Paperwork Completed - May 29th, 2006

Big smiles! Brenda and Scott actually complete all the necessary paperwork to be considered Residents of Kenya and the four children being dependents. The amount of paperwork through Immigration, Social Security, Personal Identification Numbers as well as Health Care was immense and taxing to say the least. Each governmental agency or corporation required copies of notarized signatures and letters from the school. The only relief is that we supposedly do not need to complete as many forms next year – let’s hope so!

Book Commentary about Africa

Race Against Time by Stephen Lewis – set in Africa.

I have spent the last four years watching people die. Nothing in my adult life prepared me for the carnage of HIV/AIDS. The pandemic of HIV/AIDS feels like it will go on forever. No one is untouched. Everyone has a heartbreaking story to tell. Virtually every country in East and southern Africa is a nation of mourners. I have to say that the ongoing plight of Africa forces me to perpetual rage. It’s all so unnecessary, so crazy that hundred of millions of people should be this abandoned. However, the people speak with a spunk and resilience that is positively supernatural.

The damage is dreadful. One of the critical reasons for Africa’s inability to respond adequately to the pandemic can be explained to user fees in health care (people can’t afford to pay for treatment) and user fees in education (school a fee, which helps to explain why so many orphans are out of school). A defining mantra – if the body has no food to consume, the HIV/AIDS virus consumes the body.

What makes this all so important is the need for radically new policies if Africans are to be given the opportunity to rescue their continent. It may seem hard to believe, but between 1970 and 2002, Africa acquired $294 billion in debt. Much of the debt was assumed by military dictators who profited beyond the dreams of avarice, and left for the people of their countries, the crushing burden of payment. What is needed, as everyone understands, is a plan, again country by country, sector by sector, to address the shortage of professionals that will work in Africa – teachers, health care and social workers.

Today, the heaviest burden of a decade of frenzied borrowing is falling not on the military or on those with the foreign bank accounts or on those who conceived the years of waste, but on the poor who are having to do without necessities … on women who do not have enough food to maintain their health, on the infants whose minds and bodies are not growing properly … and on the children who are being denied their only opportunity ever to go to school. The increase in foreign aid is purely conjectural. We have Kilimanjaro to climb before we meet the needs of Africa.


Convention of the Rights of the Child – Make primary education compulsory and available free to all… The numbers of children excluded range somewhere between 105 and 120 million worldwide, 44 million in Africa, about 60% of them girls. Orphaned children who so much want to learn and who need the sense of self-worth that education could bring are denied all of it because the costs of schooling are prohibitive.

President Kibaki of Kenya lifted the school fees in 2003 and a staggering enrolment of 1.3 million children occurred (5.9 million to 7.2 million). Ultimately, lost to the world will be hundreds of thousands of creative, gifted, often brilliant spirits.

ACADEMY's Football Team

Jordan joined the ACADEMY'S Football squad as part of the u12 Soccer in the Braeside school soccer tournament in Nairobi from May 19-21, 2006. Schools invovled included; Brookhouse, Braeburn, Rusinga, Aga Khan -Nairobi, Peponi - French School, Peponi - German School, Nairobi Academy, Strathmore, and Hillcrest.

It was very long travel - over 10 hours one way on a bus. The team ended in 5th position of the tournament. Jordan enjoyed the mathces but was not very keen on the long travel.

Book Commentary about Africa

The White Masai

Novel by Corrinne Hofmann set in Kenya (Mombasa area)

Wonderful warm tropical air embraces us the minute we land at Mombasa airport, and I already I feel in my bones that this is my country: I'm going to be at home here. The extraordinary atmosphere works its magic on me. Our first visit to the beach only amplifies my overwheleming impression: this is the most beautiful country I have ever visited. I could live here.

The ferry across to the south coast. Hundreds of people with crates and chickens and crammed-full cardboard boxes packed between lines of waiting cars. And all of them want to board the two-story ferry. Longer bus rides for locals up-country stop at some spots to answer the call of nature. But when you see the fouled state of the hole in the ground that serves a toilet, people can hold it a lot longer. Twice we go through checkpoints. The bus has to stop because they have laid wooden planks with long nails accross the road. Then a policeman, armed with an automatic weapon, walks along each side of the bus and shines his torch in everyface.
Matatu - a type of taxi. It's a small bus(van) with about eight seats, but when it stops there are already thirteen people on board jammed with their luggage. The ticket inspector (money taker) hangs on outside.

