Chin Community Garden in Columbus

There are many community gardens in the city of Columbus, Ohio. Columbus has more community gardens than any other cities in the entire United States. The Chin Community Garden in Gantz Rd is one of them. The garden belongs to Emmanuel Chin Baptist Church (ECBC) which is the largest Chin Christian community in Columbus. ECBC church members a lot of energy to create this garden through the help of the Franklin Park and Conservatory.

The Chin people in Columbus came from Myanmar as refugees. There are about 500 Chins in the area. Some Chins came to Columbus earlier than 1996 but they were very small in numbers. A large number of Chins came to Columbus only in 2009.  

                                                            One Kind of Roselle

Most of these refugees are from the farming society in Myanmar. Agriculture was their main job back in their country.  Therefore, creating a community garden is more than foods and economy for them because the garden (land) makes connection the two cultures namely the Chin culture (farming culture) and the U.S culture (high tech culture) together.  Moreover the human spirit is always connected with natures such as land, water, forest, plants, trees, fountain, mountain and pond so on and so forth in the Chin tribal culture. The garden promotes and creates stronger spirit for the Chin Christians in Columbus. The garden creates a better relationship among the people in the community. It creates a sense of Christian values such as love, kindness, helping one another, sharing things and unity in the community.

The Chin Community Garden is so important for the immigrants for their psychological, physical, spiritual social and mental health. One can see that the garden reduces the stress of a person in many ways today. At the same time the garden saves hundreds of dollars for the Chin families. Some of the vegetables were sold to other Chins in Kentucky areas.

                                                     The Leaf of Pumpkin (Mai-an)

The garden was sponsored by the Franklin Park and Conservatory. Mr. Bill Dawson, Kate Matheny (Grant Coordinator) and Lori Murphy (a student at Ohio State University) helped creating this garden. Franklin Park and Conservatory spent $7,300.00 total for creating this garden for 2011 and 2012. The garden is fenced by Graves Fence Company.  The Scotts Miracle Grow Company donated more than 220 bags of top soils for the garden in 2012. Today the Chin Community Garden is so successful.

                                     Pumpkin, tomato, roselle and pepper

The garden has a long history. It was in the place of an old house which was probably built with stones and bricks. The land was filled with small and big stones, bricks and sand when the farmer plowed the field in the summer of 2011. It was impossible to create the garden in that time. The famer who plowed the field abandoned the garden because of stones, bricks and sand. But the Emmanuel Chin Baptist Church youth voluntarily picked up the stones and bricks about 1-2 tones. Finally the garden was successfully created in the spring of 2012.

There are about 75 Chin families in the ECBC in 2013. The Chins are hard workers. They love farming, gardening and planting vegetables. They plant variety of plants such as spicy, cabbage, four kind of anthur (roselle), hmaihrem (little pumpkins), hamhhmui (Chin mint), putinan, kamphe (a native mint-plant in the Chin State) and mai-an (pumpkin leave), zungpate-thi (lady finger) and Chin egg plants etc. The plants are so good; they are pretty big and tall. The soil of Ohio is pretty good and suitable for those kinds of tropical plants. Some plants are much larger and taller in Ohio than in Chin States, Myanmar. The garden is in the southwest side of the city. It is about 4 miles from where the Chin people live. The Chin people love it and enjoy it every day. They feel Columbus their new homes now.

The garden benefits the Chin community a lot. It gives them a great joy and peace. It reduces our stress. It heals our loneliness. Economically it saves a lot of money for the immigrants. It connects friends, relatives and church members. The garden produces a lot of the Chin cultural foods and that benefits the entire community today. The garden also makes Columbus greener and a better place to live. 

Recently the garden was closed because of land swap. The old garden site will be used for the new school building. So the new garden is near the building of Children's service. The new garden is on the other side of the old garden.

Garden looking from south side

Hakha Leimin Research Tuahnak

Hakha Leimin Research Tuahnak

Biahmaithi:

               Kan Lairam khualipi, Hakha khuapi chehvel vawleimin mi kong hi thukpi in ruah lo awk a tha ti lo. Cucaah CBCUSA nih $2000.00 dih in research tuah ding in timhlamhnak a ngei. Bawmtu CBCUSA cungah kan lung aa lawm. Kan ram ah thilri le fimthiamnak a tlamtlin rih lo caah, research tuah tikah, thil sining tampi kan thei kho rih lai lo. Aphi zong kan chuah kho rih lai lo. Asinain hmailei tefa chan caah thilpipa tam deuh tuah khawhnak ding caah, lamsial chungnak caah, hi research hi thawk a si.

