Mombasa Junior Swimming Gala

Kyle and Ty participated in the Mombasa Junior Open Gala. Kyle began swimming on the Aga Khan Swim Team in the early part of February. Coach Fauz was impressed with his swimming ability and decided to enter him in 3 individual events (free style, breast stroke, back stroke) as well as the 2 medley events. Kyle place 6th (free style) and 11th (back stroke) in his age group.

A week before the gala, Ty’s nursery swim coach requested he swim at the event. He participated in 2 events and finished 5th in his heat (free style) and 8th overall (breast stroke) in his age group. This was our first gala. It was a very long 2 days waiting for the children to swim, but it was a great to see that the boys were risk taking in their participation.

Brenda's Olympic Assembly

Each Friday in Junior School a teacher is scheduled to organize and facilitate a whole school assembly. Brenda’s topic was the 2006 Winter Olympics in Tornio, Italy. It was very interesting to observe some of the students, in preparation of the assembly, watching past winter games on a DVD. A majority of the students were not able to differentiate the types of sports found at the Olympics. For example, when asking what bobsledding was, some students thought it was figure skating. There was also a group of students that had never heard of the Winter Olympic Games. Needless to state, this was a very informative unit of inquiry as well as assembly.

The assembly was an absolute ‘brilliant’ performance from all the students. It commenced with the playing and singing of the Italian National Anthem. Imagine, a handful of Kenyans signing in Italian. This was followed by the parade of athletics displaying their country flag. Next, which was the most interesting to watch, was the Year 1 students demonstrating a few of the winter sports. Kyle, demonstrated the skiing but performing a back flip or two. Two students used Cricket equipment to demonstrate the

This was followed by a few speeches by the President of the Italian Olympic Committee, as well as the athletic and referee to complete their oaths. Scott was able to wear his volleyball uniform and recite the referee’s oath. The final touch was there were 5 torch bearers that were able to run around the audience and the last student, ran up the stairs to light the final flame to signify the games are to begin. Ty was one of the runners, which
Jordan has very helpful in the background assisting with the torch run and making sure there was enough spirit to light the touch and flame. Tait was able to be by the flame and cheer as the flame was ignited – Let the Games begin!

Brenda did a marvelous job of organizing and letting the children participate to the best of their ability. Brenda went out that evening to have a few Tuskers – as she was finished her assembly of the year!

Scott Joins the AKAM Football Squad

The Aga Khan Academy, Mombasa has started a football team for faculty. We had our first match againt the staff with a very tight 1-1 draw. The plan throughout the year is to play faculty from different schools in the local area. Maybe even travlel to Nairobi for a weekend.

Water Fun

The pictures will speak for themselves. Fun for all members of the McLean family. The water activites are on a creek off the Indian Ocean. It brings back memories of the summer in Saskatchewan, except we are doing this in February rather than in July and August!

Book Commentary about Africa

Bill Bryon’s African Diary

To step into Kenya is to be lost at once in a random, seemingly endless warren of rank, narrow passageways wandering between rows of frail, dirt-floored hovels made of tine and mud and twigs and holes. Each shanty, on average, is ten feet by ten and home five or six people. Down the centre of each lane runs a shallow trench filled with a trickle of water and things you don’t want to see or step-in.

Every time you flush a toilet you use more water than the average person in the developing world has for all purposes in a day – cooking, cleaning, drinking, everything. It’s very tough. Unless you are exceptionally lucky with employment, it’s very very difficult to get ahead. In Kenya we (people) always have hope.

Oh and by the way you have to take malaria tablets, too, and a lot of them (tourists) decide to go elsewhere. It’s a shame because Kenya’s go so much going for it- beautiful countryside, lovely people, extraordinary wildlife, wonder climate, great beaches.

Market places are an extraordinary place – crowed, noisy, extremely colorful – with large, open sided halls specializing in wet fish, dried fish, vegetables, nuts and other farm commodities. I had never seen such luscious produce more beautifully arrayed. Every stall was a picture of abundance and sumptuousness, every peanut and tomato and chili more neatly arranged and more richly color than any I had seen before anywhere. It seemed impossible that people so poor could enjoy such plenty.

A busy Sunday February 12, 2006

It was a very busy day for us. The day began with our family going to Bamburi Trails for a charity walk/bike for Cerebral Paisley. The course was 10kms long. The weather, of course was very hot, but they had water stations around the walking area. Some of the area was shaded and some of it was open. There were approximately 75 people (students, staff and faculty) from the Aga Khan Academy. Ty was able to complete about 4 kms and the rest of us completed the 10kms. Amazingly, a girl of just under 4 was able to walk with her father the entire course (picture included). We returned from the walk for a long swim in the pool.

In the early evening, we saw Ken and Dani depart from Kenya. The time we shared was very special and it is hard to believe that they were in Africa for over 2 months. It was really important for us to have family arrival to spend Christmas with, as well as they will go back home talking to family and friends reassuring them of our travels and location.

Moses W. Makhanu - A Face in our Community

Moses is 28 years old and was raised in the Bungoma district, which is about 1000kms away up country. He was raised in a family with seven children (5 girls and 2 boys). The family resided in Kenya on a farm that produced crops of maize, beans and sunflowers. They made enough food for their oen needs. He attended Primary School from 1985-1992 and passed with 68 points. He finished secondary level in 1996 with a grade C. Unfortunately he was not able to attend any post-secondary education institution ‘due to fee problem.’

Moses worked as a framer for a couple of years and then decided to move to Mombasa from home in 1999 to find work. He found work quickly as a security guard and has been employed thereafter. The company he works for is called Excellent Security Services (ESS) and has been employed for the past seven years.

In 2000, he married Christine Kauindu and ‘God blessed us with a female child – Phostine Naomy” in 2002. “ Th efamily reside up country in wstern Kenya and he is only able to manage to see them once per year in January. "I have experienced many things in my life, especially in marriage but God has helped us to be where we are today.” His hobbies include gosbal music, the Word of God and "sharing the Word".

Jordan's Road Trip

Jordan had an amazing trip with his granparents. They traveled for a week, while the rest of us were in school, to three areas in Kenya – Mount Kenya, Maasai Mara and Lake Nakura. The following is Jordan’s perspective on the trip: Masaii Mara
In the Masaii Mara we observed a lion, leopard, cheetah, zebra, giraffe, buffalo wildebeest, hyena, jackal, warthog, impala, and gazelles. My favorite was the cheetah because it was on the car!! My grandpa’s favorite animal was the lion and my grandma’s was the impala because of the way it ran. I learned that the lion eats wildebeest, and zebra. The cheetah and leopard eat gazelles. The rhino’s baby will kill the mom by the time it grows old WHY?? The reason is when the baby drinks from his mother it will soon jab the mother with its horn.
Lake Nakuru
We were at this lake for 1 day. This is where we saw the rare white rhino. We also saw many flamingos. It has not rain there for 2 years!! I was truly amazed that I saw the big five: the lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, and the buffalo.

Mt Kenya
We were at Mt. Kenya for 1 day as we traveled to an animal orphanage. At the orphanage we saw ostriches, porcupines, African lynxes, hippos, bongos, cheetahs and zebroids. A zebroid is a half horse half zebra and these are the only two in the world. In fact, they are in the Guinness Book of world Records. I can not remember the reason, but they are unable to reproduce. They are 31 years old and the life expectancy is 40. When we were there I got bit by an ostrich, it hurt a lot on my finger as I was trying to feed it. The funniest animal was the hippo because you would say “open” and he will open his mouth.