She does not know why they are fighting in the Holy Land halfway across the world, or even exactly who is fighting. In the impoverished northeast of Thailand, past cassava fields and cows dozing in the heat, Watsana Yojampa has her son’s new house almost ready for his return. There is a room for his daughter, soon to be painted purple because that’s her favorite hue of Care Bear. On Oct. 6, Ms. Watsana showed him tile options for the bathroom over a video call. He was very particular about his “modern house” and promised to get back to her on his preferred shade of gray, she said.

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Persons: Yojampa, Anucha Angkaew, Watsana Locations: Holy, Thailand, Israel