The Potter and the Clay

Today really was full of fun. It was our last day with Pastor and Julie before they headed home and we decided to visit a local pottery place in Bamessing. I've been there shopping before, but have never had the full tour, and it was so neat. After learning about where they dig for the clay, and how long they dry it and wet it and strain it etc...he finally took us to the potter's wheel and threw a lump of clay on there. That was my favorite part...watching as he formed that lump into a beautiful vase. Pastor had just preached at the graduation on this very topic. How we are the clay...and God, the potter, is forming us into what he wants us to be. Before this guy had to place the clay on the wheel, he had to knead it and beat out the air bubbles. What a picture! Sometimes we have to go through some pain and heartache...to make us more pliable.


After our tour, we went into the shop, where we browsed through all the finished products. Pastor and Julie found some nice souvenirs to take home. We hopped back in the car to head home. Cameroon was playing Japan in the world cup at 3 p.m. We'd been advised by the U.S. Embassy to avoid crowds and being on the roads during main events. If anyone got angry at the way the game was going...and we happened to be there...let's just say it can be dangerous. We think that we look so different than the Japanese people, but the Cameroonians lump us all into one category, "White Man." So, if they were looking to take their rage out on a white man for how the game was going, we didn't want to be there.


I spent the afternoon working on a cake. Pastor's birthday is tomorrow, but since they'll be traveling, we wanted to have a party tonight. He loves to fish, and whenever we are home, he and Ben take fishing trips together. So, my cake was a fishing theme and I love how it turned out! My mom got the little fisherman and gave it to Julie secretly before they left. Isn't it cute? I also put together a Mexican meal...we had tacos and fajitas. yuuuuummy! I made the tortillas last night, so thankfully the meal preparation was easy. I wanted to give myself plenty of time to get the cake done. I found the picture online and pretty much copied it. The ducks were the cutest part...and Julie had the hardest time eating hers! haha!


We weren't sure what to get Pastor for a gift, but when Ben went shopping with them on Friday, I told him to keep his ears open. Well, Pastor kept asking about this elephant carved out of ebony. He never did end up buying it. After they shopped they sat down to lunch and the restaurant was out of cold drinks. Ben took that opportunity and told them that he'd run out and get some cold drinks. They probably wondered what took him so long, but he went back to that store and bought that elephant! So sneaky!!


We have certainly enjoyed their stay and are so thankful for our church family that sent loads of suitcases full of wonderful treats with them. Thank you so much to my Calvary family. We love and miss you all so much!!