Zambia & Africa Cup

This youtube clip is a couple weeks old. Africa Cup of Nations. Zambia needed a win against reigning champion Egypt in order to advance. A tie wouldn't be enough.

It is worth noting that, if you were in Zambia, these youtube clips might have been your only opportunity to watch portions of the match. Unless the Zambian government hadn't bailed out the Zambian Broadcasting Network like they did in 2006. This year they were unable to raise the funds necessary to license the event for local television, and i haven't found yet if they were bailed out or not (Zambian President says NO! get your priorities straightened out - my paraphrase). Can you imagine that happening in Canada for hockey? our national sport. No, i didn't think so.

/follow the final here; Egypt vs Cameroon.

I've had the pleasure of visiting Zambia on several occasions. In fact, a tour of Zambia is being prepared for this April. H.C is preparing the tour with AIA. B.K. is preparing to join the trip... i will be supportive from home, but alas, i won't be joining this trip.

Link Superbowl 42 update

Tomorrow is game day. Super Bowl 42: Patriots & Giants. (Speaking of the game, Madden08 has already simulated the game, for the full write up and speculation, click here!)

In our promotional material (which you can see here!) we mentioned we would announce our special guest. Here it is! We are watching the game on the big screen at the Link tomorrow. we will be joined by special guest CFL non-import Derek Armstrong of the Calgary Stampeders who will say a few words during halftime about his life and faith. Special thanks to our friends at AIA for helping us line up Derek. Coop, you are great!

Feel free to join us at the game. For those who will be watching the game at the Link, the correct answer to these questions will get you tons of chances to win tons of great door prizes;

First team to Score?
First QB to throw an interception?
First team to get a sack?
Team with lead at halftime?
Team with lead at game end?
Does this game go to overtime?
XLII MVP____________________


/So, have you been able to get excited about this game without wondering about the whole spygate saga/scandal? This potentially dates back to New Orleans??? not good, not good at all.

//See you at the game!!!

Link Superbowl 42

There is no football game this Sunday. Last Sundays football game didn't quite go according to plan. Irregardless, next Sunday (February 3rd 2008) is Super Bowl 42. If you haven't made plans to see the game live in Phoenix, this might be your next best option!

Pats versus Giants - History in the making?

We will be watching the game on the big screen at the Link. We've got a CFL player or two to interview during half time... We will hear from a longtime chaplain for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, winners of the 2007 Grey Cup.




Watching the game is free... the pizza will cost 5 bucks, if you want some.




Feel free to print out the above ticket, but you won't need it... we won't be turning folks away. :)

/To RH for layout help with the above poster & ticket... much thanks! See you at the game.

Violence in Kenya

Ethnic Violence reignites in Kenya

Yeah, ODM & PNU are talking... but the communication (as blunt as it is) is not all it's cracked up to be.

Friends traveling to Africa with AIA this April have been encouraged to drop Kenya from their destination list... instead spending a longer stay in Zambia.

Kenyan Tipping Point

Blogging was quiet over New Years, we were out of town.
i commented in a post last week that the Kenyan election "might not end well".
It has escalated.

How the polls were messed up - "THE heavy cloud hovering Kenya's future has been further darkened by the Chairman of Electoral Commission (ECK) Samuel Kivuitu who admitted that he is not sure whether incumbent Mwai Kibaki actually won last week's presidential elections." Read that whole article, it has even more damning news related to the election, and how it appears to have been corrupted.

- For articles like that and many more, visit this Kenya news page by AllAfrica.com

- BBC News Africa continues to be a good resource.

Canada is reported within The Standard, Kenya's National Newspaper; "the Canadian Foreign Affairs minister, Maxime Bernier, urged the Government to urgently address the election irregularities in a timely, transparent and thorough manner. The minister also criticised the suspension on live broadcasts. "The suspension of live broadcasts, irregularities in reporting of results and any move to restrict legitimate scrutiny of election results are serious concerns."

The Toronto Star reports Canada's Foregn Affairs Minister.

I spoke with a good friend this morning regarding mission & humanitarian travel to Kenya; groups expect travel to Kenya to be postponed, suspended or canceled all together, just as many countries begin advising travel to Kenya be avoided. Kenya, stable and reasonably safe these last few years, is in the midst of a potential tipping point. Not good.

