“I am the Potter, you are the clay …” says an old hymn.

Look for the little mechanic trying to fix our broken-down van

With about 3/4 square inch of clay, team members were asked to depict something, anything. A teeny toilet was crafted by a very hard worker who learns fast and is willing to do whatever is needed. There was a broken-down van with a little tiny man trying to fix it (amazingly crafted out of that tiny bit of clay); a pig, representing this former pig ranch, now a healing home for broken children. Hearts, a cross, animals, flowers, were all represented. The pieces expressed creativity, uniqueness and works in progress.

Our lives have been broken in myriad ways.

In addition to construction work, Leo often washes dishes after our meals. “That’s one of my skills,” he smiles. Years ago he walked away from what he calls “man’s church”. Leo became a heavy drug and alcohol user,imprisoned several times, ’til he allowed God, the Master Potter, to change him and begin molding Leo into Jesus’ image.

Robin conducted a college band at 8, ran away from home at 14, and taught 18-year old high school students when she was 19. She is brilliant. Here she loves to paint – and this year is painting wood slats for the cattle stalls.

Judy was a Buddhist, searching for peace. She came to know the Jesus of the Bible, who filled her with a peace she’d never known before. She’s painted, carried boards, helped with construction, and whatever else is needed.

Helen was neglected and constantly put down by her mother.  She learned to be an excellent listener, and now helps the children at Rancho Santa Marta by sharing her hairdressing craft with them.

Janica grew up in a Christian home but struggled with her sense of value and worth. While she admits that’s still a work in progress, she has become a songwriter and is able to express what God is teaching her through her compositions, which reflect His love and care.

We’re all still broken – touched by life’s little and big issues, our culture’s emphasis on appearance, financial success, ethnicity, our own inability to do things as well as we would like. People sometimes hurt us deeply and we struggle to get to a place of forgiveness. Sometimes I offend without meaning to because I haven’t thought something through sufficiently before acting. But God is the Master Potter, and He is changing us as we allow Him to access the crevices of our hearts.

And He uses cracked pots! He takes us where we are, starts a healing process, and uses us even while we’re still broken.

This week these 27 cracked pots have put trusses on the roof of the medical/dental clinic for the school and community.

They’ve welded steel gates for the cattle pens; and painted boards for the corral.

Cracked pots are sewing costumes for the children.

Cracked pots have painted, cleaned, built racks, shored up and painted closets, and built a table in a clothing storage area to allow for better organization and protection (from rats) of donations given to RSM.

Cracked pots have cooked, cleaned, and used puppets and crafts to share God’s love with the children of Santa Marta

Binding up the wounded

This particular cracked pot has coordinated the snack preparation/delivery to all the work sites, as well as cleaning and wrapping relatively minor wounds of our team members.

The wounds of many of Rancho Santa Marta’s children often go deeper than the physical. For those, we pray for and support the committed staff as they counsel, love, teach and care for their kids. To God be the glory for using Cracked Pots!

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