Pottery Time at the Oasis

Today was a semi-official ministry day. Martin showed me how to reach the Oasis, which is an auxiliary ministry of Bethel. There are activities there for Roma (gypsies) that are staffed by Bethel workers. When the building is not in use, seniors in the community have events there.

When I arrived, a worker was helping a girl with clay. I indicated that I knew how to use clay with my hands and with a wheel. When they pulled the pottery wheel out and plugged it in, I felt obligated to start using it. This was a very bad way to make a first impression, since the wheel did not have a basin to collect the water that must constantly be applied to the spinning clay. I was on the wheel for ten minutes, then cleaning up splatters and clay mess for thirty. I will avoid the wheel in the future.

Meanwhile, the Bethel worker was showing some girls a sewing craft. I made a somewhat lopsided rose with the girls, and awkwardly tried to help one who kept unthreading her needle. She either didn't want help or thought I was trying to sabotage her work, and she resisted my attempts. I guess this is ministry--doing a bad job helping people who don't want it? At the end of the hour, she began to smile at me, so I think I made some headway.

A less bashful little girl kept providing Czech words for the crafts, and we shared several conspiratorial smiles. By the end, I think the clay catastrophe was forgiven and I had made some new buddies.

Martin and I made posters that night, to advertise the English classes and the upcoming English camp that I will run with a couple from Canada. I had not known about this camp before, so I am both excited and nervous. I am nervous because the camp will last four hours every day. Since I have yet to have any classroom experience, this feels like an impossible length of time. But the Canadian couple is extremely nice and experienced, which means that my chances of failing are somewhat lowered.

And an interesting side note--I found out that standard printer paper in the CZ and Europe is not 8 1/2 x 11. Their standard paper, called A4 for no obvious reason, is taller and thinner than ours (maybe this also goes for their people?). I can accept paying for refills, public transport and only one brand of peanut butter, but this A4 paper may be beyond my ability to cope.

Please thank God for the thriving ministry at Bethel, and pray that we will all be open to the new opportunities that arise.