a little message from kara...

HEY MESPERS!!!

So... I'm at camp and I don't have a lot of time to write each of you back, but I just wanted to let all of you know that I've gotten and read through all of your emails and I'm getting really excited for all of you this week as you head to DC... AND!! I'm getting excited about those of you that are headed to Ohio to hang out with me a night... just so you all know... you are invited if you can make it... to my house this Saturday evening to spend the night and hang out Sunday morning and have lunch with me. My family and I have to leave for another camp on Sunday at 3, but you're welcome to stay until then. I emailed Justin directions... so anybody not coming with him that wants to show up, just shoot him and email or a phone call and he'll hook you up (Well, Mumkin Insha'allah!)

I also just want each of you to know: Stephen, Aimee, Todd, Stacy, Tabitha, Justin, Courtney, Esther, Emily, Steve, Tim, Bryce, Ruthie, Addi, Sarah Boyd, Sarah Gordon, Christina, Beth, Jami, Tiffany, Iman, Owen, Laura, Dena and Steve: I am praying for each of you and missing you so much. Sorry that I suck at returning messages and keeping in contact with all of you... I would love to, but these camps get in my way. But know that if I could I would write each of you a message just so you know I love you! So... have an incredible day... I'm praying for you and hoping to see you again real soon!!

In Christ's mighty Grip,
Kara Joy

Gaza

So I don't want to start working yet, and I just happened to be reading on the BBC and wow, there's kinda a lot going on in the Middle East the last few days...

So what do y'all think about what's happening in Gaza? Are the Palestinians there screwed, or will the Hamas takeover be beneficial for them, despite the international isolation? It seems like Hamas gets stuff done in Gaza, so will they stop fighting and do the government thing in Gaza or will it just all go to hell? And how about Mahmoud Abbas' new emergency government? They seem are the ones working for a peace agreement with Israel, but can they do it without Hamas? Especially since Hamas now controls all of Gaza

But Fatah is the one who is working with the rest of the world to try and get peace. Although, I really don't think that'll happen without Hamas. It seems to me that peace will be impossible without the leadership from both Hamas and Fatah in the talks. And so I think that despite the undemocratic nature of Abbas' emergency cabinet, it is for the best. Hopefully, they'll take the opportunity of the world's support and get some stuff done for Palestinians.

And the US lifted the embargo on the Palestinian government, so they'll be getting money. Do you think that Fatah will do good with it, or will they fall back into the trap and the cycle of corruption and not do anything with the millions and millions of dollars they're supposed to be getting?

Anyway, what are you guy's thoughts on everything??

Mumkin, let's all remember to pray for the people of Palestine, Egypt, Iraq (the US just launched a massive offensive that I suspect will have a large number of civilian casualties), Israel (for peace and wisdom) and everyone else in the Middle East, eh?

The 4th is coming up soon and I can't wait to see all of you who are coming!!!!

Salaama y'all,

Aimee

Does anyone recognize this?

Quote of the Day

U.S. options are limited in part because its role has been limited, with the President George W. Bush's administration pursuing what for the most part has been a hands-off policy toward the Palestinians. In public comments Wednesday, Tony Snow, the White House spokesman, said that the hope of averting a wider civil war remained largely in the Palestinians' hands.

"Palestinians are going to have to sort out their politics and figure out which pathway they want to pursue - the pathway toward two states living peaceably side by side or whether this sort of chaos is going to become a problem," Snow said.


Thank you Snow. (and the International Herald Tribune)

Habibis, greetings from the golden coast of Michigan. Hope all of y'alls summers are warm, sunny, relaxing, and fantastic. I've finally been able to get my fill of fishing once again and have mostly been dividing my time between that worthy pursuit, work, and time with old friends. I was wondering about this weekend in Dearborn--are any non-Michiganders planning to visit the Arab festival? Also, I have been wondering about the book club as well. I've finished Beirut to Jerusalem and it was a fantastic book and have now moved on to Company C which is quite good as well. But, I have to admit, I have never been part of a book club before and am not terribly familiar with what it entails and how that would look over the internet. But it seems like a good way to stay motivated and in touch and I want to try it out. So, two questions: 1) did you have any idea that Beirut / Lebanon was so insane (especially in the 80's, I guess)? After reading the first half of the book I was very disappointed that we weren't able to visit. And 2) What do you think about Freidman's suggested solutions at the end of the book? I know that he is much more familiar with the region but those were suggested before the second intifada. Are any of them still possible today?
Peace like a river.
Kool.

questions...