No Masai warrior ever eats anything that a women has touched or even looked at. They are not allowed to eat in the presence of women, they can only drink tea. It becomes also clear that he takes my left hand and says:'this hand no good for food!' I'm surprised to find out that the Masai apparently can have as many wives as they can feed. Weddings - the festivities only begin when it gets dark and the animals are back. Sitting in front of the manyatta (home), I watch all the comings and goings. The male is provided jewellery and decorated artistically. There is a slaughter of a big ox and small goats that are provided to the elders as part of the ceremony. They give their blessing in front of the parent's manyatta followed by a warriors dance. The warriors are painted exquisitely painted and wear red loincloths. Their chests are bare and crisscrissed with pearl chains. They all move to the rhythum. The girls dance in the front moving in time to the same rhythm while the men junp up and down,in th eair in the typical Masai leap! The group emerges with the groom in front in sort of a conga. The elders sit on the ground in a circle wrapped in their woollen blankets to give their blessings. The oldest member utters a sentence and all th eothers repeat 'Enkai': the Masai word for God. Chai (tea) and festive beer is provided to the guests. A marriage license is required to be filed with the Kenyan government.

When in Kenya you need time ands patience - (pole pole) which means slowly - slowly. Many people actually do not live with their family. They live on the coast to make money, and once or twice a year they take it home. Families may not live together for years. Once again Africa amazes me.

Scott Travels to the UK

Scott Left Kenya and arrived 21 hours later into Bogner Regis, West Sussex, UK area ( 3 planes and a 90 minute train ride from Gatwick airport to Chichester). The area is basically a farming/industrial community - very lush and similiar to Alberta/Saskatchewan farming community. I stayed at a very quiet and pleasant B/B near the sea called White Horses. There is a population of apprximately 40,000 people and walking or biking is the mode of transportation in the village of Felpham.

The purpose of the trip was to meet with representatives from the University of Chichester - Graduate Teacher Programmein terms of linking certificates, degrees, and post-graduate degrees opportunities with faculty from the Academy.

We also made a brief trip into Portsmouth – 60 kms from Chichester, which is an old navy port. The area has been redeveloped, similar to Fisherman’s Warf in BC. Two school visits were also arranged, Wilden Secondary School in Hedge End Village. This school had a very unique performing/fine arts programs. I observed a Year 8 class developing background music for commercial advertisements for television. They also have the technology to record music and DVDs. Students are performers as well as the technical producers.

Outward Bound Camp

On April 29 to May 4, Brenda, along with 2 other teachers took 40 Year 6 students (including Jordan) to the Outward Bound camp in Loitoktuk. This camp is situated on the hills of Kilimanjaro with one of the most spectacular settings I have ever seen (apart from sunsets at the lake!!). The setting itself as beautiful, but the Outward Bound Course… I must admit was the hardest thing I have ever done…it was boot camp!!! Long distance running and circuit training at 5:45 am, cold water in buckets for showers, many hours between meals, rock climbing straight up with ropes, 20km hikes to set up camp, grueling team challenges and peeing in a holes…oh my gosh…it truly separated the men from the boys!!!!

Despite crying, vomiting and phone calls home at 3am ….by the end all students sat around the fire, hugged, cried and didn’t want to leave. A truly growing experience for all…….Sheraton Hotel next year?

Jordan's reflection (WILL FOLLOW)

Film and Book Commentary about Africa

"The Constant Gardener" This was an excellent movie set in Kenya. This was a very powerful and realistic movie in terms of the sites and sounds of Africa as well as the level of corruption that the country faces. There was speculation that the movie would be banned in Kenya due to the negative view it rasises in terms of governments.