 Hi research tuahnak caah committee pakhat, "Hakha Leimin Research Tuahtu Committee" kan ser i, atanglei bantuk in tuanvo pek an si.

1. Hotu:                                                Pu Chan Hrem

2. Recording/Ca Tialtu:                                     Rev. Lal Pek Lian

3. Ruahnak (Theory Chuahtu)..              Pa Van Lian Thang (Akuk)

4 Field ah Abawmtu:                              Pa Ceu Chin Thang

5. Ramdang Lei in Ruahnak Chuahtu:    Pastor Dr. Hai Vung Lian le Rev. Dr. C. Duh Kam

Committee Tinhmi:

Hi committee nih aa tinhmi cu:-(1) Hakha khua pawng vawleimin mi vialte hmanthlak ding; (2) Vawlei mimmi hmunhma pakhat cio an sining roca (record) tial ding; (3) vawlei minhnak a ruang (cause) kawl ding; (4) hmailei ah khua kauh duh tik ah khuazeika lei ahdah kan kauh lai timi le lamsul zeitindah kan ser lai timi, mipi fimchimhnak tuah ding; (5) vawlei a fehfuanlonak hmun ah innlo sakter lo ding le Vawlei  fehnak ah innlo sak forhfial ding; (6) a ritmi tlakrawh le lunginn sak tikah vawlei a fehfuanning tha tein zoh hmasat ding; (7) hmailei ah hi vawlei kakmi kong hi thuk deuh in hlathlainak ngeih ding; (8) cozah le ramdang mifim mi zong rawih i hi vawlei kakkong hi thuk deuh in ruah le khuaram sersiam ding; (9) mipi thihlonak le innlo rawhralnak a um sualnak hnga lo ahlankan in mipi ralrin peknak tuah ding.

Vawleicung Innlo Rawhralnak

               April 24, 2013 ah Bangladesh ram sehzung dawt kua asimi a tlumi nih, minung 1127 a thah hna. Tampi hma an pu. Hi bantuk inn a ritmi hna sak tikah, a umnak vawlei hrampi a fehlo ahcun, tih a nung taktak. Mifimmi tuaknak ah, kokek rawhralnak ruang ah 2010 chungah minung 42 million kuakap hi innlo  rawhralnak an tong ti asi. Hi lakah lihnin ruangle vawlei rawhralnak ruangah innlo rawkmi hi a tambik. Naite ah, California ramkulh, Lake County ummi khua pakhat ah, hmunhma a rem tuk nain, inn (29) cu duhsah ten vawlei nih a dawp dih hna. Inn pakhat ah $200,000 fai man an si. Inn dang aa min chawm ding tam ngai an um rih.

Cu kong cu vawlei kong thiammi Scientist pawl zong nih a ruang an thei kho lo.  "Vawleitang ah thil ningcang lo mi zeidah a um hnga? Hlanlio Indian miphun thlanmual hna asi hnga maw? Achungmuru ah meitlang hna a um sual hnga maw? Asiloah vawleitang tii tam tuk kan dawp ca dah a si hnga?" tiah a phunphun in an ruat. Hi inn pawl hi, chikkhatte ah aa rawkmi an si lo. Duhsah tein aa rawk ziahmah mi an si. Cuticun a donghnak ah vawlei nih a dawp dih hna. Inn aa rawkning a fum ngai caah, "slow-motion disaster" (duhsah tein a cangmi rawhralnak) asi tiah an ti.  

Florida ramkulh zong ah, sinkhole (leitla) 5,000 hrawng a um. Innlo le lamsul tam tuk a hrawh cang. Mi pakhat cu zan a ihkar ah, a inn nih a pilpi i a thi. Mizoram Lawngtlai le Aizawl zongah vawlei minim ruang ah, minung zeimaw zat an thi cang. Hakha hrawng zongah, vawlei min mi ruangah, lamsul, innlo rawhnak tampi a chuak cang. Hmailei kum tampi ahcun, rawhralnak tampi a chuak kho ve mi a si.  

Research Tuah Aherhnak

 Hakha khua pawngkam vawlei hi an fek lo. An dawr ngai. Hmunkip ah athluanthluan in an kak. Hawrkam an min. Inn lo le dum an tolh. Thingkung ramkung le ngakhur tiang in an i thawn. Dawrthar Market cu vawi tamtuk aa thawn cang. Khuaveltu lam (Myopat line) an cawhmi vialte an tolh dih. Sizung thlang cangdonh leikuang vialte an rawk dih. Abuaktlak in zoh tikah, hmunkip ah vawlei min le vawlei kak a tam chin lengmang. A ruang zeidah a si hnga? Ruah a hau.

