This is not your father’s childhood

December 21, 1999 by Steve Peifer

Everything is different in Africa. Even vacations.
We had the opportunity to go to Mombasa last week. It is on the coast of Kenya, bordering the Indian Ocean. A family was gracious enough to let us ride the 9 hours with them. There are several different elements to travel in Africa:

The roads. The road to Mombasa has some really bad roads. So bad that there times when you must veer into the other lane to avoid potholes that threaten to swallow...

They Are ALL Ugly; She Is Just The LEAST Ugly

December 4, 1999 by Steve Peifer

The term is over, and our dorm boys have left until January. It was such a weird combination of knowing how much you will miss them, and how much you can’t wait until they leave. Two snippets of conversation overheard before they left:

“I don’t think I have to wear underwear at home anymore so I don’t have to pack.”
“I told you – all girls are ugly. She is just the least ugly.”

Right after the term ends, there is a conference...

Busy in Africa

December 1, 1999 by Steve Peifer

Well, life has been very busy lately. But today is the first real day of break and I am enjoying it, although I am behind on laundry and a few other things…
The boys all left last Wednesday and Thursday. We had to get 2 on a 6:30 am bus on Wednesday; one on a 5:30 am bus on Thursday and the others were picked up at varying times. The last one left on Thanksgiving Day at 10:00 am, then we...

An African Thanksgiving

November 28, 1999 by Steve Peifer

I’ve always enjoyed Thanksgiving, but its purpose for me was twofold:
— Eat until it hurts
— Eat more
We decided to invite all the singles over for the big meal. I got to come to Africa with my bride and my kids, so if I never made a friend, I would always have a good time. But I find myself marveling at people who would come all the way to Africa without any family, and have no one to come home to....

Get Off the Gas, Get Off the Gas!!!

November 21, 1999 by Steve Peifer

I was going to be different.
You know the stereotype; the nervous sweating driving instructor who frequently screams in panic and bursts into tears with seemingly no good reason.
Calm was my mantra, and I’m not ever sure what a mantra is. But I would gently reassure them and guide them into happy driving. After all, I had spent the term covering the curriculum with them and had fallen in love with all of them. It was going to be easy.
Not that...

This is RVA

November 19, 1999 by Steve Peifer

Last week I wrote about Kenya. This week I have to write about RVA. Although RVA is in Kenya and is influenced by Kenya, it is not really Kenyan. And it is a unique experience to live here. The following are interesting facts about living and working at RVA based on real events in the lives of real people (us) this term:

The only fist fight I had to break up as a dorm parent of 5th grade boys was because...

Now he cries for this

November 14, 1999 by Steve Peifer

The Pinewood Derby was Saturday. After all the weeks of preparation, the time had come. On Friday night, the 1st through 3rd grades ran their races, or rather, their dashes, because they were not official. But Saturday, the 4th through 12th grade would race.
The track took almost the length of the gym. Because we have a Ph.D. in applied sciences, a masters in discrete mathematics and a masters in theater, the track was absolutely perfect, we had computer systems tracking...

RAIN!!

November 11, 1999 by Steve Peifer

It started last night about midnight and is still raining–a nice, steady, gentle rain that this parched land can drink in! And this after the local weathermen said that the weather patterns had changed and the short rains were over…God is faithful!
Thanks for praying.
Nancy

Stories from the Field

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