About

Hello.

My name is Jacob Lipke and this is my website.

I’m glad you’re here.

I am a writer and a teacher. I love learning new things, solving problems, lifting weights, and endurance sports. I value meaningful work, close relationships, and exciting experiences.

I majored in Math at Saint John’s University. Post-graduation, I lived and volunteered in Kenya for 7 months and Israel for 2 months through the Benedictine Volunteer Corps. I am now living at the Saint John’s Prep School, working as a Residential Director for the boarding students here.

I want to develop the skills I need to earn an income through writing. This website is a piece of that puzzle.

The best way to follow along is by joining my newsletter below.

Thank you.

Lipke’s Letters

Here you’ll find my weekly letters.

Fill out the form to have them delivered directly to your inbox.

Starting on 8/24/24.

Every Saturday.

  • 9-21-24

    Subject: The Egg, Anti-Aging, and Spaced Repetition Hello All! I…

  • 9-14-24

    Subject: Listening to the Message, Reasonable Creatures, and Jerry Seinfeld…

  • 9-7-24

    Subject: Richard Reusch, Racecars, and Determining Greatness Hello All! Welcome…

  • 8-31-24

    Subject: Direct Hits, September Hard, and the Story of Your…

  • 8-24-24

    Subject: Lost Luggage, Big Books, and the Man in the…

Entries

I’ve used these posts as a sort of journal since September 2023.

It keeps family and friends up-to-date and has been fun for me to look back on.

  • Summer 2024

    Mt. Kilimanjaro The last thing I did in East Africa before coming home was climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. I hiked with James and Sam (the volunteers from Tanzania) as well as three of my college roommates (Nico, Lloyd, and…

  • Next Up

    As my time in the BVC comes to an end, a short summary of what has happened and a look to the future. Year in Review I spent 9 months volunteering in some of the craziest situations and…

  • Last Dance

    On my way back to the Amani Center from the airport, I saw some of what the news had already told me. Nairobi was flooded. Over the coming week, I’d see that my first glimpse of the flooding…

  • Return to the Holy Land

    Sam Rengo, a volunteer based in Hanga, Tanzania, was in Israel from mid-March until the end of April. He let us know that groups were starting to pick back up at Beit Noah, the retreat center there. Since…

  • Family Trip

    My family was able to come visit me in Nairobi for almost 2 weeks. We did some common tourist activities, but I also got to show them a side of Kenya that most visitors will never see. I…

  • Tanzania

    In the early months of our time in Nairobi, Trenton and I found a half-marathon in Moshi, Tanzania. It was lined up perfectly with when our second 90-day visa would expire so we decided to sign up for…

  • Israel

    Spending 6 weeks in Israel was an incredible experience for me. I hope you enjoy hearing about some of the highlights. Day in the Life First, here’s what a normal day looked like in Tabgha, Israel. 7AM –…

  • Alfajiri

    Alfajiri is a non-profit organization started by Lenore Boyd, or as all the staff call her, Ann. When she came to Kenya years ago as a volunteer, she realized that there weren’t enough organizations trying to help the…

  • Abbey Banner Article

    I was recently asked to write an article for the upcoming edition (Spring 2024) of the Abbey Banner. The Abbey Banner is a magazine published three times a year by the monks of St. John’s Abbey. I’ve posted…