So I've got two questions:
Number one-book club? dead, alive, what?
Number two-4th of July. I think its like a wednesday, so are people planning on going before or after? Cause if i come...i need to buy a plan ticket...so i need to know, so I won't be 100% broke. Awesome.

R.I.P. Mumkin Shwayya

Mumkin died. She was really sick with parvo virus that only puppies get and she just couldn't handle it. Sorry, I guess "mumkin" will have to be put to use someplace else

Hello from the Home of Green Chile

Oh man, it was so great to hear from some of you about what your lives are like right now! Kara I'm so impressed about how your attitude is still up despite your brother not being in the band, and I hope things turn out great. I'm sure they will. How are things now? Emily, I feel like I had an actual substantial conversation with someone just from reading your post. I loved hearing how you are thinking and what changes have happened in that mind of yours. I'd love to hear more.

Well I guess I should tell "ya'll" what I'm up to here in the "Land of Enchantment" aka New Mexico. I'M PLANNING A STINKEN WEDDING! I don't think there's much more explanation needed. Man this stuff is harder than it looks. I don't know, do I want a cake topper with a "K" on top or just fresh flowers? Well then what kind of flowers do I want? Holy cow the list can go on. If you're an indecisive person, do yourself a favor and don't ever get married. Elope. Seriously. Anyhow, we just got all of our wedding invitations out a few days ago (hurray!!!!!) - about 315 at the moment. We got them printed in Ecuador, Will designed them and they're so sweet. I'll try and get a picture up soon. Oh yeah Ecuador. It was great! The jungle tour was amazing, four days just chillen in the jungle, getting bit, gliding down quiet brown waters in canoes, eating plants (seriously, one of them made our tongues feel like they had thousands of tiny needles pricking them, which apparently the Quechua natives eat to kill hunger. Don't see much of a future market for that in America..). The rest of the time was really sweet too, we took a salsa lesson one night in downtown Quito, went to some hot springs (where I got massively burnt because I guess the sun's a little closer at 11,000 feet), went to "Mitad del Mundo", the equator (not Ecuador) line, although they measured it before the invention of GPS, so the huge monument is about 100 yards off the "true" line. Well, what can ya do. They had these big signs like "N" for north, etc, and so Will and I had the BRILLIANT idea of me taking a picture next to the "S" and him taking a picture next to the "W"est, only to walk over and realize that Spanish cleverly named west "oeste", so there was a huge "O", which didn't help us much :) I'm sure you all really wanted to hear that story!

So now I'm on my way out to California (SoCal!) for two or three weeks to get my groove on! Ok, not really, actually Will and I will be looking for a place to live in August and a job for him. And he's working for the boss he had last year for some of the time. What a crazy experience, being engaged and thinking about all of these things that one has in life suddenly sharing them with another person. I'll keep ya'll updated on how things progress :) Anyhow, those in the SoCal region: WE SHOULD HANG OUT! I'm in need of some serious falafel. Speaking of which, I helped my sister drive out to Florida last week, and so I went to a Middle Eastern Cafe for some falafel and babaganoug, and it cost me like 8 bucks!! I was kinda pissed, but the guys was Lebanese and we had a great convo (not in Arabic, sorry Christina).

I love you all mucho, and it warmed my heart to hear "mumkin shwaya" being put to some good use.

Anyone else watch the Democratic Debates last night? Richardson definitely does not have my vote (even though he's my governor) as the "first thing he would do in office in the first 100 days" would be the work on the education system here. Foreign affairs has my current attention.

Not that exciting; but still...

Aimee here. So like I said it's not that exciting, but my family just got a new basset hound puppy, and I've convinced them to name her "Mumkin Shwayya". And so, mumkin will forever remain in the vocabulary of my family! Not that they remember what it means, but still. Hope y'all are doing well!

Ma'a Salaama!