On Saturday, May 12, Iraqis casted their votes for the nation’s fourth election since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. In the days prior to the election, on May 10 and on May 11, Iraqis living outside of the nation had the opportunity to vote. Shoki Konja of Franklin, Michigan, and Director of the Chaldean Voice Radio, was one of those people. He voted in Warren, Michigan at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Chaldean Church. “It was an incredible, exhilarating feeling to be able to vote in this election and to have some sort of say in the process. My stained finger is proof that there is hope for Iraq,” said Konja.
Read MoreIn May, Shamasha Khairy Mikha Foumia published his seventh book, Catalogue Manuscripts of the Church in Telkeppe (540 pages), written in Aramaic and Arabic, which describes the 240 manuscripts he found in the library of the church of Telkeppe. He started this project nearly 30 years ago, in 1989. Born in Telkeppe, Foumia lived in Baghdad in his later years. Because his parents and other relatives still lived in Telkeppe, he and his family would visit there during the holidays and in the summertime.
Read MoreEd Babbie of Farmington Hills noticed a glaring need in his community. He saw fathers not getting as involved in school events and school related activities with their children, and he decided to make a plan and do something to change that.
Read More“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted,” Matthew 5:4
As we honor mothers in the month of May, we asked some of our moms to share with us the stories of the children they have lost. It is with courage, they pen these pieces.
Ashton was a very happy, healthy, and vibrant 6-year-old boy. He loved to dance and sing and make everyone laugh. His favorite thing to do was be silly with his twin brother, Adam, and he idolized his older sister, Emily. He gave the BEST hugs and kisses and his smile would instantly light up a room. We should have known he was too special to stay on earth for too long.
Read MoreThe most difficult part of losing a child is the emptiness. Even though I was blessed with three other children, at the time I needed my baby in my arms. I couldn’t sleep for years haunted by the thought of never being able to hold my angel again.
Read MoreOur daughter’s name is Lillian Rita Antiwan. She loved to dance, act silly, play with her older brother Anthony who she loved very much, play wrestle with her dad who was obsessed with her and most of all she loved to eat!
Read MoreBorn on March 28, 2005, my son Matthew Shounia was a healthy baby, which is why it came as a surprise to us when he got very sick. Shortly after becoming sick, he was diagnosed with Wilms, a rare childhood cancer.
Matthew never had any kidney issues and was born a perfect healthy baby boy. There really is no explanation as to how he got so sick, so fast.
Read MoreA child is a precious gift from God. As a mother you will do anything and everything for your precious children. When they are sick you try to make them feel better; when they are sad you want to make them happy; when they are in pain you want to take their pain away. You will do everything to protect your children.
Read MoreA wife who loses a husband is called a widow. A husband who loses a wife is called a widower. A child who loses his parents is called an orphan. But...there is no word for a parent who loses a child; that’s how awful the loss is. It would be much easier to deal with losing an arm, easier to lose both of your legs, even easier to live without your sight. Anything would be easier than living without your very own flesh and blood and the heart-beating life that you brought into this world. The immense pain of burying the child you labored and birthed is unimaginable. You gave birth to life as a promise to the future. This is the child you fed within your body and loved with your soul. This is the child who loved you with her whole heart and whom you loved with all of yours.
Read MoreWe are presenting for the first time our Future 5. Every year we hope to highlight exceptional members of the community younger than 35 who are proving to be leaders in their respective fields. We asked you, our readers, to nominate and these are the first five we have picked.
Read MoreOn the second-year anniversary of the Grieving Through Hope and Faith support group, John and Ann Mansour gave their testimony about their beloved children Alexander and Gabrielle who lost their lives in a boating accident nearly five years ago. They formed this group in conjunction with the Chaldean Sisters and others to help those who lost a loved one. The testimony was at the Chaldean Sisters Convent in Farmington Hills on Friday, April 13.
Read MoreRita lived a normal life in Iraq as a Muslim girl until one night, at age 18, she had a mystical dream. She saw herself walking in a green field surrounded by green trees. She reached an old but extraordinarily beautiful clay house and knocked on its brown wooden door. A graceful man dressed in priest clothing opened the door and welcomed her inside where she saw a lovely lady lying on the bed. She also welcomed her in the most joyous manner. Rita asked them, “Who are you?”
Read MoreWith a beach area, water activities and planned programs, Chaldean kids and others will soon be able to enjoy a camping trip right in Southeast Michigan. Camp Chaldean is being revamped and rebranded. Tying into the Feast Day and the new name for the site, Our Lady of the Fields Camp and Retreat Center is set to open around May 15, the Chaldean Feast Day for our Lady
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While she is a real estate powerhouse today, Renee Lossia Acho has not always been involved in this industry. In fact, Acho’s first career was in education. The lifelong Michigan resident graduated from Mercy High School and earned her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan. It was from there that Acho started her career in the Farmington School District, all the while working on her Master’s degree in education.
Read MoreWhen hundred of Iraqi nationals throughout metro Detroit were rounded up in raids carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in June of last year, the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan (ACLU) did not hesitate to step in. Immediately following the raids, the ACLU filed a class action lawsuit, arguing that not only those being targeted by ICE should have the right to petition for asylum.
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Congressman Sander Levin and his family have had a long-standing relationship with many members of the Chaldean community that spans decades. “In the late 1960s, my late-wife Vickie and I with our kids went on vacation with a Chaldean family and had an unbelievable time,” he recalled. “That same family insisted we have dinner with them. I have never had such warm reception which is more important than the food but the food was amazing; I wasn’t able to eat for a couple days. We became very close to the community. I have photos with various clergy that date back 50 years.”
Read MoreAs churches work to find new and exciting ways to attract young people, The Eastern Catholic Re-Evangelization Center (ECRC) might have what looks like a winning a combination: music and meditation, led by a contemporary band on a Friday night…and only for an hour.
Read MoreA newly formed branch of the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce, the Chaldean Women’s Committee recently had its first networking event. The Women’s Forum, moderated by Vanessa Denha Garmo, was a panel of four highly-successful Chaldean women discussing some of the most pressing issues for women pursuing careers.
Read MoreFollowing nearly seven months of chaos and uncertainty, Iraqi nationals detained by ICE throughout the nation breathed a sigh of relief as Judge Mark Goldsmith issued an order on Tuesday, January 2, that stated those detained for six months or more, had the right to a bond hearing.
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