Martial Arts Master Dong Kim is helping homeless families in the nation’s capital cope with the hardships of life in Washington D.C.’s largest family shelter. Along with an enthusiastic group of volunteers, Kim leads children from the D.C. General shelter in guided meditation, martial arts classes, and has even set up a garden for the kids to grow their own fresh fruits and vegetables.
Kim’s garden and exercise programs are the only structured outdoor play available to the shelter’s children. Kim helps each child claim a patch of land and turn it into his or her own garden. On Saturdays, they spend hours tending the garden and learning how plants grow.
During meditations, Kim guides the children toward a sense of gratitude. Washington Post reporter Christine Ayala listened in on one session. “Your body is your home,” leads Kim. “And who do we thank for this body?” he asks. The children answer “God!” Kim says he works to include God and spirituality in all his programs to give the children hope and a sense of gratitude. Kim wants these children to know that “somebody cares about them.” Kim says, “They take care of themselves and the garden. Then we can eat together and thank God for it.”
Read the entire Washington Post interview here.
Learn more about Kim’s wellness and volunteer programs at homedo.org