Michigan, USA - In a few more days Chaldeans will be able to enjoy a unique, high-energy water sports festival for the Summer of 2008.  Chaldeans in southeast Michigan are eagerly looking forward to the APBA Inboard Hydroplane Races in Oakland County.  “My whole family is going to be there,” says Abraham Sandeha of Novi.  The 15 year old teenager has been on water skis since the age of nine says his mother.  The event will take place between White Lake and Waterford townships at the Pontiac Lake State Recreation Area. 

Chaldeans attending the event will be treated to high-speed excitement of professional hydroplane boat races, the 2008 event will also feature one of the premier international waterski and wakeboard competitions…the Malibu Open. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the Malibu Open features the top slalom skiers, jumpers and wakeboarders in the world. The Malibu Open has traditionally been the event where major world records have been set in seven of the nine years.

California, USA – Chaldeans living in Detroit, Michigan may feel they are close to the heart of the automotive world.  If that is the case, then Chaldeans in El Cajon, California would rightly consider themselves the lungs; breathing air back into the passion of classic car ownership. 

For Jason Jarboe classic cars has been a passion since he sat in his father’s lap and held on a steering wheel. “My dad and I would watch the dream cruise every year.  When our family moved to California I was bummed out.  So instead of mope about missing cars I would hang out with friends and supe-up classic cars.  All the different auto shops formed a small network and together with other we pushed to start a car cruise in Cajon”

Michigan, USA - Mother’s Day began as a day to unite parents to improve the world for future generations.  The bond between mother and daughter is especially strong in the Chaldean community.  Chaldean mother and daughters are finding a very unique blend of mother-daughter moments. 

“I love mother’s day.” Says Athra Yakoo, a mother of three Chaldean young ladies and two teenage girls.  “I am so blessed with my daughters.  They are educated, respectful, and religious.  They give our family a very good reputation and make us very happy.”

The challenges Chaldean families face in Europe and America remain a top priority for Chaldean churches. Chaldean churches have focused on offering compelling sermons, lectures, and community wide events to strengthen and warn Chaldean families of growing cultural dangers in their host countries tearing at the family. Joining the call is the Ladies Social Group of Our Lady of Chaldean Cathedral, Mother of God Church in Southfield, Michigan. The group hosts an annual dinner to celebrate the loving bond between mother and daughter as well as organizes prayer breakfasts and outings for mothers and their daughters.  

This year the group held their 2008 Mother / Daughter Fashion Show Gala bringing nearly 700 women together to celebrate the importance of motherhood.  The feature rich event included dinner, three fashion shows, live entertainment, a crowd of vendors, silent auction, raffle prizes, and gifts. 

{Must be a registered member of www.chaldean.org to view the photos of the 2008 Mother / Daughter Fashion Show Gala}

California, USA  – “I am very excited and my entire family is ready,” says Nick Siman, San Diego County Fair’s self proclaimed biggest fan.   Over a million residents will be joining Siman as “the greatest indoor-outdoor show on Earth” opens their doors.

The San Diego County Fair opens Saturday, a 21-day extravaganza that costs nearly $140 million to put together. The 360-acre fairground was a disaster-relief center for horses and people evacuated during the October 2007 wildfires.

In a few short days, Chaldeans by the thousands will join the millions of other guest and flock to the sports themed fair.  Pop stars, celebrities, and professional athletes will be freely mingling with the crowd, signing autographs, and performing.  An estimated 1,600 entertainment acts will let the good times roll on nine stages.

Michigan, USA – The season anticipated match-up of the best Chaldean basketball players under the age of eighteen squared off in Royal Oak, Michigan.  An intense ten weeks of competition, stunning play, and exciting action have led to the Chaldean Basketball final four in Michigan.  Yesterday’s playoff matches narrows the teams in Chaldean Church Sports League 2008 Basketball Championships down to the best two teams in the Chaldean Diocese located in Michigan.  The Chaldean Catholic diocese covers the eastern United States and brought together the best Chaldean basketball talent under the age of eighteen.

Michigan, USA - Mother of God Chaldean Catholic Church in Southfield, Michigan holds there 3rd annual Mother & Daughter Fashion Show Dinner Extravaganza.  “We want to celebrate the value and bond between mothers and daughters,” says Nadira Kannu, event chairwoman and Mother of God parish council member.  “All communities and cultures rest in the hands of mothers and daughters.  They sacrifice so much for their family and community.  They guide us and give us hope.  It is only fitting that we acknowledge how much we love them.”

Organizers of the event are also seeking nominations for the "Mother of the Year" essay contest.  Their theme this year is "Mama, No One Can Take Your Place". Writers can nominate any special ‘mother’ in their life including their own mother, grandmother, mother-in-law, sister, sister-in-law, aunt, niece or a friend.

Michigan, USA – “It appears Sterling Heights is a hot bed for budding young artists and recycling craftsmen,” Macomb County Public Works Commissioner Anthony Marrocco said.  Each year the county holds an environmental calendar drawing contest to promote environmental preservation.

All the artists who submitted art work should be proud Marrocco commented. “These were excellent drawings. The judging was very difficult again this year because the entries from across the county were exceptional.”   The winning calendar entries for the 2008 environmental calendar were selected from a field of 700 entries across Macomb County.  Surprising the judges was Ivan Kesto, an inspirational third grade elementary school artist from Sterling Heights. 