Based on the best-selling John le Carré novel and from the Academy Award-nominated director of "City of God." In a remote area of Northern Kenya, activist Tessa Quayle (Rachel Weisz) is found brutally murdered. Tessa's companion, a doctor, appears to have fled the scene, and the evidence points to a crime of passion. Members of the British High Commission in Nairobi assume that Tessa's widower, their mild-mannered and unambitious colleague Justin Quayle (Ralph Fiennes), will leave the matter to them. They could not be more wrong. Haunted by remorse and jarred by rumors of his late wife's infidelities, Quayle surprises everyone by embarking on a personal odyssey that will take him across three continents. Using his privileged access to diplomatic secrets, he will risk his own life, stopping at nothing to uncover and expose the truth - a conspiracy more far-reaching and deadly than Quayle could ever have imagined.

After his wife is murdered in Kenya, Justin Quayle, a mild, low-level diplomat and a constant gardener, must investigate his wife's death, their relationship, and his own heart. In flashbacks, we see them meet, marry, and fall in love; we follow her in the teeming streets and clinics of Nairobi, usually accompanying Arnold Bluhm, a Black doctor with whom she spent the night before her murder, and who, after robbers, is the prime suspect. In his own investigation, Justin must not quail as he faces his memories, his colleagues, local police, hired thugs, and a nasty corporate CEO. Help and connections, as well as conspiracies, come from unexpected places.

Africa’s got 85% of the world’s Aids cases. How many of those have access to medication? One percent! It is not a human problem any more! It’s an economic one!The men can’t work. The women can’t work. It’s a heterosexual disease, which is why there are so many orphans. They can’t feed their families! Nothing gets done. They just die!

Grandparents Visit Comes to an End

The time has come very quickly to say good-bye to Grampa-Bud and MeMe. On the last day we watched a small bird in a nest as well as bought fresh lobster from Joseph. One of our last evenings included a Japanese dinner out – African style! We had fun and a set of memories that will last a lifetime.

Horseback riding

We had a fun horseback riding! The owners of the stable are building a family adventure park, which includes includes rides, games and a large water park (water slides, tube rides and wave pool). This sounds similar to West Edmonton Mall except it is located outdoors. It apparently will be completed next July/August - we are looking forward to having fun next year.

Book Commentary about Africa

White Mischief by James Fox

The British Government had official taken over the country, as Kenya Protectorate, 1i 1895, to compete with German imperial expansion in East Africa. The Germans were building a railway into the interior from the port of Tanga. The British raced ahead and built their own line, 580 miles long, from Mombasa on the coast to Lake Victoria. It took five and a half years and was completed in 1901, to great acclaim.

Before that, any journey inland was an Arab slaving expedition to Uganda or a grueling Rider Haggard romance undertaken by a lonely white man, a Thompson or a Livingstone, with an army of deserting porters and under continual threat of attack by the nomadic Masai.

The Indian railway workers imported by the British died in great numbers, not on the spears of the Masai Moran (young warriors), who seemed to accept the railway and the superiority of the British weapons, but from the dysentery, malaria, Blackwater fever, tsetse fly and from the heat itself. Many others fell prey to the man-eating lions of Tsavo, who held up the work for several weeks and seemed for a time to be invincible.

The railway was a splendid and ambitious piece of engineering undertaken in appalling conditions and with truly Victorian confidence. The track crossed deserts, wound up mountains, descended escarpments and cut through forests and across swamps. It Rose from sea level to almost 8,000 feet.

Easter Bunny in Africa

During Easter we were away in Watamu District. The Animation (Kids Club) team assisted the children in painting and finding Easter Eggs!

Back home, the children were anxious to see if the Easter Bunny would arrive – and yes it did. It was interesting to watch the children climb palm tress in order to find the chocolate and presents. It was a good morning as we were able to share the hunt with our neighbors. In Africa, Easter is not part of the tradition in terms of chocolate but is a very religious holiday Catholics and Christians.

Jordan's 12th Birthday

Jordan turned twelve during the holiday break. He stated that it was really ‘neat’ to be celebrating his birthday in Africa. We were staying at the Turtle Bay Resort. At dinner, the staff as well as the local National Baptist Church Choir sang Happy Birthday! Jordan also went scuba diving with his mother birthday morning! What an adventure!

When we returned back home, we also had a celebration. He let out a scream when he opened his presents – a Game Boy –DS. Thanks to the grandparents for the smart gift idea!