I’m 47, and I’m not sure I’ve every had a real thought about jellybeans. In the states, I might eat some when they are around, but I don’t remember ever buying them and I don’t particularly enjoy them.

Nancy brought some back from the states, and Sunday night we opened the bag. It was one of those with many different kinds of flavors, and we spent over an hour, going around in a circle, choosing and eating them one by one.

Each choice was agonized over, and much discussion occurred over each jellybean. (Is that cherry or red pepper? Was the blueberry worthy of seconds?)

It was so much fun. Scarcity does have its advantages.

Someone had a double stroller that they sold us, and Ben and Katie enjoy being pushed around campus. If they spot you, they respond with huge grins, but the best part is that two pairs of legs start waving as fast and hard as they can. I can’t recall a better greeting.

This has been a tough week in many ways, and an example of how tough things can lead to a better place. One of our dorm guys was caught doing something he shouldn’t have been doing by one of his teachers, and it was very embarrassing for him. He spent many hours weeping in the teacher’s office as the teacher tried to explain that he was forgiven and that everyone made mistakes.

He would have little of that, and was beating himself us pretty badly. That night, he asked me for help with his bible homework. He asked me what the scripture meant that said `The Lord does not require sacrifice, but a broken and contrite spirit.’

It’s hard to distinguish between doing good things for God and being broken in your spirit when you are in eighth grade, but when I told him `what happened to you today could be an example of someone who has a contrite heart, or someone who will change a behavior so he won’t be caught. A contrite heart will move beyond right and wrong to doing something out of love. What happened to you today?’

His tears were an indication that something good was happening. The week continued with an annual event at RVA called Spiritual Emphasis Week, where a special speaker is brought in and there are several meetings with him/her.

This year the speaker was particularly gifted and challenging, and the kids responded to his message in a wonderfully positive way. One night he encouraged kids to make sure they didn’t have any issues with each other, and much of the evening kids were making things right with each other.

I got involved with it because several students came up to me and told me in so many words that they had never liked me and felt like they needed to apologize and ask my forgiveness. The reason they gave was my insensitivity and sarcasm.

I’m sure those of you that have read many of these know I can be an insensitive clod, and young children are particularly vulnerable to being teased. It’s been my mode of operation for as long as I can remember, but I really was convicted as to how I can use humor in so many wrong ways: as a habit, as a weapon, as a shield, and as a way to relate to people instead of really relating to people.

Humor has it’s place, and I don’t want to become boring, but there is a balance, and I’m at that wonderful place where I know I need to change and I don’t have a clue as to how to change. It’s both painful and exciting, and I would ask your prayers.

I’ve saved the best for last. One of our dorm boys is an Indian Muslim named Rahim. He is a wonderful boy, full of life and adventure, and we have really grown to love him and his family. They invited us to their home a few weeks ago for a meal, and it was a wonderful time of getting to know them.

Today Rahim made a decision to become a Christian. After one of the meetings last week, he told me that he was thinking hard about Christianity. What I really appreciated was that it wasn’t an emotional decision. Two of the guys in the dorm cautioned him about his decision, and encouraged him to count the costs involved. He asked lots and lots of good questions, and he was really trying to figure it out.

I believe there is an empty spot in all of us that can only be filled with Jesus Christ, and if you could see Rahim today, you would see a different person than was there yesterday.

We are so grateful.

The strike continues, the political unrest is becoming more violent, we are beginning to be encouraged to do some stock up buying because we’re not sure it will be safe to go into town anymore, but in the midst of it all, we have seen His hand move, and we are so grateful.

Your pal,

Steve Peifer

No one enjoys a bottle quite like Katie does!