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}

Michigan, USA - The Chaldean American Association of Health Professionals (CAAHP) will be sponsoring a Chaldean Community Health ‘O Rama on Sunday, June 8th, 2008 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the afternoon.  The health fair will be held in the Mother of God Church, Southfield community hall and is open to the entire community. 

The event will feature physicians, medical specialists, the American Red Cross, and other related health professionals offering free health consultation, screening, and testing services to the community. 

High school and college students interested in health careers in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, physical therapy, or health administration are invited to volunteer for the event.  “This is a wonderful opportunity for both high school and college students to network with health professionals and pharmaceutical companies,” says Robert Kakos, assistant coordinator of the event.  “To gain admission to medical or dental school, or a quality health program; students will need to demonstrate community involvement and secure recommendation letters.  Volunteering at this event will go far in helping students reach their dreams.”

Michigan, USA – The Chaldean Community Workshop and Mother of God Church hold a special session on Emergency Disaster Preparation for the Chaldean community.  The event takes place this Wednesday, May 21st, 2008 from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the church hall located on Berg Rd., just east of Telegraph and north of ten mile.  The event is free to the entire community and the workshop will be taught in English, Arabic, and Aramaic. 

Michigan State Police along with Southfield Emergency Management will be conducting the workshop and offering Emergency Disaster Kits (EDK). 

“In case of emergency, Chaldeans need to take the necessary precautions to protect yourself, your family and property,” says Abraham Haddad, Chaldean Community Workshop organizer. “Disaster can strike without warning forcing Chaldean families to evacuate their business, neighborhood or in some cases confine us to our home.  Preparing in advance by learning what hazards may affect our community and learning about how to deal with these hazards is an important part of emergency preparedness.”

The course will cover the basics and offer Chaldeans an opportunity to share cultural concerns as it relates to emergency preparation.  

For those unable to attend the Chaldean Community Workshop offers the following information:

Michgian, USA - The Chaldean Federation of America (CFA) with supporting coordination from the Chaldean American Student Association (CASA) will be hosting the 26th Annual Chaldean Commencement and Gala Party.  The Chaldean Commencement celebrates the 2007-2008 Chaldean high school and college graduates.  The event showcases the community’s top student scholars and helps raise tens of thousands of dollars in scholarship money for Chaldean students. 

The event will be held Thursday, June 12th starting at 4:00 p.m. at the Southfield Millennium Center, located on 15600 J. L. Hudson Drive in Southfield, MI. 48075.

California, USA - The El Cajon Community Development Corporation (then known as Downtown El Cajon, Inc.) has been looking for a novel way to build their downtown community.  Hoping to tap into the business creativity, entrepreneurship, and community family spirit of the Chaldean community, the organizers invite Chaldeans to join their concert series along with other residents of El Cajon.

The 13th Annual Concerts on the Green is a free weekly summer concert series featuring live music for all ages that beings Friday, May 23, 2008 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm on the Prescott Promenade in Downtown El Cajon. Opening night of the 2008 Concerts on the Green will feature the Rockabilly sounds of The Stilettos. The concerts are free to the public.  Concerts on the Green 2008 is offered every Friday evening through September 5.

Michigan, USA - Hakim Denha, Joseph Haji, Namil Karrumi, Imad Katchel, and Amir Jarjosa were honored for their faithful dedication and service to the Chaldean people.   The newly ordained men stood before the public and proclaimed their commitment to the church and community.  An overflowing crowd with standing room only stood in reverence as the Bishop of the Chaldean Diocese in Michigan presided over the ordination of the deacons.  Alongside the faithful leaders the diocese also inducted new Eucharistic ministers. 

Throughout the history of the Catholic Church, deacons have played a vital role in serving the needs of the community.

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 - “Despite bone-chilling temperatures and biting winds, Chaldeans turned out to pray and help young mothers reconsider killing their baby,” says Chaldeans-4-Life president Ban Gorges of Mar Addai Chaldean Catholic Church in Oak Park.  “Big business makes them believe that murder is a choice and scares them with doom, gloom, and hopelessness.  We are there to say there is hope, there is love, and there is an alternative to killing for convenience.”

Hope is what the Chaldean vigil group offered to mothers and single women  pressured to end the life of their unborn child.  Gorges led a group of Chaldeans to join the 40 Days for Life campaign holding prayer vigils for 40 days straight, 24 hours per day, out in front of the abortuary located in Southfield, Michigan. 

Most of what we learn about human behavior is taught by nonverbal signals. Body language is a powerful but subtle form of communication.  Learning to interpret the clues and indicators of body language will help guide you through delicate situations and help you shape better personal relationships.

Like the spoken language different cultures also have their share of unique nonverbal gestures.  In the Chaldean community various body gestures can help better understand what is being said or how someone feels.  These include gestures, body movements, facial expressions, and even vocal tone and pitch. Much of the nonverbal information we get from people comes from their eyes. This explains why it’s often hard to infer meaning from a telephone call or written words.

Since nonverbal communication—or body language—is such a natural part of our communication life and community, learning to interpret it can really improve our relationships and understanding of other people. Still, it’s an art to be treated with a degree of caution. Misinterpretation does occur and it is always best to ask questions, otherwise acting on your perceptions can have ghastly consequences.

Knowing the art of Chaldean body language or body language in general will improve communications.  Here are some interesting Chaldean body language clues that many of us all share.

Chaldean Body Language 101: Understand the Meanings of Chaldean Gestures

Ghasoon Majed and Dawood Summa, met at a Communion celebration party.  “We were both friends of the family.  The parents of the boy that received Communion had a barbeque and invited friends and family to their home.  I was a friend of the boy’s older brothers and Ghasoon was a friend of boy’s aunt,” Dawood fondly remembers. “I was around 24 and she was 20.  I kept bringing her tea so we could talk.  We must have finished two pots by ourselves.  The worst part was that we both had to use the bathroom after drinking so much tea.  The best part was that neither of us wanted to go because we enjoyed talking to one another so much.”

After several hours of conversation—and several pots of tea—Ghasoon and Dawood knew they wanted to be together. Some 20 years have passed, living in four different countries since that tea-filled talk, but when Ghasoon phones her husband to say she's on her way home, Dawood ready reply is, "I'll put the teapot on." For Ghasoon, that simple phrase, loaded with memories and meaning, tells her she is still loved by the man she fell in love with.

In America and Europe more than 40 percent of first-time marriages fail.  Chaldean couples continue to need both an understanding about what it takes to make their marriages last in Western society.  Latifa Seeba examines the latest research and studies on Marriage and shares some of the “Do’s” that Chaldean couples can use to make the journey together easier and more rewarding.