Michigan, USA - Below zero cold weather in Royal Oak, Michigan, could not stop over 500 Chaldeans as they gathered to jump-off the Chaldean Church Sports League 2008 indoor basketball season.  Six Chaldean churches in Michigan, each hosting three divisions of players, came together to prove their basketball skills. 

Hundreds of friends and family members cheered their teams on to victory as athletes sprinted down court, jammed jumpers, and popped threes from the outside.  The league is made-up of women 15-18, boys 11-14, and men 15-18 from the six Chaldean churches of southeast Michigan. 

“It was jammed packed!  I never saw so many Chaldeans in one place,” says Kenny Bajoka excitedly.  “You couldn’t move.  It was loud and exciting.  The women were great and the battle between the Twin Tigers and Dragon Slayers was deep.  I am real happy I came to watch.”

The women’s 15-18 division did provide a show for the fans.  Many underestimated the skill and focus of the Mar Addai Healers and the St. Joseph Protectors.  The see-saw competition kept fans jumping to their feet screaming for their teams.  In the end, the one point difference placed the lady Healers into the win column. 

(Registration on www.CHALDEAN.org is free and required to view the nearly 250 photos of the CCSL’s Basketball League Game 1 matches.) 

Michigan, USA - The cold winter months in Michigan may keep some Chaldeans indoor and lazily lounging around.  That is not the case for over two hundred Chaldeans that gathered at the Salter Gymnasium in Royal Oak, Michigan.  The large group of Chaldean men and women came out in large numbers for the first of three open sessions for the Chaldean under 18 open basketball tournament. 

The tournament organized and hosted by the Chaldean Church Sports League (CCSL) of Michigan returns after financing a very successful flag football and volleyball youth tournament.  This year the CCSL brings the Chaldean community both boys and girls basketball for both Chaldean boys and girls age 11-14 and 15 -18. 

The CCSL hold their next tryouts this Sunday, January 13 at 2:30 p.m. at the Slater Gymnasium located at 10 and half and Campbell in Royal Oak, Michigan.  Tryouts are open to all Chaldeans between the ages of 11-18.  “Chaldeans just need to show-up at the gym.  We have coordinators there to get them registered, go over the rules, get forms signed, and get them on the court to show their stuff,” says Brenda Kouza, CCSL administrative assistant. 

Michigan, USA - The community’s best flag football athletes took to the grid iron this past week.  The Chaldean Football League’s 27th Chy Cup championship brought out the best.  The championship game featured the league’s two best teams pitting Anthony Toma’s 8-2 Red team vs. Bobby Semaan’s 9-1 Green team. In a long awaited rematch the two teams faced one another under the lights of Groves stadium in Michigan. 

Michigan, USA – The Camp Chaldean open house brought thousands of community members out into the fresh October air.  Some Chaldeans traveled for three hours to join the tour and share in the celebration of new of the community campground. 

“We worked very hard to get the property ready for the camp open house,” says Adil Kallabat, Camp Chaldean president. “We had crews working around the clock for nearly a month making repairs, cleaning, landscaping, and decorating the buildings.”

Chaldean diocese volunteers came together to offer community tours of the camp property and answer any of their questions.  Nearly ten bus loads of people left from church parking lots to the campground. 

(Must be a registered member of www.CHALDEAN.org to view the photo albums.  Registration is free and begins by selecting the register link in the upper right-hand corner.)

Michigan, USA - Over 10,000 Chaldeans visited the two day summer Chaldean music festival.  The event was hosted by Mother of God Chaldean Church of Southfield, Michigan, and featured some of the community’s top singers and bands.  “This was the best festival I have been to all year,” said James Hakim of Sterling Heights. “They had everything.  Games for kids, dancing, great music, excellent food and snacks, everyone was so helpful and nice.”

Hakim’s sentiments were widely shared as nearly 10,000 Chaldeans enjoyed the fair weathered weekend.  Opening Saturday, the sun sat hidden behind some gloomy clouds at first.   However, D.J. Imad Koki kept spirits high and coaxed the sun out with his excellent mix and play of traditional Chaldean songs.  By mid afternoon the sun shined brightly and the crowds began to merge.  The enticing harmonies combined to transform Mother of God Chaldean church’s campus into the old time village celebrations Chaldeans long remembered.

[This article features five photo albums and an event program PDF download.  Visitors must be registered members of the site to access the additional resources.]

California, USA - "My village was burned in 1961 with an act they called “Ethnic Cleansing.” I was 2 years old at that time when both my father and mother witnessed the event. There will always be that clear picture of us running and hiding to survive etched into our memories," by Paul Batou.

Paul Batou, releases his new book titled My Last Thoughts About Iraq; a compilation and collection of my memories as an artist. His work, contained within the passionate pages of his latest musings, capture his reactions to the suffering and the Sadness which Has Plagued Mesopotamia.

As a gift, Batou has released one of his famed poems as a tribute to the suffering endured by those harmed by the September 11 bombing and those impacted by the pain Iraq has long suffered. 

Southfield, MICHIGAN - The Chaldean Church Sports League ended their summer season with electrifying excitement.  After the playoff games the best church teams in girls’ volleyball and boys flag football faced one another.  In the girls’ volleyball division, the Mother of God Guardian Angels played the St. Thomas Twin Tigers.  In the boys flag football division the St. Joseph Protectors took on the St. Thomas Twin Tigers. 

The championship volleyball game began first.  Both Mother of God and St. Thomas entered the sand court with stern determination.  Each team brought with them a cheering squad in the hundreds. 

(To view photos you must be a registered member of www.CHALDEAN.org.)