Sacrificing Myself for Others: Nobility in Action

May 4, 2002 by Steve Peifer

For some reason I can’t quite fathom, Nancy sometimes feels the need to spend time with other woman. The sixteen dorm boys are all remarkably sensitive and JT, Matthew and Ben reflect the compassion of the modern male. By now, you know how sensitive I am. And yet, Nancy will tell Katie almost everyday `Grow faster, little one. Momma needs another girl around here.’
Some of the ladies will have a birthday luncheon for each other, and it was scheduled to...

White Sand and Black Bottoms

April 25, 2002 by Steve Peifer

This was new, taking a vacation with infants. We were all tired from the term and the excitement of adopting the twins, so staying for a week on the coast sounded wonderful.
Going to the coast involves an eight hour drive over some of the worst roads you can imagine, and for some reason, people who would normally gladly give us a ride were hesitant about driving with nine month old babies in the car.(One guy asked: `you taking BOTH of...

A Chance for Change

April 21, 2002 by Steve Peifer

Here are the facts:

The drop out rate in most Kenyan schools is about 65-70%.
Most Kenyan children eat one meal a day.
When a free lunch is provided, the drop out rate is reduced dramatically.

Here are some thoughts:

Most Kenyan children walk several miles to a classroom and sit all day on a bench without a back to it.
It would seem like one might be able to concentrate if you had some food in your stomach.
Without an education, there is little opportunity one...

Energizer Wedding

April 7, 2002 by Steve Peifer

Fred begged us to bring the twins.
It will only be one hour, he told us again and again, and it won’t be the same if the whole family isn’t there.
And we were close to bringing them, until JT and Matthew went to the practice.
Matthew was playing the processional, and one tradition in a Kenyan wedding is for the bride to work down the aisle VERY slowly to show she is sad to leave her parents. After he played the processional...

Kow-Jabe!

March 31, 2002 by Steve Peifer

Several comments about the exciting contest:

Many of you have WAY too much time on your hands.
If someone is having a baby and I yell `Name it Steve or Stephanie’ that is CHARMING. If you suggested the name Steve or Stephanie to name a COW, it is a sign of IMMATURITY and RUDENESS.
Those of you that decided to use this contest as an opportunity to insult me severely hurt your chances of winning.
We had more response to this email than when...

Name the Cow and Win a Prize!

March 21, 2002 by Steve Peifer

Our date was great. It’s remarkable how being away for a day can refresh your perspective. It was also the first time I had driven to Nairobi since we had returned to Kenya, and it’s not like driving in Dallas. I dodged mule carts, sheep, matatus driven by escapees from the Asylum for the Criminal Insane, and pot holes that are so deep and so wide you can’t do anything but bid farewell to certain...

When you have to explain a joke, it must REALLY stink

March 9, 2002 by Steve Peifer

My last email has been misinterpreted by so many people that I felt an obligation to offer an apology. It was entitled `Sacrificing myself for others: Nobility in Action’. I began the email with my attempt to swipe some pie from a luncheon that Nancy was giving for some ladies, where I emailed them and told them that it was no good so not to eat it; I would eat it later and in effect, sacrifice myself for them.
By the...

Irregular Verbs or How to Disgust and Educate

March 7, 2002 by Steve Peifer

Grammar is the most boring subject in the world to teach, and certainly to learn. But my daughter has given me great inspiration. She is the most beautiful girl in the universe, but before she does the deed she grunts in a manner that people miles away are aware of what she is doing.
So, when we are doing drills in class to identify irregular verbs, what do I make self-conscious eight grade students do? You’ve got it; they have to...

Category: Organization