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The strength of the Buddhist community here in San Antonio is one of resilience that is overflowing with compassion and kindness.  The community started small not many decades ago, it has since grown and has become a thriving and diverse community.  It’s roots have taken hold in not only the traditional sense in for the form of temples and Sunday holy ceremonies, but parts of the philosophy have found its way into classrooms, mental health programs, school curriculum, and cultural celebrations all around San Antonio.  

The strength of Buddhism’s ideals lie in its ability to adapt and transcend all cultures and experiences.  Buddhism does not require someone to convert or walk away from current beliefs.  But rather it is flexible, adaptable, and all encompassing. It is easy to understand and easy to view the beauty in its simplicity and versatility to daily life.  It is nonjudgmental and accepting of all people regardless of identities and beliefs. It is these qualities that have allowed Buddhism to grow and thrive here in San Antonio.  

[I absolutely love this image.  I think it portrays the overflowing and never ending nature of Buddhism very well.  It is the compassion and kindness of Buddhism.  It expresses the nature of life which is constantly changing.  It is life and iIt is everywhere and all around us. To me, the Buddhist community taps into this flow of energy and love and it is what draws people in to learn more.]

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One unique dilemma that the Lien Hoa Buddhist community faces here in San Antonio is the struggle for members to adapt and merge their two cultures into one that both balances and honors each side. The Buddhist community is open and welcoming to all people, but at the same time the community has a large concentration of Vietnamese members and few non-Vietnamese member. Most of the monks who reside on the temple grounds are foreign born members who have difficulty communicating and engaging with others who do not speak Vietnamese.  The struggle that the members encounter might be that of extending themselves beyond and out of the cultural box that they may find themselves in.  Struggling to engage and better understand the local culture as a means to open up new doors and allow for a merging of people and culture to grow the Buddhist community may be a barrier that is keeping the group from growing and expanding into the larger community.  

[To me, the image of the large natural stone that is partially worked to show the image of person, tells a story of struggle.  It depicts how difficulty of circumstances can sometimes surround us and make us stagnant in life.  Although Buddhist life seems like one of total peace, life wouldn’t be life without challenges and difficulties. We all encounter them, but it’s the way we respond to them that reflects our true inner state.]

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The Buddhist community, although small and tucked away in a quiet corner of the city, is a multi acre compound that is thriving in of San Antonio. It would seem that the San Antonio Lien Hoa Temple’s most valuable physical asset might be their sprawling temple grounds and beautiful scenic walkways and sitting areas.  It hosts multiple structures and accommodations on the temple grounds, including houses for residential monks, a large pond with a working bridge, walking paths, many cultural artifacts, and even a sizable cafeteria for hosting large gatherings.  The community also recently began construction of a new central temple, of which can hold a larger congregation during their weekly Buddhist ceremonies.  What makes the temple grounds even more valuable is the essence that upholds all things on the temple grounds, which is that of compassion.  The monks welcome those who are in search of help, whether that is because hunger or heartbreak, they offer their place to the people of San Antonio and beyond as a place to heal and become whole.  

[I chose the first image as a way to portray the physical structure that the assets of Lien Hoa Temple, while also recognizing that it embodies ancient teachings and deep historical roots, in addition to reflecting the notion that its physical assets are only the bones of the community’s strength.  It is only one part of larger system that makes the community a valuable resource to the city of San Antonio).   

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The Lein Hoa Buddhist Temple in San Antonio can create additional outreach opportunities to raise awareness of Buddhism and enlist additional members to the congregation by using annual events to not just share the traditions of Buddhism and Vietnamese cultural experiences, but to also share the joy of Buddhism in hopes of growing it’s congregation.  The Buddhist community can use it’s annual events that celebrate south Asian cultural traditions.  These events are a yearly celebration which are open to members of the Buddhist community and to non-Buddhist members alike.  The Buddhist temple of Lein Hoa is an open temple that welcomes people from all walks of life.  The practicing monks come predominantly from Vietnam and would be considered foreign born members therefore they celebrate in the cultural traditions of Vietnam. The celebrations provide an opportunity to share  elements from the Vietnamese culture like dance, song, costumes and traditional food.  These events would be a prime opportunity to be marketed more broadly to local San Antonio community members to encourage participation and as an opportunity to share the philosophy of Buddhism and potentially gain more members to Buddhist community.  

[The photos chosen for this segment depict the possible path that the community can harness to expand and grow the Buddhist community.  Using cultural events, technology, and promoted social engagements can assist the community in growing their congregation]

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The Lein Hoa Buddhist Temple is rich in social and community assets.  It’s congregation has a strong financial base that supports the monks and the community members who reside on the ground.  Aside from financial support, the Buddhist community has a strong social network that honors the philosophy and guiding principles of Buddhism. One of the principles  that Buddhist monks follow is the importance reaching out to others as a way to teach the path to enlightenment.  

Currently the temple offers outreach programs, children’s educational camps, and a host of other programs to spread the Buddhist teachings and joys of the philosophy.  These social assets provide the community a valuable resource that can potentially allow them to form additional outreach programs and gain a larger following of members. I believe that this is entirely possible because the community’s strength is in their members passion and drive to help others and share the joy that exists within the following of Buddhism.  

[The photos chosen depict the social assets that this community currently has.  The images show the merging of communities, both the traditional practicing monks and their non-traditional practicing counterparts who make up the Buddhist community at the Lien Hoa Temple).