AMERICA MAGAZINE — “I love your ring,” I said to the Afghan woman who sat across the table from me. “Turquoise makes the most beautiful jewelry.” My words were repeated in Farsi by the volunteer translator who sat beside us. The woman’s eyes widened a bit, and she quickly removed the ring from her finger and tried to place it in my hand. The interpreter said that she wanted to give me the ring for helping her begin her asylum application.