Life in a Palestinian refugee camp is filled with poverty, and hopeless frustration at the best of times-and 2001 is far from the best of times. Muhammad, already scarred by violence and tragedy, is plunged into depression when the frequent curfews make it impossible for him to find work. He can no longer face the thought of crossing the military checkpoint, but all available jobs are on the other side. His inability to provide for his family drives him to despair. He decides to spend the only coin remaining to him-his life.About the Author: Dixiane Hallaj spent eleven years living and working in Jordan and Palestine. She learned more than the Arabic language by sitting in the kitchens and listening to the women's stories of their experiences as refugees. She also learned to love the culture, the people, and their strong sense of family. She returned to Palestine to do research within the refugee camps of the Occupied West Bank for her award-winning doctoral dissertation, Caught by Culture and Conflict. Visit her website http: //www.hallajs.com to learn more.