As a college student at Valparaiso University, I met a warm-hearted, hard-working, and generous friend who came from Damascus, Syria.  After college, we lost touch, but I thought about him often as the uprising and war in Syria became staples of our news.  His laugh and smile put a human face on the suffering I heard about, and I only hoped he was safe.  Two years ago, I found out that he was able to come back to Indiana and become a productive member of our society.  He is a father, a son, a friend, a Hoosier, and yes, a Muslim.  When I heard Governor Pence announce on Nov. 16, 2015 that refugees like my friend were not welcome in Indiana, my heart sank.  As a Christian, I know that Jesus calls us to "welcome in the stranger."  Our Hoosier values include family and community; how can we turn our backs on families in need?  How can we close our communities and our eyes to the suffering of the Syrian refugees like my friend?  If we abandon the refugees, then Daesh and Assad have won; they want nothing more than an apocalyptic war of religions driven by hatred.  Help send a message to our governor and to the world; Indiana welcomes those searching for a peaceful home.  With over 4 million refugees having left Syria, the U.S. has accepted merely 1,500 thus far and plans to welcome in 10,000 throughout the next year.  We need to do more.  Our community is more than big enough.  Representatives McNamara and Riecken, Governor Pence, I urge you to open our Hoosier home to those in need.