The traditional African
fireplace uses three cooking stones of equal size and placement to support the
cooking pot (clay or metal pot).  There is an African saying:  The cooking
pot sits on three stones.  The three stones need each other; they work
together.  Take away one stone and the pot falls down.   So the One God can be
represented by the one cooking pot and the Three Persons of the Trinity can be
represented by the three stones.  The Father, Son and Holy Spirit share
intimately together.  The Three Persons of the Trinity form a unity.  Take away
One Person and the Trinity is incomplete. 

A Sukuma proverb in Tanzania says:  The three stones [that support the
cooking pot] are cold which means there is no fire and thus no food is being
cooked — a sign of the lack of hospitality, welcome and love.  The cold stones
are a sign of the lack of good relationships within the home itself and with the
people living outside.  Yet the Three Persons of the Trinity always have a good
relationship.  The love of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is always warm and
active.