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Your e-mails: Stranded in Beirut
 The Esseily family of Dana Point, California, have been trying to leave Beirut for seven days. They've heard no word from the U.S. Embassy. (CNN) -- CNN.com asked readers who are attempting to evacuate from areas in the Middle East or who have family there to send us their stories. Here is a sampling of the responses, some of which have been edited: I was born in Lebanon and have lived here for most of my adult life. Not only am I living through the daily war in Beirut that you see on your TV screens, but am also living my own personal war in my head. I have been evacuated from Lebanon three times in the past, the first in 1975. My own war is the decision that I have to make in deciding whether or not I am evacuated again this time. I have made my life in Beirut, which includes my home, my career and my friends/family. The situation here has forced me to rethink not only my safety but also to look at my longer term future in terms of what will be left of Lebanon after the Israelis have finished us off completely...It makes me want to cry thinking what it is I will be staying here for when it is all over. My wife and I are currently in Beirut trying to get back home. Our embassy in Ottawa has told us that "you are trapped, there is nothing we can do, you are at war". The day before, the local Canadian embassy in Beirut told us that if we wanted to leave, we could drive to Damascus Syria. Fortunately we are staying with local residents who said don't do that, it's too dangerous. Two hours later the road was bombed. Our hosts may have saved our lives...There are over 50,000 Canadians currently abandoned here in Lebanon (according to our embassy). I could suggest chartering 10 of the many cruise ships in the Mediterranean, sending some of our ships in Halifax to make sure everyone stays safe, and asking the one country that matters here - Lebanon - if we can move the ships in to get our people out. It took us seven hours to pass from Lebanon to Syria. All people were trying to leave with their families and it was real chaos...We left Beirut on Friday by road to Tripoli with three buses let by the Spanish embassy. We are desperately trying to evacuate and have become more and more disappointed and angry with the way the evacuation is being handled. Every time we call the embassy they say they don't have a plan, yet hundreds will be evacuated today. We hear more about what's going on from CNN than we do from the US government and the American Embassy here. Planes fly very low over us every day and night...bombs drop in Dohi (southern Beirut) and shake the house. I have family stuck in Marjayoun, Lebanon that cannot reach the ports or Beirut. What happens to them? We have contacted every government office from here to the entire Middle East but the response is the same. No one can help and it seems like they are on their own....We have begged and pleaded with anyone and everyone but our kids still don't have water, food or medicine. But the media is telling everyone that those with medical necessity have already been evacuated. I guess that only means those lucky enough to be near Beirut! How are the attacks affecting you? E-mail us to share your own story. 
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