You Have Become an
African Man
I never expected to become friends with Margaret, but
I’m grateful for it nonetheless. I
began to know her when I first started buying maize and beans. I went to market
myself, and could never beat her prices. She was a brilliant negotiator, and I
soon started buying most of my beans from her.
When the pastor I was dealing with was transferred,
Margaret started going with me to the schools. Her husband is a pastor, and
because of his schedule, he asked that Margaret would go with
me.
She has a merry laugh, doesn’t suffer fools, and every
time we hit a pothole, she yells `Oh my God, save me’ which makes long trips fun
and eventful.
Last week, I was delayed picking her up, and she got
into the car and said `You have become an African
man.’
I thought `Was it the dance moves that made her think
that? My innate coolness?
‘
No.
Kenyan men are always late.
I’m still holding out for the dance
moves.
We took our last trip out to Kenton. The kids are so
happy and so poor. Their clothes are in the worst shape I’ve
seen.
.
But we were able to tell the headmaster that it is
likely that the new computer center will be built at his
school.
He just looked at me and looked at the hill and looked
at me and looked at the hill. He didn’t say anything for the longest time.
Sometimes silence can be the most eloquent thing you can
say.
We will be back in the
Erik is a golden boy. Good looking, great basketball
player, lead in the musical, some of the highest scores on the SAT2 in the
history of the school. His dad is a surgeon who gives up millions to be out
here. Erik dates the prom queen, or at least she probably would be if we had a
prom.
Anyway, we had cafeteria duty last week, and for the
first time ever, they had little bags of chips that were probably past the due
date (because that is when they are affordable). It hadn’t happened before in
the cafeteria.
And Erik walked in, and went `WOW!! Bags of chips!!’ He was so elated, and it’s one of the
reasons I love this place.
Where else does the coolest kid on the block get
thrilled with a bag of stale chips?
Your pal,
S
http://peifer.kijabe.org
PS. We are inviting all of our friends in
the DFW area to join us at Milwaukee Joe’s on Friday July 23rd at
(817)
581-1953
Steve
and Nancy PeiferStateside
Address: