Potjie

What started as a cultural fascination (see previous blog posts here and here) has turned into a full-fledged obsession. Me and the potjie -- the black cast iron pot you use to cook potjiekos (lit. pot-food) over the fire. I love it and have recently started making up reasons to cook in the potjie. My dear South African parents have watched the evolution from enjoyment of the delicious food to addiction and sent me back to the States with my very own number 3 pot (the last photo below. I have at 2 scheduled opportunties to cook in it and am always looking for more).

Samuel leading church -- his favorite activity -- while I'm cooking in the pots at Agape 4.

Potjie is a team effort for me -- I need someone to manage the fire. Here is Reyno.

This is the box I checked on the flight with me. Sisipho wrote on the box: "Ons gaan Tannie Amy mis" (we're going to miss Auntie Amy").

Back in Houston

Today ends the longest period of not posting on this blog since it started.... it's been over three months. Writing doesn't come naturally to me and it is difficult for me to distill my experiences into a few succinct paragraphs. I saw A for the first time in over a year at the park this morning and after a bit of encouragement from her, "blog update," which has been languishing on my to-do list, will finally get a check mark.

I've been back in Houston for the past 10 days. So many people ask me how it is to be back, and truthfully, I have really enjoyed it. I'm back in my townhome, walking around Memorial Park, seeing friends, it is great. I'm also very excited to return to Agape next month and have been missing my friends and family on that side terribly. Here are some photos and a video of recent months. The first photo above is of some of our wonderful children at Agape that I love with all my heart. They have new houseparents now -- a mom and a dad from the area who are wonderful people and parents and truly a God-send. I have loved getting to know them better and seeing the impact they're having on the kids in their house.

Gabi and I took some of the kids to the ocean while her parents were visiting from the Netherlands.

Me with some of the kids pre-bedtime. It's like a matching game and we play in English and Afrikaans.

Smiles after dinner at the Spur -- every South African kids' favorite restaurant.

Before a minor day surgery -- she was so nervous but did great.

In an outdoor food court area at a mall in Cape Town. My Afrikaans is something like "kick Samuel.... Now he is very wet..." This outing was a welcome diversion on a school holiday when Ami was in the hospital.