Didn’t you used to be Steve Peifer? Adventures in Conferences and Conventions

July 4, 2005 by Steve Peifer

A dream came true in the last week, and it almost was a twofer.

I’ve been to a conference of Christian colleges, a seminar at Harvard, and an Oracle convention in the last few weeks. They have all been good, all in different ways.

The Christian conference was in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Living in a college dormitory was enlightening; it was hard to believe that so many good memories came from such an ugly place. College is really...

Guaranteed Two Phrases NEVER before uttered in the same sentence

May 28, 2005 by Steve Peifer

My life has had lots of surprises since 1998, but even my most optimistic friends would not have predicted this:

I won a full ride to Harvard.

You would not believe how NATURALLY this can be inserted into a conversation:
Drive Through Window Guy: You want a double cheeseburger and a Diet Coke?

Me: Did you say something about Harvard?

DTWG: No.

Me: I did get a full ride scholarship to Harvard.

DTWG: Do you...

The End of the Dream and the Birth of Hope

May 17, 2005 by Steve Peifer

The goal was 25 computer centers and 100 schools being fed. It’s getting late in the game, but we had one more big chance. Some friends invited us to share after their church service at their large church in MN. I had this hope that the right people would hear the message, and we would hit the goals.

And then the pastor, who had been at the church for 17 years, announced he was resigning from the pulpit to...

The Ultimate Sacrifice

April 29, 2005 by Steve Peifer

The letters has been storming in. Hundreds, lo even THOUSANDS, wondering what I will do. People asking `Will he not go back to Kenya now? Will he come later?’

And the calls. The volume has prevented any of them from getting through, but I imagine people saying `How is it possible that you could still be going?’

But yet, somehow I am. People will look at me and weep and start chanting `What a NOBLE man.’

I’m...

I’ve heard worse: Enthralling audiences across America

April 8, 2005 by Steve Peifer

When missionaries would come to my church, I would suddenly remember that I had important work to do in the nursery. I thought they were dweebs with bad haircuts who whined about money.

As my older sister would say, `There you go.’

The wonder of the principle of sowing and reaping is that between work and school, I’ve been speaking at churches all over the place in the last few months. We are scheduled to return to Kenya...

So! Been eating, have you? Six Months in America

February 24, 2005 by Steve Peifer

It’s been an interesting year back in the United States. I’m not a terribly insightful person, but I think I’ve figured out one thing about America.

The first week we were back in the states I took Ben and Kate to Wal-Mart. As we walked through, with their eyes almost popping out of their sockets, I saw something that I hadn’t seen three years ago.

Wal-Mart was selling three thousand dollar TV’s. I was so amazed at this...

Ain’t them cute: the twins conquer America

October 20, 2004 by Steve Peifer

Whenever you have an international trip, there is always one incident that makes you remember it; it happened when we went through security in Nairobi. JT’s carry-on was his saxophone, and when they opened it up, there was an interesting conversation:
Security: What is this?

JT: It is a saxophone.

Security: What is a saxophone?

JT: It is a musical instrument.

Security: You must play it in order for us to believe you.
So at ten o’clock in...

Will I Still be Three in America? The Twins Contemplate the Journey to America

July 12, 2004 by Steve Peifer

Have you ever met a hero and made a fool of yourself?

A few months ago, I was leaving a school which has one textbook for every seven children, and I was in a rather foul mood. An official government procession went by, and by law, you must pull over to the side of the road, stop your engine and get out of your car.

And I counted over 15 new Mercedes.

I had one of...

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