The Last Walk Up Together

July 15, 2007 by Steve Peifer

The twins turned six and graduated from kindergarten, so there were all sorts of celebrations and excitement. Truthfully, when you have six year old twins, there is ALWAYS excitement, but this was scheduled excitement, which means you could fool yourself into thinking you could prepare for it. One of their teachers made them birthday hats:

We have almost completed three more centers. We have a new guy building them who is a force of nature, and his enthusiasm has rekindled the...

Are you Hispanic? Two Weeks Hitchhiking Across Canada and America

June 24, 2007 by Steve Peifer

Every term I get to do a chapel for the 1st-6th graders aka the Titchies. I am not a pastor, but I believe the term that might be used for them would be `Tough Crowd.’ No one can tune you out faster than a little kid can.

I was sitting in the back of the room, trying to gather my thoughts, when the principal got up to make some announcements before I spoke. The first announcement got my attention:...

The Whole Picture

May 29, 2007 by Steve Peifer

In the end, the plague touched us all…

These are called Nairobi Eyes; they are an insect that has covered everything in our area lately. The problem with them is not that they bite, but when you squish them, they secrete a chemical that causes really nasty burns on the skin. If one drops on you at night, you swat at it, and it can really leave a mark:

JT with a nasty scar on his neck
They are starting to...

The Power of A

May 11, 2007 by Steve Peifer

Long time readers may remember that when I went back to the states for a conference in October, Cheetos were stolen from my suitcase on my return. This was a disappointment to Ben, and it was the only thing he had asked me to bring back.

A nice person read the email and mailed a box with five bags of Cheetos to us in October.

We received them three days ago.

What was most interesting was that...

I Have Never Gone to Class on a Wooden Floor Before

May 5, 2007 by Steve Peifer

It was a sobering Easter. We were enjoying being together, and it began to dawn on us that it was the last Easter we would be with JT for many years. Watching the twins find their eggs put us back in the spirit of the day.

After Easter, we took a train to the coast for our last vacation together. The way it is supposed to work is that the train would leave at 7 in the evening and you would...

Two Pencils and One Pen: Rewards in Kenya

April 6, 2007 by Steve Peifer

Ben and Kate were VERY insistent that I take this picture and send it to you:

Someday they will hurt me for this, but they are VERY proud of it right now.
I also have proof of my raw courage with the cheetah. Notice the incredible valor:

I think this could possibly be a motivational poster
JT had an amazing interim, and had an interesting interaction with an animal:

JT and an eagle
It is the end of the term...

Milking a Camel is Just Like You Might Think it Would Be: The Interim Trip

March 25, 2007 by Steve Peifer

It started many years ago; the thought was the RVA kids would do good to be able to spend time in other parts of Africa. So, for one week a year, juniors and seniors have the choice of about a dozen interim trips they can take. Some choose to climb Mount Kilimanjaro; some go to the coast and study the reefs and some do what I did.

I was a last minute sub for a staff member who was...

Two Cousins and a Grandfather; Mornings with Addie

February 26, 2007 by Steve Peifer

When I walk Ben and Kate to school, we frequently have Addie walk with us. Addie likes to talk to me, and I always look forward to it, because anything goes. The other day she was quite animated:
Addie: This morning when I got up to go potty, I went and went so long I thought I would have to be there ALL DAY.

Me: (With the alarm born of 5 year old twins when they talk of going to...

Stories from the Field

Stories
from the Field