Gaza Aid Convoy Update #1

Alhamdulillah, the SARA Gaza Aid Convoy have now reached the Kenyan - Ethiopian border and they hope to cross over into Ethiopia tomorrow :) They are currently 2721km from the Rafah border, InshAllah.


My recent bbm conversation with my cousin:
The Good:

The Bad:

And the Ugly:

Please remember the team in your Du'as.You can receive updates by following them on facebook.
Wasalaam :)
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

From the airport

So I'm finally on Holiday :) somewhat strange coz it's only 2weeks this year- damn, I'm going to miss my usual 6weeks.

I'm currently @ the OR Tambo Int airport, 3/4 done with my 5hour wait until my next connecting flight to DURBAN :D chilling @ a busy airport is not the worst thing ever. After doodling around the shops here, I entertained myself for over an hour @ the upper level of International arrivals. I find it rather amusing to watch different people's reactions as they see their loved ones.
* the man with the red jacket that seemed totally lost
*the two men that were undoubtedly father & son by token of their precisely similar gait
* the Indian family that were typically overloaded with luggage
* the man of IndoPak origin that looked like he was walking in the wrong direction. I hope he wasn't looking for departures!
*the sports team that came from somewhere, sorry I don't know players that well so I was unable to recognise any1
* the lady that sat behind and performed Salaah (love this)
* the Muslim brother that applied Itr for another Muslim brother
* And of course trying to assign nationalities to everyone

It was great to have this bird's eye view of soo many different people. Different shapes, different sizes, different colours, different dress styles. Some walking aimlessly, some with stiff tired legs, others almost running... Ay, I'm having fun
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an extract from Mornings in Jenin

"Thank you" I answered, unsure of the proper American response to her gracious enthusiasm. In the Arab world, gratitude is a language unto itself, "May Allah bless the hands that give me this gift"; "Beauty is in your eyes that find me pretty"; "May God extend your life"; "May Allah never deny your prayer"; "May the next meal you cook for us be in celebration of your son's wedding...of your daughter's graduation...your mother's recovery"; and so on, an infinite string of prayerful appreciation. Coming from such a culture, I have always found a mere "thank you" an insufficient expression that makes my voice sound miserly and ungrateful.

Susan Abulhawa, Author of Mornings in Jenin.