Some trips start poorly; this one started great. The day before I left, I received an email from Harvard saying they were going to accept one of our students from their waitlist. I called Shannon, and I could tell that she hadn’t heard the news. I encouraged her to look at her email, and to call me if she wanted to talk later. Five minutes later, perhaps the most hysterical phone call I ever received was a wonderful prelude to the next sixteen days.

It is impossible to overestimate how much of a suck I am, and somehow I was able to write to my old friend Jerry and ask him to pick me up, feed me, and drop me off at my hotel. I got to see most of his kids (which was a treat and truly weird because I had babysat them at one point, and now they are all grownups) and Jerry’s wife, who I am convinced has an aging portrait in her attic. I was such a charming guest that as soon as I arrived, I asked if I could take a shower – and think about it: who wouldn’t want someone who just showed up to use their shower?

To be in Washington DC during Memorial Day weekend is such a privilege. DC is a great walking town, and I was able to see many of the veterans memorials. My father was a POW during WWII, and it was a time to reflect on all he had done.

The first conference was about foreign students, and one of the interesting highlights was that you had an option of having a meal at an embassy. What I didn’t know was that you were assigned to an embassy, and that you didn’t have a choice. I got the Kuwait Embassy, and it was one of those evenings where most everyone wished they were somewhere else. I was having a discussion with one of the guys who worked there, and I mentioned that oil prices were like him drawing to an inside straight. This started an interesting discussion:

Embassy Guy: Do you play?
Me: Back in the day, I was known to take a few dollars from drunken fraternity boys. But now I am a holy missionary.
EG: You are afraid to play us?

That somehow led to playing poker in a back room of the Kuwait Embassy for several hours. I should explain that I do not condone gambling, but I did this to defend the honor of America. I also believe that the only way to play poker with a bunch of guys is to rudely insult each other. I hadn’t played poker since I became a holy missionary, and so I was a bit out of practice, but after one of the guys bet wildly on a pair of threes, I politely informed him that he was either nuts or drunk. A few minutes later, I made an especially stupid bet, and I was told that I was as dumb as a cold potato. A fine night of saying kind remarks ensued. At the end, I was up $71 and told them that I couldn’t keep the money; it would go to the feeding program. They all folded, and so $90 went to the feeding program.

I had a chance to see an old friend from RVA, and we went to the Holocaust Museum, which is something that every human should see. My young friend Tim took us to Wolf Trap and we saw Riverdance, which was just a blast and very different than the way I had spent the last six months.

It was time to go to Boston, for the Christian College Convention. It was held at Gordon College outside Boston. It was an excellent time to make contacts and hear great presentations. At one presentation, we were asked to share an important conversation with a student about college and, without bragging, I think I won:

Me: If you die tomorrow, will you go to heaven or hell?
Student: I will go to heaven. I am born again.
Me: That is good to know because if you don’t have your applications done by tomorrow, I am going to kill you.

The first student in RVA history to attend Harvard was graduating this year, and he had asked me if I could attend his graduation. I told him I would be honored to, but I didn’t think there was any way I could. I asked him the dates, and when he emailed the date, I was shocked. My conference was June 1-4; his graduation was June 5. I was able to stay with the legendary Downs, who may be the most gracious humans on the planet.

So that was how it happened that I was able to attend a Harvard graduation. It was truly amazing, but my favorite part was how many students that lived with Sam found their way to tell me how much Sam had meant to them. As I watched his graduation, and thought of our two other RVA alums crossing that stage someday, I cried like a baby.

(I was inspired to create a joke from the graduation, and I am happy to send it to anyone who requests it. I’m afraid it would spoil the tone to include it here.)

I also had the chance to see a Boston Red Sox game at Fenway. The Boston Red Sox are important for many reasons. They have the second most beautiful stadium in the country. They give hope to all Cubs fans that hopeless cases can turn around. And, more importantly, they have the greatest tradition in all of baseball:

In the ninth inning, the entire stadium sings, at the top of their lungs, the immortal anthem by Neil Diamond: Sweet Caroline. It may be the most therapeutic thing one can do. I have a sense that is what heaven will be like.

It was hard to be away but I was sustained by emails from the twins:

Dad . . .

I miss you.tell matthew hi and tell him we have somting for him. [we meaning ben and Katie] are you in boston? How is the confens going? Mrs brown is a grate techer! DO”NOT TELL HIM I T IS A GRATE BIG POSTER! IOVE BEN PS DO NOT TELL REMEMBER

Then came the best part of the trip, and the real reason I went back – to pick up Matthew and bring him home. Matthew had requested to finish the school year in the states, and after our initial refusal, we began to think he was supposed to be there. He had the honor of staying with the Jacksons, the most wonderful family in the world. Les is much younger than I am, but I still want to be him when I grow up. CCA is the school that has meant the world to our children, and they were so gracious to Matthew.

Matthew met me at the airport (again due to the wonderfulness of the invincible Colemans), and I don’t have the words to describe how wonderful it was to see him. He had a great six months, but he was ready to come home, and we were so ready to have him. We are all just happier because Matthew is back with us. I think giddy is probably the word that comes to mind.

After a long delay because of all the unrest, we are making great progress on the next three computer centers. I am always so thrilled at how well kids are taking to computers, and grateful that we have more almost ready to go.

I was at a school recently, and a student asked me if I thought she could create something important and beautiful on the computer.

I told her I was sure she could, and I couldn’t stop grinning all day.

Your pal,
Steve

P.S.
People ask us to be specific with our needs. One need is to pay our computer teachers. They make about $130 a month, and we have 13 employees. If you would like to learn more how to help, drop us a line.