Do not give up!

Life gets harder as you go on 
and no one doubts that life is not long 
but just remember that no matter how dark it gets 
not to give up even a little bit 
its hard to go on i know its true 
and sometimes you cant get through the blue 
but always understand why i write thing like this like this 
because i hate to see the things that i miss 
so dont go down the road like you did
because you are the only one you have to be 
you get one shot in this life 
and sometimes there is nothing more tempting then a knife 
but always believe that some dont want to see you go 
so I hope with this you will know 
that giving up is not worth it 
no matter how many times you put up with miss 
and if someone stabs you in the back 

be glad you didn't get stabbed in the chest.

— by Waliullah Khan

Marjeela Basij-Rasikh's story, Middlebury, Nov. 4

"Connecting the Stories" is an opportunity to hear poems and stories from the strong women of our diverse Muslim community. These stories originate in places from Afghanistan (Afghan Women's Writing Project) to right here in Middlebury, Vermont.

Some stories might make you laugh, others will effortlessly leave you in tears... This is truly an unprecedented event at Middlebury College. These strong women will be sharing their unique experiences right here.

Please join us for an evening bound to open your eyes, and our own, to the paths, lives and struggles of these courageous women. Be prepared to be surprised, inspired and enlightened!

Come hear their stories.

Brought to you by the Islamic Society of Middlebury College and the Chellis House.

Shabana Basij-Rasikh at TEDx Middlebury, Nov. 5

SOLA's head of school, Shabana Basij-Rasikh, ‘11, speaks on "Risks on the Path Least Traveled" at a TED event tomorrow at Middlebury College in Vermont.

Embracing Risk

Saturday, November 5, 2011 x Bicentennial Hall Room 216
Session 1 10:00 a.m. — noon Opening Remarks: Annie Makela x Introduction of TEDxMiddlebury: Liz Robinson Director of Project on Creativity and Innovation x TED Talk Video: Introduction x Brad Corrigan ‘96 Go and See x Ernie Parizeau P ‘12, 15 Fortune Favors the Bold x TED: John Wooden on true success x Bart Riley ‘85 One Man’s Risk is Another Man’s Reward x Adam Greenberger ‘93 Run the Risk x Lunch in the Great Hall 12:00 p.m. to 12:45 p.m.	Session 2 12:45 — 2:35 p.m. Shabana Basij-Rasikh ‘11 Risks on the Path Least Traveled x TED: JR’s Prize wish Use art to turn the world inside out x Peggy McIntosh Feeling like a Fraud x Jeffrey Blount Hope and a Prayer x Dan Choi Translation of Love x Coffee/Tea and Snacks in the Great Hall 2:35 p.m. to 2:50 p.m.	Session 3 2:50 — 4:40 p.m. Amy Kaslow Take it and Make it x Evan Lyon Risking Others Suffering Beyond Accompaniment in Global Health x TED: Jill Bolte Taylor’s stroke of insight x Jeanne Meserve ‘74 Risk and Frisk x Andrew Bartoli Embracing Risk in Peacemaking: Learning from Mozam-­ bique and Beyond x Milk and Cookies in the Great Hall 4:40 p.m. to 4:55 p.m.	Session 4 4:55 — 6:35 p.m. Bill McKibben Keep Carbon in the Ground x Phil Kaye Why We Tell Stories x TED: Mark Bezos A Life Lesson from a Volunteer Firefighter x Tim Parsons Running Away x Conor Shapiro ‘03 The Risk of Empathy x Reception at 51 Main (for speakers, volunteers, and friends of PCI) 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Cry for the Beautiful Land! by Zahra

O my beautiful land
You are again a victim of bomb blast
Again our mothers are weeping for their dear ones.
Again the children are looking to the door for their father coming.
Again your weather is cloudy.
Again your earth is covered by blood.
O my beautiful land
Today again your identity was tarnished.

Today again you lost your image of beauty.
Your children feel afraid of you.
O my beautiful country.
Are you not tired?
Is it not enough?
Yes, my beautiful land!
I am tired.
I am suffering the pains.
I am compelled to say welcome to my enemy.
O my beautiful land.
Go and call your old friends.

We are tired of your new friends.
Go and call peace.
We want peace.
We are tired of war.

A little piece on PEACE — Waliullah

And now I, too, get to say, MANY thanks, Baba Ted, for sharing your 9/11 reflections with us, and many thanks to you, dear sister Fatima, for sharing your thoughts about peace framed in a poem by an Afghan girl.

