When I got the opportunity to attend the first RVA student’s graduation from Harvard, I got to meet Sam’s family, and his brother Rupert. Rupert is 21 and doing a thesis on non- profit organizations, and he asked if he could write about the computer and food programs. We said yes, and he moved in the beginning of the month. He has fit in as part of the family; the twins get upset if they don’t get to say good night to him, and the young ladies on campus are all sweet on him.

We knew that our British friend had an impact on the family when I asked Ben how he was doing, and he said, in his best cockney accent, “Brilliant, actually.”

To keep things in perspective, I remind him often that we won the big war, which I’m sure he is grateful to hear and be constantly reminded of.

Matthew was named as the section head of the percussion section of jazz band, and I finally put my foot down. After he got the male lead in a musical back home, and now this, the nagging doubt started to trouble me.

Is it possible that we received the wrong baby at the hospital? Because of my legendary skills in dancing and rhythm in general, I was haunted by the fact that perhaps, just perhaps, we picked up the wrong baby. It happens. Matthew reminds me that his mother won the dance award at her high school, and so it is probably nothing to worry about.

Probably.

After last month’s stirring email about the woes of traveling, I did manage to forget that I had one more trip planned next week. I am speaking at a couple of colleges in Portland, a college conference in Seattle, a high school in Atlanta, and a day with JT in North Carolina.

And a certain concert. To celebrate, a friend is marketing these:
http://www.zazzle.com/steve_peifer_is_not_neil_diamond_bumpersticker-128490527355909301

I have been sharing my grand news about the concert with the entire staff and student body, and while you might expect jealous rage, this is such a holy place that if I didn’t know better, you would think the responses consisted of apathy, seeming ignorance of who Neil Diamond IS, and a mild form of pity.

I’m so glad I know better.

Most of the food has been delivered, and we were out at a school and I noticed that there was some construction going on. When I asked what was going on, the head master told me that the school had improved so much, the government  had decided to invest in the school and build water containers. There had been no investment in the school since it was built.

These are scary times in Kenya. Inflation, a poor crop and near drought conditions have made living so hard for so many people here. There is such a relief when we bring the food, and sometimes you worry that you are doing it all in vain.

But I watched the construction of the water tanks, and in a small way, I think we are seeing the beginning of a tipping point. The government is beginning to see improvements, and they are investing in the schools.

Tipping point? It’s brilliant actually.

Your pal,
Steve