Hi vawlei kakmi le minmmi kong hi, ruah lo ahcun nikhatkhat ah Hakha caah sunghbaunak tampi a chuak kho. Abik in lihninhnak fakpi a chuah sual ahcun, kan khualipi hi thalolak in a rawk khomi a si. Alengphaw in ruah ahcun cucu a si kho ngai hnga maw ti awk a si nain, a rawk khomi a si ve ko.

Tahchunhnak ah, Japan ram lihnin (March, 2011) cu 9.0 thazaang cakmi a si. Cu lihnin a chuahtertu cu, rili tang meng 15 a thuhnak zawn ah vawlei hi meng 186 a sau i, meng 93 tluk kau in aa cheu caah a si. Cu nih a chuahtermi lihnin cu a fah tuk caah, vawlei pumpi aa mer ning hi lehmah 6.5 a thawnter ti a si. Japan ram hi rili chungah pe (2) a pilter i, an ram hi USA leiah pe 13 a thawnter. Ni hi 1.6 microsecond tluk a tawiter deuh.  2004 I Sumatra lihnin (2004) nih ni 6.8 microsecond a tawiter. 2010 Chile ram lihnin (2010) nih 8.8 microsecond ni a tawiter deuh ti a si. Chim duhmi cu vawlei merning a thlen khawh tinak a si.  Hakha khua hrawnghrang ah, hi bantuk in a fakmi lihnihnak a chuah ve sual ahcun,  Runtlang tlangpang khua asi caah, rawhralnak tampi a chuak kho ve.   

Tihnung Asinak

               Hakha khua hrawnghrang hi tihnung asinak le research tuah a herhnak a ruang (6) a um.

(1) Kawlram cozah chuahmi Seismic Zone Map of Myanmar zoh tikah, Kawlram ah lihnih a fahbiknak le rawkralnak tambik a chuah khawhnak hmunhma(zone) hi, hmun (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) in an then. Panganak (5) tih a nunnak bik hmun asi. Lairam le Rakhine ram hi, zone-5 ah an um.

(2) Lairam hi Zone-5 ah a umnak a ruang cu, vawlei chungmuru kakmi (plate tectonic) ramri hi, Rakhine ram le Lairam kam tein a kalmi a si. Hi vawlei kakmi hi, India rili in, Rakhine ram nitlaklei kap in, Paletwa nitlaklei kap in, Mizoram le Bangladesnh ramri in, Assam State in Himalaya tlangthluang in, nitlakleiah aa pehthluahmah. Cun Iran in, Saudi ram in, Israel ram Jerusalem khua pawng in nitlaklei ah aa peh; cun America ram a van vel i, Japan ram in, Indonesia ram in India rili ah a rak chuak than. Hi vawleikapmi kuakap hi, vawleicungah lii fakbik aa hninhnak hmunhma (Ring of fire) umnak a si. Minung 280,000 kuakap a thatmi Tsunami chuahtertu Sumatra lihnin (2004) zong kha, hi vawlei kakmi hmunhma zawn ah asi.  Aizawl le Hakha zong hi, cu vawlei chungmuru kakmi (plate tectonic) ramri he aa naih tuk caah, li fakpi in aa hninh khawhnak hmunhma ah an um.  

(3) Hakha khua hi, hlanlio kum tampi ah, Rungtlang vawlei a tolhmi sisehlaw a dawh. Tlang tampi cu lihnin le meitlang puakmi ruang ah an tolh theu i vawlei an idil theu tawn. Cuticun rawn bantuk ah an ichuah. Cu hmun cu nikhatkhat ah an tolh than theu tawn. Hakha vawlei hi, min caham vawlei bantuk in, a vawlei a sawp. An fek lo. Cucaah minh le tlaak a fawi ngaingaimi  vawlei a si.

(4) Hmunhma a cheng. A chungmuru hi a ningpi in a tolh khomi a si. A tolhning hi khulrang in a tolhmi asi lo caah, minung mithmuh ah theih ahar ngai. Hakha khua dirhmun zoh tik ah, USA California kong ka tiami bantukin, "duhsah tein acangmi rawhralnak" (slow-motion disaster) phun asi caah, minung nih ralrin awk a har ngai. Achungmuru vawlei nih a tuarh ti lo taktak ahcun, harnak a chuakkhomi a si. 

(5) Tii le ruah a tam. Hi tii le ruah nih vawlei chungmuru duhsah tein a khawrh. Vawlei alawnter. Cu thil nih vawlei minhnak a chuahpi khawh. Dawrthar kuakap sining hi, cucu a si.

