It’s been an interesting year back in the United States. I’m not a terribly insightful person, but I think I’ve figured out one thing about America.

The first week we were back in the states I took Ben and Kate to Wal-Mart. As we walked through, with their eyes almost popping out of their sockets, I saw something that I hadn’t seen three years ago.

Wal-Mart was selling three thousand dollar TV’s. I was so amazed at this that I just stopped and looked. A salesperson thought I might be a prospect, and they began giving me all sorts of information. They didn’t appreciate my question: `Does Gilligan get off the island if you watch it on a 3k machine?’

They didn’t think it was funny either, but what struck me was seeing an ad for the same TV several months later, and the price had been reduced to $2400.00 and I thought `What a good deal.’

America just wears you down. They hit you with ad after ad after ad and after a while you start to believe everything they tell you. Even overreaching TV’s.

But we have enjoyed being back. When people haven’t seen you for awhile, the usual response is `You look great.’ The most common response I’ve had since I’ve been back is `So! Been eating have you?’

• We go to North Carolina to spend Thanksgiving with my sister and her husband, and while we are there, JT and I go visit Wake Forest. He won’t be able to visit colleges next year, so this is our opportunity. Two days before we arrive, we arrange to meet two graduates from RVA who are studying at Wake Forest. Two days before we arrive, she is awarded the Rhodes scholarship. Only 37 are awarded a year; as far as I know, it is the first time a RVA student has ever received the Rhodes. One thing I am sure of: it is a GOOD thing to visit a college and be the high school counselor of the school that provided the student who won a Rhodes two days previously. I’ve met with lots of colleges, but never had a meeting quite like that before.
• JT tells me he is the only person in his class who won’t receive a car when he turns 16. I ask him if that is hard on him; he tells me he is fine. (Truth be known, it was harder on me) The NEXT day, I get an email from an old friend from the gym who asks if JT would like her 1988 Honda with 215,000 miles. It has been well maintained and is far nicer than we could have hoped for.
• A few months later, I’m sitting at the repair shop waiting on the verdict for the new radiator the Honda needs. I’m discouraged. I get a phone call AS I’M WAITING from a friend who tells me that when I stayed with one of his relatives during a speaking engagement I had really impacted her life. It is difficult to stay discouraged.
• I pick up the car and can’t get it out of first gear. I return it to the garage, discouraged. The mechanic says he will take it out for a drive to check it. While he does, I meet a pilot who invites me to his Bible study. The car returns without a problem and I gain several new friends.
• Whoever Ben sneezes, I tell him he is Sneezey McGee. He informs me one day that his name is HAPPY McGee.
• I wake up Katie to begin a trip to go to Iowa and Minnesota. She puts her arms around me and whispers `Daddy, I was dreaming it was snowing.’ It snows up north, and she is so thrilled.
• Matthew doesn’t make the basketball team. He is sad, but I remind him that he hasn’t held a basketball since the previous season. He gets to be the manager, and they allow him to work out with the team. He is faithful, and someone leaves the team. The coach says that `I need your heart’ and Matthew gets on the team. In his first game, his teammates cheer for him to get into the game and he plays the final two minutes. A father couldn’t script sowing and reaping any better than this.
• Nancy has gotten well again. Months of walking pneumonia had fatigued her, but months of rest have brought her back to health.
• I get the following email on a discouraging day:

Dear Mr Peifer,

The very first day I came up to talk to you about colleges you described me as the driver of a very nice Jaguar and that I was happy to cruise along at 40mph without caring what I had under my hood. I believe you were right.

Today, after much stress and work, I believe I’ve found the accelerator.

At 11:06 pm my time I recieved an email from Stanford University. The first three words were “Dear Greg, Congratulations…” I thought you should know because I honestly believe you set me on my track to my acceptance to Stanford University. With your passion for me to succeed and your goading to press further, I’ve been accepted to one of the premier universities of the world.

Thank you from the depths of my heart

We have made our reservations to return to Kenya. We leave the United States on August 9th. Time is flying by, although the next three weeks will be interesting trying to finish up three classes! (I’m getting certified in college counseling while I’m back)

I’ve sent as an attachment our information about supporting us when we return to Kenya. If you received this in the mail, it’s the same thing, but there are lots of people we don’t have a snail address for.

Nancy went to visit her father in Arizona a few weekends ago, and I knew I wouldn’t get any work done, so I took Ben and Katie to their first movie in a theater. They asked a lot of questions before we went in about the lights being dark. When we finally went in, they were fascinated by the lights on the ground. We decided to go around the entire theater and count ALL the lights. After that, we sat down and they were thrilled by the rocking seats.

The lights dimmed, and they both grabbed my hands. Then the movie started. So many children’s movies wink at adults, but the new Winnie the Pooh movie is aimed straight at 3 year olds; preferably three year olds who aren’t media savvy.

They loved it. And I sat in that theater, and could feel cynicism just fall off of me as I thanked God for the chance to see the earth through their eyes.

When you do, it can be such a beautiful world.

Your pal

Steve

PS Please forgive the following link, but I couldn’t quite resist: http://www.neildiamond.com/