I know you are thinking that now that I am a world famous celebrity who got ALMOST one hundred hits on my website that I must get some pretty cool email. Not to brag, but this came in which I know will impress you:

The reason I’m contacting you is a bit out of the ordinary; well I have to admit it’s really kind of out of the ordinary, however I feel compelled to start somewhere. Looking at the CNN program and when you were honored, one of the cameramen focused on a very stunning and beautiful Black woman that sat directly behind you. Also when the NYC subway “hero” was honored the cameraman focused on this same lady again. It was something about her that just really caught my attention. I wanted to know, since she was sitting directly behind you, was there any chance she introduced herself to you, did she make herself known to you?

I was forced to tell him that almost without exception (my bride and daughter excepted) beautiful women FLEE at the sight of me. I’m sure he was disappointed, but that is the price of fame.

Speaking of real fame, forget the CNN stuff. I had coffee with the worship leader of a church near us in Texas, and he told me his lead guitar player was full time in another famous band. In fact, the most famous band in the world.

I had coffee with the worship leader whose lead guitar player plays lead guitar for Neil Diamond.

I hit the heights; it was time to go back to work.

Because of all the unrest, the school didn’t open for several weeks. During that time off, Ben and Kate had lots of fun:

Nancy and I used the time to find the Lord in the changing seasons. It was so nice to be able to rest and get the house set up before the students started coming back. They arrived yesterday and school will start Monday.

There is so much unrest in the country that it was a harrowing decision to reopen RVA. There is so much at stake, and tensions are still high. It has been peaceful in our area, but posters in our region last week spoke of the anger and fury Kenyans have toward each other right now. Sometimes things seem to be fine, and then an election comes along and all the issues under the surface come to light.

There are so many issues going on now: some areas reported 120% of certain communities voted for one candidate. Being from Chicago, this did not seem that unusual, but the truth is that there were fraud issues on both sides, and the result has been horrific violence that continues on.

The prices for maize and beans went through the roof because many roads have been blockaded and supplies are not getting through to many markets. Thugs and looters have taken advantage of the unrest to burn crop fields and steal from everyone. There are so many displaced people all over; it is so sad.

We are buying a small amount of beans and maize now and hoping that prices will come down, but we have started deliveries to schools. You should always be careful when you are traveling, but we are using extra caution right now.

There were several centers that were completed before we left, but the computers hadn’t arrived, so we had not opened them until this week. We went to Munyu and Kamuyu to deliver the computers that Solution Beacon had provided, and the children were so excited.

The schools are in beautiful areas, but the children are so poor.

There are many projects that get started in Kenya, and die from lack of funding or interest. For the centers to lie dormant for six months was a sign in some of the local eyes that this was another project doomed to fail.

As I greeted some children in the classroom, there were cheers and yells about the computers arriving. One little boy came up to me and told me something I cherished; in a very small voice, he said `I never gave up hope.’

I’ve been in Kenya since 1999. I’ve never seen it as bad as it has been since we got back. It could easily go south; we have been instructed to prepare a small bag in case we are evacuated. We don’t expect that, but the huge issues in the country make anything possible right now.

Part of me would like to go home. Every time I come back I have to talk myself into driving again and going into some of the areas I go to. I told this to a staff member who looked at me with amazement, because he loves all of it. I don’t. I am really kind of a coward.

Part of me would like to go home, but that little boys’ voice keeps coming back to me.

Your pal,
Steve