95th Grey Cup

I know some people who went to Toronto today. Not the players, but the fans. Rider fans all of them. I fear for the watermelon market here in Canada!

i'll eat some crow at work tomorrow. i publicly stated Blue & Gold would win todays game. The Gunslinger (Dinwiddie) started his first ever CFL game in the Coup de Grey. That could have gone either way; he's either a monster quarterback, or human and fallable. Not to put the whole game on Din's back, but he was the latter with brief flashes of the former. I was holding out hope that they might win, and with 2 minutes left in the game, they were poised to do just that. It was not that year for Stegall. One more year Milt, one more year for your Hall of Fame career... get that ring. The Bomber defense was amazing, and with Glenn back as QB, or another year of experience for Dinwiddie, the Bombers can compete for the 96th, in Montreal next November.

I talked about story lines a lot, and especially why, as a Lions fan i was rooting for the Bombers. How about Kerry Joseph's story. Not just his testimony as an active member of AIA, but his playing flag football down in the states a couple of years ago. Well done KJ, your running game is what broke the bomber defense down time and time again.

African Reminders

Prime Minister Harper is in Uganda these days, discussing climate change controls with the commonwealth countries.

Swiped from that globe & mail article (linked above) was this pic here;



poignant. It reminds me of the time i've been blessed to spend on the African continent. The people we've grown close to and the work we've been honoured to do.

Coop is preparing for a potential return trip in April 2008. This trip would, like our most recent trip, be another with CFL athletes.

Kenyan Sets Canadian Record in Marathon

I saw this coming. Of course.

"set the fastest time ever run on Canadian soil as he won the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon Sunday.

Kelai's time of 2 hours 9 minutes 30 seconds knocked 25 seconds off the Canadian open mark set at the 1976 Montreal Olympics by East Germany's Waldmar Cierpinski." - Globe & Mail

/As an aside, Waldmar is accused of enhancement drugs as prescribed by the East German sports authority. It seems that 2nd place in 1976 is attempting to be awarded the gold medal.

Jenkem: Zambia

This article from BBC hits right to the heart.

"They are manufacturing "Jenkem", a disgusting, noxious mixture made from..."

"...nobody knows exactly where the idea for making Jenkem came from, but it has been used by street-children in Lusaka for at least two years. Nason Banda of the Drug Enforcement Agency is not proud when he says that it is unique to Zambia."

Do you ever feel helpless? The population of street children in Zambia continues to rise. I've been there twice now myself, and every time... hits right to my heart. The people of Zambia are warm, kind & searching, the country really is the jewel of Africa. Jenkem tho, is a terrible legacy to be developing. Children around the world (far away and near by) ought not ever feel truly hopeless.

Not unlike the jewel of Africa, Children are societies jewel, and how we care for them (or fail to care for them, as the case often appears) speaks volumes.

An excellent local expression of care for our children is Big Brothers, Big Sisters. Their IN School Mentor Program is worthy of your attention.

****UPDATE****

After reading further on the topic, there are thoughts that Jenkem might be a hoax. If so they spoofed BBC into reporting it in the article i linked above.
I would hope this was/is a hoax. It might have been easier to forget that way. That i merely perpetuated a clever lie crafted to cause disgust, despair (or worse).
UNICEF reports Jenkem abuse in Zambia: Evaluation report 2001 ZAM: Rapid Assessment of Street Children in Lusaka

(one comment i read tonight: "this isn't simply bad, it's the failure of human beings")
//Ouch

An article from the Mail & Guardian newspaper in Zambia: Bleak outlook for Zambia's street kids.

* * * * *

Musonda was in Town

As i mentioned earlier, Chris Musonda was in town. Chris is the Zambian National Director of Athletes in Action, and has been our host in Zambia numerous times.
He spent a few brief moments with us at church this morning, and then he was off (Winterpeg is his next destination).



The above pic was our group picture at the Copper Belt University campus in Kitwe, northern Zambia. Chris is the 2nd from the left. Can you spot the CFL athletes? (Hint; There were 3 current, and one retired athlete on that particular tour)

This morning was a flood of memories... not the least of which were all of the road trips from outlying town to outlying town. Thank God for additional family all around the world.

