Chapter 1 With her little scissors Salma carefully snips off a final thread then looks at her beautiful handiwork a colorful paper lantern she learned how to make online Mama look I made this to celebrate the arrival of Ramadan She used red papers and drew little geometric designs along its edges Red for the Canadian flag and mosaic like the mosques of Damascus 1
Mama lifts up the lantern and smiles examining it in the living room light What a wonderful piece of art Salma A great way to celebrate the arrival of our holy month I based it on my own memories Salma says She remembers seeing al mesaher walking the alleyways of Damascus right before sunrise His son walked beside him sleepily holding a real lantern in his hand to light the way Al mesaher knocked on a little drum to wake people up to eat their suhour the pre fasting meal Do you think al mesaher will come to visit us in Vancouver Mama Salma asks when Mama returns the paper lantern to Salma Maybe your Baba comes here he will be your personal mesaher 3
