The Heart of Worship and Neil Diamond: The Most Glorious Day

November 20, 2011 by Steve Peifer

On Tuesdays, instead of chapel, there is an optional praise chapel run by the kids. I try never to miss it; nothing is better for what ails you than singing to the Lord with a bunch of enthusiastic students. We sang several songs, and then it happened.
They started to sing the melody to the song “I’m a Believer” but they had changed the lyrics to reflect Christian lyrics. But there was no denying that we were SINGING A NEIL DIAMOND...

A Different Kind of Exhilaration

October 16, 2011 by Steve Peifer

From student announcements:
“Mr. Peifer is delighted to announce that the broken glass on his historic, personally signed picture of Neil Diamond has been repaired and is available for viewing in his office with an appointment.”
(I just thought you would want to know.)
I first met Alan in the weight room at RVA. It isn’t hard to do; it is little more than a large closet, so those of us who are 6am work out people tend to get to know each...

My Beautiful Ear

September 19, 2011 by Steve Peifer

I know that many of you have been devastated by my inability to ditch this shallow missionary life and be pursuing my true calling of being a male model. After the interaction with Tyra Banks, it just seemed God ordained that I would be utilizing my true abilities and the phones would not stop ringing.
Shockingly, the calls never came. And so I trudged back to Africa with defeat in every step of the way.
But God had a bigger plan.
RVA does...

Unexpected Roads: The Year in Review

August 1, 2011 by Steve Peifer

Matthew started college and had a great first year at the University of Richmond.
I had eye surgery and went from 20-2000 in my left eye to 20-40.
We used our hotel and airline points to take Ben and Katie to Disney World.
I received the NACAC Educator of the Year award, which caused the superintendent of RVA to remark, “They never observed your driver’s ed class.”
JT graduated from Wake Forest and two weeks later married the lovely Janelle, a woman he had...

Merry Christmas

December 23, 2010 by Steve Peifer

We left Kenya in July to bring Matthew back to start at the University of Richmond. He has had a wonderful first term, and a great start to his college career. JT is one term away from graduating and marrying the lovely Janelle. The twins are enjoying school and some of the joys of American life.
Somehow with your help, we managed to feed 20,000 students a day for the year, even with donations way down. We have completed 20 computer...

Saturday, not Thursday: Receiving Awards with Quality and Class

October 5, 2010 by Steve Peifer

You would think a wife who is aging well would be a GOOD thing for the husband, and mostly it is, except when she is standing next to you and you are seeing friends you haven’t seen in three years.
Old Friend:  Nancy, you look so great!
Same Old Friend:  Steve, how ARE you?
Comparisons can be CRUEL.
We have gotten to see JT, dropped off Matthew at University of Richmond, and I have had eye surgery which resulted in my eye going from...

The Final Game

July 18, 2010 by Steve Peifer

It is hard to sum up the last five years, but a couple of thoughts come to mind.

If you are like me, once you went digital, you hadn’t printed out many pictures lately. I recently went through three years of pictures, and printed out the highlights. When we looked through the pictures, the kids that you are helping to feed LOOKED better. Years of good nutrition began to have an effect; they look younger and more alive. Being hungry...

It’s Complicated

June 21, 2010 by Steve Peifer

My all time favorite commercial is from the 60’s. In it, an earnest looking middle aged woman boards a bookmobile and asks a question to an equally earnest looking librarian:
Earnest Middle Aged Woman:  Do you have any books on … biology?
Librarian:  Why, are you constipated?
The earnest middle aged woman agrees that she is, and the librarian gives her advice of her favorite choice of laxative. What I loved was the leap:  if you wanted a book on biology, what other...