As mentioned before, Chris was in Canada as Official Chaplain for the Zambian National Team playing in the FIFA World Cup for Under 20 Men. Zambia advanced initially, and then lost to Nigeria in their first elimination round (Nigeria has since lost to Chile). Next time.

/ Picture width decreased from 600 to 400 pixels wide. In Firefox the site looked fine before, but with Explorer, it skewed the positioning... so switch to Firefox. :)

Cremona Rivers Edge

ROAD TRIP!

Renee and i took the gaffer to Cremona this weekend. He's a great guy to travel with. For real.
We spent the weekend at Rivers Edge Camp & Recreation Centre. Our Sports Ministry team went of up there for some speakers & some r&r. It was all good.

Good friend Harold Cooper (whom i've traveled with 3 times to Africa) & his wife Mary are running the camp. Harold is now serving as the executive director. He is the 5th E.D. in the last 8 years i think? So he has his work cut out for him. Looks like they are doing a remarkable job. The site is beautiful and full of visitors. That is always a good sign.





What a view. If Harold & Mary decide to allow home building on this 300 acre site... i'll be one of the first in line. Cremona is a little town located North West of Calgary, Alberta, within driving distance from our home here in the hat.

Kiva Grameens' Kenya

Micro credit can change lives... Kiva.org has folks on the ground in nations all over the world to ensure the loans are getting into the hands of the intended recipients. Empowerment... and teaching a man to fish, and all that.

***** UPDATE MARCH 18, 2007*****
Here is the link to the Kiva page for Hellen Wangui Irungu who, since last nite when i posted the link, has collected 100% of the loan she had requested. Hellen will buy a new dairy cow, increasing her production and greatly impacting her cash flow... and bottom line.
The web ad (below) that was her's is now pointed to a new Kiva partner. Take a look.
***** END UPDATE*****



Thanks dm for the link. he knows i love Kenya... so this is a natural fit.

I've read some about Oiko Credit as well, tho i have no personal experience wtih them.

The last Grameening i was a part of was the Christmas micro support driven by dm over at medhatblog.com (a micro drive that went macro... over $500.00 was raised and donated online for the Medicine Hat Food Bank.)

"Putting poverty in museums!"

Team Canada: Cricket

After my last visit to Africa (Athletes in Action trip, 2006), i returned with a hunger for Cricket. We spent the day with Kenyan National Cricket Team members. Spent the day on the Pitch, learning to bowl (i did a lot of running in the outfield, which, for cricket (unlike baseball) is 360 degrees from the batters wicket.





Went to work today, and began receiving email notice of the Canada Kenya World Cup Cricket match going on. Game was shorter than it probably should have been, Canada doesn't sound as competitive as it wanted to be. Kenya laid the beats.

Here's the round up on Globe & Mail: Canada falls to Kenya, with quotes by Kenyan team captain Tikolo, who was a gracious host.

i chatted over coffee with a friend last year that maybe, just maybe, Cricket should be a semi pro sport here in Alberta. Might be worth stirring the pot a little more on that one.

Click the following links to satisfy your burning desire to know more about the game of Cricket:

An explanation of Cricket.
The Canadian Cricket Association.
Canada Cricket Online.

How many did you click?

Zambia Kasisi & Mosi-oa-Tunya

Zambia.
i won't bore you with my recollections... i'll save that for another day.
Click this link here to the BBC Africa and watch an Audio Slide show of the "Children of Kasisi" outside of Lusaka, the capital. i watched the whole thing. even having been there as i have, and been a part of the things i've seen, that video is an open challenge.

Or, visit this link, it speaks more about Zambian tourism, growth and keen optimism.

Zambia to play in Canada

Zambian Footballers earn spot in games held in Canada June 2007.
This is the first i've heard of it.
/still bitter about missing the Kenyan Cricket teams visit to Canada in 2006. Friends were a part of that group. But Toronto was just to far on short notice. :(

A Good Year

2006, a round-up of sorts. As much a selfish exercise, i read thru all the posts i'd made in 2006 (Good times) as it is a public exercise: to hilight what junctures (and relating blog posts) this year were important, or pivotal in my mind.
You'll likely notice a real trend which takes shape on July 27th. Care to guess?
The below list starts in January of 2006, and follows chronological order, thru to November 2006 with the last link in the round-up.

