José’s Story

It felt so good coming here

I first came to Foundation House when it was in Parkville. We all had physical and psychological problems and huge imbalances in our bodies but we received fantastic attention and care.

After a few months, I started to have a rich understanding of the work. They offered many different services and therapies. The group therapy gave us a chance to talk with each other. We also did reflexology and massage.

As we received all these complementary therapies, we were also interacting with each other, giving each other energy. It felt so good coming here.

It takes time

When I first came to Foundation House, we had a garden. It was open to us all. There were people

who knew about gardening and people who didn’t. It didn’t matter.

We started by preparing the soil. Then we planted flowers and vegetables and watched them grow. Whoever saw that the garden needed water, they watered it. Whoever walked past and noticed weeds, they would pull them out. Things were done when they needed to be done.

Contact with the earth made us feel better in our bodies because there was a change in our energy. Then as the vegetables grew we harvested them, and at lunch time we ate them together like a very big family. It was such a beautiful time.

In Chile, I was also a gardener. I used to help my grandmother with the garden. Then my grandmother passed away and my mother took over, so I helped her. Then, when I was older and started working, I still went to that garden and helped to keep it beautiful. I did this because I loved it and it always made me feel better.

I have changed over time. It took a while for my body and mind to feel better; to recover.

People who come to Foundation House can find it difficult to talk about what they have been through. But, at the end of the day, it is a necessity for people to talk about things.

When we have pain in our bodies, it must be released. Time is crucial to the healing. It will not happen from one day to another. It takes time.

Real listening is a form of love

So many friendships have been created at Foundation House.

I’ve had the chance to listen to other people who have problems; people who are in need of someone to listen to them, just like me.

I talk with them about different ways to get better; ways that helped me. Real listening is a form of love.