I was just 10 months old when we left for Pakistan as refugees. We returned after spending about nine years in refugee land at the time when the Taliban's severe regime was defeated. Still we had war to the north of Kabul (in my district and around it). On that very first day, I lost two of my uncles, one after the other. I held onto my thoughts of that unforgettable day and later on I wrote a story about that day.

I have this little piece (a combination of two poems) and would like to share it with YOU ALL.

(PEACE):

The hated evening, it was very hot;
I thought everything is dying even God.
The moon was sighing, whole stars were crying,
I did both because I thought hopes are dying.

It was when grandma couldn’t see me anymore,
The war gave her blind eyes.
We came from burying one uncle who was shot.
The other was dying, the whole village was crying.
The war gave him shrapnel in his head.

Village was crying because everything was dying.
Blood was oozing from the black trees and walls.
It was blood trickling in the streams.
I buried two beloveds that evening.
AND it was just my first night in my village.

I thought, I am home in a stranger’s home-
I yelled: “God!!! What is it?”
Somebody said the world is an orphan in a parent’s life.
Father is in a cage, mother is caged, and the guardian is in prison.
The beloved dove of PEACE was in prison…

I shouted: hey, white dove, hang on in the cage!
I am coming for you! Wali is coming for you!
Everyone, not only me, is coming for you!
Hey, white dove, we will free you from that cage!

When I was coming toward you barefoot,
For my bloody feet, covered feet were crying,
But it is this love thing in you;
Which made me crawl toward you.

You are nothing but a (P)OINT and (E)ASE to everything,
An (A)ROMA with (C)ERTAIN (E)NORMOUSNESS for life.

You are the only missing, lost and absent thing.
East is crying, West is crying—
South is crying, North is crying; we can’t see you dying.
We are trying to get you out of the cage,
I am trying and we are trying.

Poem about PEACE — Fatima

Thank you, Baba Ted, for sharing this 9/11 reflections with all of us.

I enthusiastically want to share one of my poems about PEACE that my lovely host mom give me the courage to  write. Thank you so much, mom :)

Peace!

It was a sweet dream only
When I was small, I was dreaming
When I become younger
The war will be finished
The children will not be orphans
The women will not be widows
The villages will not be desolate

I was dreaming, when I become younger
The world will be full of love
The world will be full of colors
The world will be big enough for all beings
The world will be without limits.

I was dreaming, when I become younger
They will not hang any liberal person
They will not stone any singer
They will not burn any woman
They will not break any pen
BUT.....

I became young when you were not here
Every night, I am counting the missile movements
Every day, I am hearing the cry of the poor
Every moment, I am seeing ruined places
You are not still here to see
The world become smaller and as dark as coffins
There is no color for me to draw my dreams
The hearts are cold and useless

I am still without you
I am victim because of having this active tongue
I am victim because of being an Afghan Girl
I am victim because of being

I just heard, if you come one day, the world will change
I just heard, that there is a world by the name of peace
I just know your name
I never feel you
No problem, I am very patient person
I will wait for you and see your way

September 11 — Sabira

Let’s pray in memories of victims of 9/11 and those families who have lost their dearests and for a peaceful world!!! May all of us rest in Peace ♥

Khadija's travels — She is HERE!

Here is our dear Khadija, in her school in Hartford. I am with her now, she miss every one so much! I went to profile of all of you and showed ur picz and she just say love all of you! she has a very nice host mom (Noreen) and host sister (Mary). Both of them know sign language very well. she recognized all of you. Mina Z, you have not any pic in ur facebook profile so she just keep asking about you. and shogofa you dont have either she ask abt u too, and Husnia ur pic with her is the back ground of her Lap. She miss every one of you who are tag here and when she see ur pics she just say love you ♥  ---  Sabira

Asef Wafa,Bashir Green Wood, Ehsan Noori, Ellaha Sharifi, Fatemeh Ahmadi, Gohar Farid Noori, Freshta Basij-Rasikh, Hila Gharzai, Husnia Alokozai, Mahnaz Rezai, Marzy Nasrat, Nahid Paiman, Qasim Moradzadeh, Rona Kabiri, Sana Seerat, Shabana Basij-Rasikh, Shugufa Basij Rasikh, and Soraya Afzali like this.

---

Sabira Moradi She is a very Bright, incridible and wonderful young lady! many many Thanks to Ted Achilles who made her dreams come true.

