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Now it’s my turn to give back. A few years ago, when I read accounts of the flood of refugees flowing towards Europe, I realized their security and dreams had been shattered by forces beyond their control like mine had been decades ago. Their individual stories touched me and helped move me to action.

The western world is facing its own cardiac stress test in the ongoing refugee crisis. The health of our individual and collective hearts is on trial.

In the two and half years since, this flood has mixed and pooled and slowly begun to sink in to the German soil. Like a wildfire brings renewal, this new mass of life contained within its depths the spores of youth, energy and know-how the German economy and social system desperately needs. As they have been worked into the system and nurtured with hope and security, roots are beginning to form and the tender buds of success are just beginning to sprout.

If we would really hear their stories, I know we'd learn something about suffering and loss, resilience and hope. We'd be united in our mutual sorrow, healed by our common humanity. Pain and grief become the common denominator that can bring us together to mourn together and to comfort each other.

I just returned from another trip to Europe in behalf of TSOS (Their Story is Our Story) to help interview refugees trying to find safe places in a world of chaos.

The Impact Hub Seattle is hosting the show “Their Story is Our Story: Giving Voice to Refugees,” in its gallery space from June 1 to June 28, 2017. The show includes portrait photographs and paintings by TSOS artists along with brief introductions to each subject.

TSOS Team member Elizabeth Thayer presented before the Provo City Council.

An eight-minute interview with TSOS president Trisha Leimer aired on Brigham Young University’s Radio’s public affairs program, Top of Mind with Julie Rose,” on May 4, 2017.

Dr. Abdul Nasser Kaadan, Orthopedic Surgeon and a Syrian Visiting International Professor currently teaching at Weber State University, was a guest radio program titled "Top of Mind with Julie Rose."

Deseret News writer Allison Pond interviewed TSOS members in the midst of the organizations' presentation series in Utah. Her article "How these Mormon artists discovered that refugees are 'just like you'" features a handful of refugee stories.