Seeds of Lotus had its origin in a controversial war we are still debating today--fifty years later. In America, we call it the Vietnam War. In Vietnam, they call it the American War. In truth, the political aftermath of that war destabilized the entire region of Southeast Asia and displaced a tangled mass of humanity. The flight of refugees from Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos passed through many exotic destinations-Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines-this was no leisure journey. These travelers were burdened not with holiday luggage, but with the enduring and haunting memories of the trauma of war. Their destination was unknown and their future uncertain. In every case, they escaped with one precious jewel-their life stories.
