Contains stories of people from Ireland and Zimbabwe, from Latvia and Germany, and from the Netherlands and Great Britain, as well as many other countries. This is a compilation of those who had the strength and determination to flee, often leaving behind extended families, never to see them again. These immigrants prove once again the courage of ordinary people who, in perilous times, rise to become extraordinary.--Page [4] of cover.

They escaped on a boat / by Hong and Nghia Duong as told to Elaine Cougler -- Babes in the wood / by Gwynn Scheltema -- A Loyalist refugee in 1775 / by Barbara Nattress -- We remember / by Margot Crowder Davidson -- Excerpts from journey to freedom / by Valda Zvanitajs ; edited by Valdemars Zvanitajs -- From Riga to Tillsonburg / by Dace Zvanitajs -- Me in a twilight zone / by LIsa Hutchinson -- We shared our house, interviews with Martin Benjamins and Doug Garner / by Elaine Cougler -- Heartwood / by Katherine Kohler -- Grandfather / by Genevieve A. Chornenki -- A lesson in gratitude / by Sally Johnston -- Thea Janssen : from the Netherlands to Canada / Johanna Janssen -- Olga's story / by Georgina Winterburn -- Inside-out / by Karl Jirgens -- From Kinshasa (DR-Congo) to Toronto (Canada) / by Dr. Gaston NK Mabaya. P. Eng. -- This free spirit loves raising her family in Canada / by Elaine Cougler for Larissa Barbosa -- Steadfast spirit immigration story / by Laura Foreshew -- Rev. Major George Neal and Mary (Cope) (Cronk) Neal / by Bernice Marsland -- The Lawrason Loyalists escape persecution by Patriots : arrived from New Jersey in 1787 / by John Lawrason Wehrstein & Jim Lawrason -- The Douma story / by Karen (DeWit) Williams -- Rudy Zimmer's family stories / by Rudy Zimmer -- She took the chance : Alva Forsyth's story / as told to Elaine Cougler -- Learn from the past : Bill Shaw's story / as told to Elaine Cougler -- Watch Canada grow : the Evans family experience / by Janet Snider (nee Evans) -- From Carrickfergus to Canada : an Irish story of ship builders & their dream for a better life / by Peter Johnston -- A Dutch boy's war story / as told to Elaine Cougler by Arnold VanWinden -- The IOU / by Trudy Cloudt.