(6) A umnak tlang a sang. Rungtlang hi pe 7,543 a sang. Hakha khua hi pe 6120 sannak ah a um. Hi bantuk hmunsang ah hin, vawleiminh, innlo rawhral hi a fawi khun i, a fak khun fawn.

Vawlei Minh A Zual Chinchin Lai

               Hakha khualipi ah minung kan karh chin lengmang lai. Innlo a karh lai. Lamsul a karh lai. Innlo aa tet chin lengmang lai. Khuachung vawlei a rit chin lengmang lai. Cutikah kan vawlei zong a tolh ning a rang deuhdeuh lai. Inn sakmi a tam tuk ruang ah, vawleicung khua minthang Shanghai, Bangkok, Boston le Venice tibantuk khua hna hi an pil ziahmah. 1921 in 1965 karlakah Shanghai khua cu, pe (8) a pil cang. Mexico City cu innlo le minung an tam tuk caah kum 10 ah lehmah 1 in a pil; Venice khua cu kum 100 chungah pe 1 a tum cang ti a si. Kan nih cu research zeihmanh kan tuah lo. Kan khuaram kong kan thei kho lo. Hakha khua zong hi duhsah tein tolh ziahmah ve sehlaw theihlo asi ko. Cucaah hmailei ah minung thihnak, innlo rawhralnak le sunghbaunak fakpi kan ton sualnak hnga lo, research tuah deuh kan herh.

Tinhmi Hmunhma (Targeted Areas)

               Hakha khua ah vawilei tambik a minhnak atanglei hmunhma hna ah, research tuah ding hi, Hakha Leimin Research Tuahtu Committee nih aa tinhmi a si.   

(i) Matupi lam: Catholic Biakinn le Auto telephone zung karlak lamkam vialte;

(2) Dawrthar: Zion Biakinn kalnak lamthlang lei vialte;

(3) Zion Biakinn kalnak lam le Matupi lam kar vialte

(4) Keisih Sang: Keisihsang le Chin-Oo-Sii chak deuhvak. Hihi aa rawhnak bik hmun an si.  

(5) No.1 High School Thlanglei in Chin-Oo-Sii karlak. Hi hmun hi an kahning a fak, a sau ngaingai.  

(6) Hakha Sizungpi le No.1 High School karlak sizung sang vialte

(7) Sizungpi kuakap vialte. Hi hmun i dumhau kan rak tuahnak vialte an min/tolh dih cang.

(8) Khuachung le Chin-Oo-Sii karlak khuaveltu lam kuakap vialte. Lam an I thawn viarnak hmun a si.

(9) Lungbiakinn hnulei Rev. Carson te hlan hnulei tivakam mimmi vialte.

               Hi acunglei hmunhma kuakap ahcun, kum tampi ca ruah ahcun inn sak ngam ding an si theng lo. America bantuk in "Inn insurance" umnak ram sisehlaw, inn pawl hi insurance an pe duh lo men hna lai.  Zeicatiah atuan le tlai in an irawk hrimhrim te lai timi kha ruahchung khawh an si caah a si.

Hika hrawng vawlei rawh ning hi a rang ngai. Tanghra ka kai lio in college ka van dihkar lak ah, kan dumhau vialte an rak lo dih. Kan umnak inn pawng farkung viatle an min dih. Hitining te in a kal ahcun Hakha Sizungpi, Zion Baptist Church, Tennis Kun te hna hrawnghrang hi rawhralnak tuan ah an tong kho men. Tanghra ka kai lio ah, Rev. Carson thlan ralchan ah kan um. Thlan le tiva kar khi, thingkung le far kung lianlian in a rak khat. Ahnu kum 4 ahcun, cu far kung lianlian cu an min dih. Hi tining tein a kal ahcun, nikhatkhat ahcun Rev. Carson thlan hna zong khi a min lai lo ti khawh a si lo. No.1 High School hna zong an irawk lai lo ti khawh an si lo.

Biadonghnak

               Hakha cu Lairam kan khualipi asi caah, a thangcho chin lengmang lai. Innlo an lian, an sang chin lengmang lai. Minung kan chah chin lengmang lai. Vawlei cawhmi le tii kan hmanning a sang chin lengmang lai. Cutikah kan vawlei hi aa rawk chin lengmang ve ding asi. Cucaah hmaileiah rawhralnak le sunghbaunak fakpi kan ton sualnak hgna lo, hi research tuahnak nih aa tinhmi a si. Hipin ah hi nak tha deuh le tlamtling deuh in, research tuah a herh. Cucu cozah le chanthar mino mifimthiam mi hna nih pehzulh ding in saduhthahnak nganpi kan ngei.

Dr. Hai Vung Lian

Columbus, Ohio

USA.