The Heaven Between

War has been part of Saron’s family’s history for three generations. The last time he saw his father was when the Khmer Rouge came and took him away to be killed.   Soon afterwards, they returned for his mother. Still only seven years old, Saron set off to walk through the jungle alone to find her; he knew she had been taken to a work camp but did not know the way. It was only when the family, finally reunited, was able to flee to a refugee camp in Thailand that Saron could be simply a child at last. Recreating the sense of community that sustained him there has become his life’s work.

I Am My Story Live is a production of the award-winning nonprofit The Immigrant Story. The stories were presented live on stage at Alex L. Parks Performing Arts Center, Jesuit High School in Beaverton, Oregon, on Saturday, September 11, 2021. With a focus on powerful voices of survival and soothing musical accompaniment, I Am My Story Live provided a space for storytelling, cultural exchange and empathy.

Organized as a part of Beaverton’s Welcoming Week, with generous support from the City of Beaverton, the program focused on remarkable, first-person tales of courage and fortitude.