I've come into town today because I've been invited. I received an invitation a few hours earlier to come to the Sculptor's house, for the unveiling of his new piece. I've never really been to too many unveilings; actually this is probably the first. I don't know why I came today, except that I knew, somewhere in the pit of my stomach, that this was going to be important.

    I mosey around a bit, checking out the new wares at the import shop, picking up a few things to check out the quality, I put them back down then walk out. I guess I should probably head over to the Sculptor's place.

    Finding it isn't hard; I've been there plenty. Actually, this past year I've been visiting him a lot. There's something about him, that I can't put my finger on, but he's a great guy. He gives out some good advice, a bit odd, but always good. Actually it's usually better after doing what he says then just listening.

    Knocking on his door, he immediately answers. With a great big smile, he invites me in to come sit down. I do, he inquires about how my day is going. I tell him I wasn't really doing anything today and then got his invitation to see his new piece. He smiles with a twinkle in his eye. He tells me that I'm really going to like this one. He stands up and beckons me to come outside with him. So, I follow.

    Outside is a huge something covered with a sheet. He asks me if I'm ready to see what's he's been working on for the past 20 years. "20 years!" I exclaim. "How come I never saw you work on it?" I ask. "Oh I'm sure you have, you may have never really paid much attention to it though." I try and think what this could be; surly I would have seen him working on something for that long. I shrug and tell him I'm ready, because I can't guess what it is.

    He unveils the artwork, by sliding the sheet off; I notice the bottom, of what's holding up a statue at first glance. The most beautiful piece of marble I've ever seen. An amazing round cylinder that seems to have no rough edges in it whatsoever. Carved on it in bold print is the word "LIFE." Looking up on what's on the marble basin is a pair of feet in solid gold. The detail is amazing, like whomever the piece was based off was put on the pedestal and gold molded onto him. Continuing to look up, I look up in shock. The rest of the statue is a person, but more than that, it's me.

    I look questionly at the Sculpture. "Sir," I ask, "I don't quite understand this piece of art. That is me on it isn't it?" He smiles at me. "Yes Jonathan, that is you." "Then, what is the point of the statue? If you can see me whenever you like?"

    "You see Jonathan, this pedestal, with the word "LIFE" on it, has been your life up until now. I make a pedestal for each and every person that I know." I look around and notice all the different pieces of marble that are finished or still being chipped at, I guess I've never really seen them before when I came to visit. "It takes a while for some of them to be finished, some unfortunately never get finished. But you, yours has been finished. And it is time that the real art goes on top of the pedestal." I glance back at the me with my feet covered in gold. "You see, this is how I see you. You are now going to be covered in gold, pure and perfect. The reflective image of my son. Slowly, little by little and for the rest of your life, you will continue to be made into the image of my son."

Well, this is a short story of a somewhat of a vision I had when I was contemplating why I had been in Africa, one of the last days I was there. I was praying and journaling, feeling a little bit defeated wishing I would have done more, or done a few things different, when I asked God the question of "What did I really accomplish here, what did I do?" And with a really big response, he showed me this picture of me as a statue, with my feet covered in gold. He told me that he has been working in my life, which is the pedestal, but now, this past year has grabbed a hold of me, making me want to follow the Lord for the rest of my life no matter what. This life of following the Sculptor is something I can call my own, it is no longer what others have told me, or my parent's faith, and it truly is my own. I am rooted in Christ, and will slowly and for the rest of my life be transformed into the image of him. Something that I truly desire, of that dying to self and living in and for Christ. The lord responded to me with, "It's not what you've done, but what I've done in and through you."

This is was probably one of the most encouraging encounters I had with the Lord.

So this is one part of what I wanted to share with everyone about my time in Africa. There should be a bit more to come.

*My apologies if some of the analogies aren't completely accurate. I don't think it's possible to ever get a complete picture if you're copying it; the only complete picture is the original.