Mahnaz Rezai ‎:) I am happy u r with her. Enjoy your time. Say hi to her

Sabira Moradi Tnx Mahnaz jan, sure I will say hi to her:)

Fatima Arab Soo glad that finally she made it! m very excited for her future and all the best to her. I miss her too :(, hope we'll see each other soon... ♥

Fatemeh Ahmadi wow :) im glad she's finally there studying and itz great you are with her. tell her i love her and miss her as well ♥ and hope to see her soon :)

Paula Widmer What is the story here? it sounds like it must be wonderful!

Husnia Alokozai Awww, that is where I wanted to see her. Write her in a piece of paper that Husnia loves you! I want to Skype with her soon!!!

Ellaha Sharifi oh my god so glad to see this! :)

Shogofa Amini soooo happy to see her here I hope see her soon loveee you Khadija ♥

Sabira Moradi Thank you all, I say ur masseges to her and she loves you all too and is happy now:))

Zahra Arabzada WOW, she look so nice, I miss her, say my regard with love to khadija ♥

Paul R. Desautels She is so lucky to have a friend like you with her.

Gohar Farid Noori ‎'m very glad to hear and see that finally she got in the US

Anita Haidary Thank you Sabira qand, so glad to see her. love her too. hugss to her :)

Tom Toomey great picture. I met this little girl last week and heard that she was going to the US for school. Good luck to her

Gohar Farid Noori yes Tom! Good luck to her! She is cute and she deserved to go...:)

Meena Yousufzai my princess khadija!

 

Abdul Qudos Amini wow khadija really you are a lucky girl

---

How I wish I had a camera.  I'd love to send you a photo of her smile as she spelled out HUSNIA LOVES KHADIJA JAN.    We are off in a couple of hours to take her to Noreen's home and maybe she'll get a chance to watch the ASD graduation this afternoon.
More later and as always, Husnia Jan, thanks for all you did to make this day possible for our gal Khadija.  ---  BT

---

Awww that is so Sweet. Please write her that
" HUSNIA Loves You Khadija Jan. "
 I miss her so much, I wish there was a way to meet her.  ---  Husnia

---

    SHE BROUGHT ME SCRABBLE TILES THAT SAID, HUSNIA LOVE YOU  JAN
    FROM KHADIJA

Khadija is loving her scrabble - spelling out Husnia / Meena twice / Sabira / Maria and Carmen / Susan and Ted -  and doing almost all of it by herself.   She just came back with HUSNIA LOVE YOU JAN (all by herself.)  ---  Ted

---

And let me add - thank you Husnia!

You did an amazing job of supporting and working with Khadija this past year. I am so impressed with how you taught yourself ASL, then taught Khadija. I had not seen her for almost one year and it was obvious that her language and math skills had improved. When I saw you two a couple weeks ago, it was so cool to see Khadija carrying out addition in her head during that game we were playing. I remember when we just started working with her with the beans.

I have not seen the picture yet because am in Kapisa on slow internet and it is still in the process of opening - may be opened by tomorrow ;) but I am sure it is adorable :)

ok big hugs and hope to see you both very soon here or there...  --- Maria W.

---

Dear All,

Thank you for all your kindness and support for Khadija.  I appreciate every effort of yours made for Khadija's better future. 

Today a new chapter begun in her life and this will take her where she could only imagine being in Afghanistan.  

Thank you for bringing such a valuable change in Khadija's  life!

Mr. Ted- Thank you for everything for Khadija.

Appreciate you all!  --- Husnia 

P.S. Attached a picture from Dubai airport. :)

---

Soooo excited to hear from you!  I shall tell my donors about our little Khadija.  It was not only my SONS OF ITALY LODGE who so graciously donated, but also, my three societies at church, the Sodality of the Blessed Virgin Mary at my church (St. Leo's in Little Italy); my friends, relatives, and when I would win a 50/50 raffle or the football pool or get tips for serving dinners at my church and my lodge, etc., etc.; even my dentist sent me  a heck for her.  I just received another check for $50 from my aunt. I shall send that, too.  I would just carry fliers around with me all the time and tell people about her.   I've raised $1,755 so far! I am so excited! :-)  I am so pleased that my daughter, Maria, got her started into learning sign language; that was such a blessing!  She'll do fine! 

Please keep me posted!  Love, Sadie W., mother of Maria W.

---

Our gal is holding up remarkably well / was distressed when I caught up to her at Dulles, got lots of kindly hugs from the gals at the info center at United but was still barely holding back the tears then along came a new Maria - copies here who signs and her daughter Carmen.

