Cynthia Jurs (in red) is a co-director of Animal Alliance, an organization dedicated to protecting endangered species. She was ordained as a Dharma teacher by Thich Nhat Hanh and is founder of Open Way Sangha in Santa Fe.

The Buddhist path begins by facing suffering and taking refuge in compassion. We soon discover that we are able to find a way to relieve that suffering. We dedicate ourselves to doing so not only for ourselves but for others as well. We see that all life is interdependent and when others are in pain so are we. Relieving the suffering in the world becomes the aim of our lives: the path of compassion.

Engaging directly with the terrible, unthinkable situations where suffering is extreme and active in the world today and working to bring relief, change and transformation is what the Zen monk from Vietnam, Thich Nhat Hanh, calls "Engaged Buddhism".

Art Refuge is an example of this kind of activity. By not turning our backs on these children and giving them an opportunity to express themselves by making art, they are able to begin to reconcile the traumatic and isolating experiences they have endured. We humans, and especially children, are capable of wonderful things. Each child's art is worthy and tells a story of what they know, have seen and have lived through-often including abuse, torture, death of loved ones, hunger, and hardships we have trouble even imagining.

All around the world there are refugees of war and oppression, children who have lost their families, who are alone in the world and whose chances of survival, much less individually fulfilled lives, are very slim. This program with Tibetan refugee children is modeling a successful way of dealing with this problem. The intention to relieve the suffering of the world begins with one step, one person, one child's life.

– Cynthia Jurs, Open Way Sangha