Son of ` It’s not for me, it’s for my mother’
Long long ago I wrote about the trauma of
having to buy personal items for my mother when I was a kid, and how when I had
to buy them for
We are about an hour away from shopping, so since I was in town, it was
only fair that I would buy the product that she wanted. I went into the store,
and looked and looked, and finally found the product. But
So I took a DEEP breath, and asked a clerk in the store. It is always
an adventure to ask for anything in a Kenyan store, because communication can
be problematic. I’ve asked for bread and been directed to sea salt. But
it is FAR worse when you have no idea what you are asking for. I have
absolutely no concept of what Super Thin means, and a
horror of ever finding out. But I had to ask:
Me: Is this Super Thin?
Her: Do you want wings?
Me: I have no idea what that means. Please don’t tell me.
Her: It will probably be ok.
Never again.
This has been a month to ponder the eternal. The Petts,
some fellow missionaries we met three years ago were murdered in
Murder is always a tragedy, but when it involves people who are trying
to extend kindness it is always such a painful blow. They have three grown
children; please pray for them if you think of it.
One of our dorm guys was at home during the break, and had a perforated
bowel. His parents are stationed in
Eighth grade. Fighting
for your life. And doing it while sharing a bed with a
total stranger. It boggles the mind. He is going to make it, but the
reality of being remote hits home again.
There was some good news. One of our students was accepted at
When I was in the states, I worked for three companies that went belly
up in the course of 16 months. I got a job at a company selling publishing to
universities. It was not an especially good job; the owner was an eccentric man.
I was so gun shy after the other companies going under that I tried to make it
work.
After my first year at the company, I was consistently the top
performer for many years. It did not make it easier for me at the company, and
I began to try to find another job. I couldn’t find anything that would
pay near what I was making, and so I endured lots of humiliations for many
years. I was up for a job that received 600 resumes, and it came
down to me and one other person, and when I didn’t get the job, I can
still reach back and feel the disappointment and hurt I felt.
The job brought me to the campuses of almost 800 colleges. I learned
much about colleges, and the quality differences between them. I didn’t
enjoy the company, but I truly enjoyed the college environment.
I absolutely love what I’m doing now. Talking to kids about
college is one of the most satisfying things I’ve ever done.
And the reason I bring some value to it is because of those eight tough
years. All those years that I thought were a waste brought me back to
technology, and then being fairly knowledgeable about colleges. And a young man
from a small school that struggles with baboons on its campus is going to
You can trust His plan for your life.
At the marriage seminar we recently attended, we were eating under the
stars, and there was a dance floor. It is against RVA policy to dance, but I
asked the pastor for a special exception, and he granted it. It was a beautiful
evening, warm with a nice breeze.
I asked Katie if she would dance with me, and she very seriously
replied `Yes I will.’ We walked to the dance floor, she put her feet on
top of my feet, and she looked up at me with a smile that was brighter than all
the stars above us.
There are moments that are so special that they get you through the
other stuff.
And now we get to the other stuff. I tend to shy away from asking for
prayer in these letters, mostly because I figure that anyone who is reading
them KNOWS how much I need prayer, and they do it without asking.
But we are in trouble with the visas for the twins. Between the Kenyan
government and the
It really doesn’t make any sense to deny it, but we are now in
circumstances that we were trying to avoid by beginning this process in
November. There is no way for us to get the other visa in time; some of the
things they require take months, and we return to the states in mid-July.
So I am asking for prayer for two things:
I trust His plan for my life. I just want to act like I do.
Your pal,
s
Steve
and Nancy Peifer
Stateside
Address:
Phone:
011-254-20-32046-252
peifer@kijabe.net
http://peifer.kijabe.org