It took them all of about two minutes to bring out Khadija's ever so welcome and memorable smile.  Next thing - the three of them were off "shopping" and Khadija came back with a coloring book, crayons, a bottle of water, AND scrabble.   Next thing you know Maria was signing a letter - Khadija would find it - and she spelled out baby and headband and ....   what fun to watch -  these little bits of "random kindness"   that can mean so very, very much in the life of a child or any of us.   The gals at United were very, very impressed and did some good stuff for Carmen and her Mom re Mileage Plus. 

Khadija's first and formost ASL teacher was Maria W., whose Mom, Sadie, was responsible for raising most of the travel money that got her here and up to Providence.   Sadie found "her market for support for Khadija" at the Sons of Italy club in the Baltimore area.   Wow.  ---  Ted

Afghan Women's Writing Project and SOLA share stories with American audiences

From a performance at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne on April 9, 2011

SOLA and the Indiana Center for Middle East Peace cosponsored an event featuring the work of several writers in the Afghan Women's Writing Project at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne. IPFW Women's Studies students along with Sana and Meena presented a dramatic recreation of a gathering of students at SOLA-School of Leadership, Afghanistan. Music from Dr. Louise Pascale's Afghan Children's Songbook was also used in the presentation.

Here are some of the essays that were read. These videos are available on Youtube:

Women arriving at SOLA to share their work from the Afghan Women's

Writing Project 

The Book song from the Afghan Children's Songbook

Always in my heart by Sana S, read by the author

I am an Afghan woman by Safia

Victim of Male Domination by Shafiqa

The Secret of the Hidden Library by Fariba

Candle by Meena M.

henna by Sana S.

Khadija is coming!

Maria — Ellaha — Shogofa — Masha — Mina — Maryam — Sabira — Maria — Narvan — Ali — Fatemeh — Farida — Fatima like this.
Rian She's coming, she's coming, she's really coming! Khadija will arrive in April with Mr. Ted! She has the undeniably wonderful American School for the Deaf in West Hartford, CT waiting for her; absolutely wonderful host family prospects; AND a most wonderful offer to all her many great Afghan sisters to stay at a house next door for weekends!
Sabira wow I can not wait to see our Khadija here! she is absolutely wonderful, she speaks from heart with you. there is no doubt that u could not communicate with her. she is so sweet ♥
Bibimah ohhh nice, you are happy what about us here, we will miss her alot.
Sabira I know Elnaz jan bt her eduction and her being independent is so important she should hv a good education to be independent in the future!
Bibimah we can deal with her absence, but she is always in every one's heart, bestt wishes for her
Shogofa WOWOW can't wait to see her lovely Khadija soooo happy for her come sooon dear...miss you really... Rian Sabira and Shogofa, we are trying so hard to have you both at the airport to meet her when she arrives next month! Can you imagine her happiness? Shogofa, we will make all those plans when you come here tomorrow. Can't wait to see YOU!!! ヅ
Shabana I am so happy to hear about Khadija! I am so happy. You have no idea! It made my day! Thanks!
Maryam I am extremely happy that finally she is able to come here. I am so proud of you Khadijah jan, Thank you Ms. Smith for sharing this wonderful news with us.
Robin I wish she could come to Nebraska.
Fatima I wish all the best with her;she is very kind.
Fatima I enjoyed spending every minute with her. she definitely has a bright future, and hope to see her in US. All the best to her. Love and miss you Khadija Jan ♥
Mina OH MY GOOODNESSSS..... WOW.... I can't wait to see Khadija!!! I am so happy for her.... XXXXOOOOO
Yagana Excellent news.
Wazhma Hello Rian - are you still looking for a host family for Khadija in West Hartford. Please let me know. Thanks.

Meena Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Narvan Yes she is so nice.
Rian Teachers from the American School for the Deaf offered to open their doors to Khadija this week; that is what made her journey to the U.S. no longer just a dream. The extreme need now is for funds, especially over the next four months. For ...although the school has met us well over halfway, it is very expensive. If anyone has ideas about groups, perhaps high schools, for example, that might find Khadija's education something they wish to help support, please let us know. Would any of you who are likely to come visit her this spring be willing to meet with student groups in Hartford? This would be one way you could continue to help make the world unfold for your Khadija!See More
Fatemeh OMG..... I can't say how happy I am to hear such great news. Khadija deserves all this ♥
Sana OMG! I am so happy:) I cant wait to see her♥ i love you khadija jan and misssssss you ssoooooooo muchhhhh
Husnia OMG! I didn't know this! Khadija is in Mazar- Sharfi, can't wait to see her and give her this great News. Thank you Rian for everything!