January: CoD2 is installed on my computer video games take root, again.

February: 2006 was a good year for the League of Southern Alberta for World Dominance. Don't just take my word for it, click the link ;)

Mission work in Africa with AIA. That caused quite the blogging silence, conectivity was weak in the Horn this year.

March: Coffee leads to greatness... Med Hat Blog is started, and in under a year, has really made a strong valuable presence as a voice in the community. Good show guys! Keep driving debate & commentary.

April: April fools gag we pitched to the MH News garnered a huge response, greatly increasing the chatter about the company i was employed with at the time: Pitch Outdoor Advertising.

July: Change in Working arrangementsi left Pitch for CCL.

Change in living arrangements Elijah Reuben is born July 27, 2006. 1570 grams. (thats kinda tiny)

September: Elijah Reuben is home.

November: Elijah Reuben is dedicated at church!

In review, maybe i should suggest a theme for 2006 and the posts i chose to blog about. Considering the number of pictures i loaded post July 27... this blog has, since 2006 entered a new era. (pun intended)

/and now i'll leave all the counting (and streamers and champagne) to these folks. i'm going to sleep. God bless.

Brown re Ups

Brown re-signed with the Eskimos.

Great news!
/sorry i missed it when it happened. i've been a little pre-occupied. :)

Decisions, Choices & Options

Today was a good day (see last post). For another reason tho, today was a good day: I've been rooting for the B.C. Lions of the CFL (see three posts ago) and today they brought it ALL together, winning Le Coupe Grey's 94th challenge. I would have LOVED to be at this game, played in Winnipeg (how was it D.J?), also refered to as WINTERpeg, but for which i refer to as WINnipeg (Go Lions)! Maybe i will catch next years Coupe Grey in T dot. (Can you nab tickets Kyle? - get to work!)
I was thinking (after seeing tickets go on ebay) of driving down to Denver to catch the Bronco's Chargers NFL game going on right now (one sec - off to look). YEAAAARGH! My Bolts are closing out strong, taking first place after being in a tie with the Broncs. All is as it should be tonight!
So many Decisions, Choices & Options of how i spend my day today.
i gladly chose era's dedication... but next year! Here comes the football (live & in person).

Mark Washington

"Lions defensive back Mark Washington received the Tom Pate Memorial award for outstanding community service." - Globe & Mail
M.W. also served in East Africa this spring with the AIA trip i was a part of. One of many great people on that trip.
Congrats.

Whispers of Kenya & peanut farms

i haven't begun counting the days until we depart for Kenya... we are not that close, yet! Just hurridly preparing and eliciting support.

Whispers of Kenya, that is what i am hearing right now... nothing subconscious, but all extremely surreal. For example: While being a regular member of the Gas City Square ToastMasters Club in Medicine Hat i sit next to a wonderful man, Davendra Patel. During a brief conversation last week, i was extatic to hear that Davendra was born and raised in Nairobi (our destination), and has only been in Canada for a short number of years. He has regaled Harold and i with info regarding Nairobi that only a local could know. Now, we look forward to breakfast when Davendra can meet our entire team. Kenya, without even leaving Southern Alberta.

Over a brief visit with my grandmother, i was suprised to hear of our family and its history with Kenya, howbeit small. After the second war, a man on my fathers side of our family tree was released from a POW camp. As was the case (i am told) at the time, he received a decent lump sum of British Pounds. With that investment capital he travelled to Kenya and bought a Peanut Farm. Planters peanuts maybe? "Put out the good stuff". While in Kenya he proceeded to marry and raise 2 daughters. Only returning to Vancouver, Canada after 20+ years in Kenya.

Both of these events are mere coincidence regarding my decision to join AIA and travel to Kenya... even so, i can not help but smirk. Now of all times, to not only go to Kenya... but to hear of these attachments that have been unknown to me, until now. Now they are whispers of Kenya... and i do enjoy the sudden tune.

Open letter to Athletes In Action

As a young boy, basketball was a sure part of my life. An endeavor that
i was able to throw my energy and youthful vigor at whole-heartedly. So too, was a personal relationship with our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus.

