grateful for the growth of our CERI community and proud of our work. We started CERI with fewer than 100 community members, survivors of the Khmer Rouge genocide. Now, we provide individual counseling and support groups to over 150 Southeast Asian youths, adults, and elders each week. Our staff work with an additional 75 people every week doing case management for public benefits, medical care, direct aid, and resource referral. As we grow, we continue to be a place where we can reveal our hearts and trust that our hearts will be held. Through your attention and support, your heart inspires our work, too. November begins our giving season and we invite you to keep reading about CERI in the coming weeks to learn about how you can be involved with our heart-based healing approach.
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