It was with that healthy combination of interest that i developed hopes and dreams for my future. In basketball, my goals began very modestly: making a shot or two, making the junior and senior teams, and eventually, striving to NOT be a hindrance to our chances of winning! (accomplished with meager success)

As my hunger for basketball continued to grow i was first introduced, through a printed book, to Athletes in Action. i was in awe with the thought of athletes living Christ centered lives... That image, to which you have all aspired, formed a bridge for my hunger, from merely sport... to sport for Christ... on an international setting.

i am beyond my days of competitive play, they were too short to write about (laughs), God has blessed my soul in a fantastic way. There is a place in Athletes in Action for me, not because of my sporting history, but in spite of my sporting history. Not only will God use me, now it looks as if AIA can use me too, i am too eager.

Spring 2004 i sat with Harold Cooper as a committee member for the Southern Alberta Celebration of Champions. It was during this event that i was able to finally see AIA from the inside: A fantastic Christ centered organization doing wondrous work in the Kingdom.

And now, as you read this... i am preparing to travel to Kenya with AIA in January 2005... my first international mission with AIA... a long (and thought discarded as impossible) dream of mine has been granted by the Almighty. See you in Kenya, i'll be the one holding the water bottle! (laughs)

(written as an open letter to Athletes In Action members, staff and supporters - jace anderson)

Jake and Elwood

Action! Comedy! Musical & More... much more. The Blues Brothers tonight were all that and more. i must admit, my recollection of this movie heaps higher praise on this flick than i do now - Still good tho, still good. i recall a fantastic cult-classic of a movie... our guests where not so enraptured with it.

"I'm on a mission, from God"

Carnivore Dawa & Kenya travel links

The tickets are purchased... we will be in Kenya this January 2005. We will spend the lions share of our time (pun intended) in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. Described today by Davendra as the "New York of the African continent". Davendra is a friend of mine who has until recently spent 40+ years of his life in Nairobi... i trust he will be a fresh resource of information for us as we prepare to travel.
Dawa in Kiswahili is said to mean medicine or a health revival drink (red bull, or possibly gatorade, maybe XS?). The Carnivore "Dawa" is a drink served at internationally acclaimed open air Carnivore Restaurant. Roasted croc anyone? Will you look at that menu!
In preparation for this trip, the following links will be expected reading! enjoy:

Consular Affairs. Information for Canadians Abroad: KENYA – MUST READ!

Canadian High Commission in Kenya: Physical office location map, contact numbers & hours of operation.

A full color scanned copy of a Nairobi city street map.

Kenyan High Commission office in Canada Located in Ottawa, if you are taking in the Grey Cup game, drop into this office and say hi for me.

Prominent Africa News web portal with good national coverage of Kenya.

Kenya National website: info includes, sports and news coverage. Current currency rates as well as temperatures. This site may require username and password for reading entire news articles. i have registered a username and password for us… just let me know you’d like it!

KENYA believe it?

Forshadowing is a funny thing... subtle marketing for the soul. An advertising campaign should be so smoothly impressive.
A few months ago, i was sent a link to an addictive little web ditty... Kenya: Free snorkle with every visit!. (Turn on your speakers, and get ready to tap your feet, it really is an addictive tune!)

On its own, its a fantastic sound bite, fun graphic and very creative... a fine use of the interweb. Now, jump forward a couple months, to This October, and Harold Cooper (Athletes In Action) has asked me to prayerfully consider joining his overseas travel to Kenya... Kenya believe it? Where the giraffes are, and the zebra! Suddenly my singing about Kenya doesn't look so silly after all, even if it sounds pretty silly. Were gonna see lions!

This January 2005 i will be accompanying Harold, Brian and Mark to Nairobi. The Kenyan Director, Tim Mwangi, has invited AIA Canada to partner with them in sports outreaches and the training of Kenyan elite athletes and coaches. The January Set-up and Training Trip is the first in the AIA 2-year Kenyan partnership. This trip is in preparation for the proposed, AIA International Invitational Sports Ministry Training Symposium strategies.

Would rather it wasn't me singing? i can understand that, and i'm sure my wife agrees with you! How about Fred Penner.