Treasure Seeker

^{The greatest treasures are those invisible to the eye, but found by the heart.}

I just love living in Kakamega.  I delight in waking up to the sound of roosters and watching piglets roll around in the mud.  I marvel at how much women can carry on their heads, and how fast children can run after a sugarcane truck.  And then, of course, there are the "unusual" sights and sounds of daily life.  Last week, for example, I saw a drunken cow, a tinsel-decorated coffin on the back of a bicycle, and a family of five riding on a motorbike.  It all prompts me to say to myself, "No, Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore."

Women carrying coal.

I have recently come to understand that, even before I get out of bed in the morning, God has planned a day of adventures just for me.  Sunshine after a storm, a beautiful flower in the middle of a trash heap, majestic birds flying overhead, and the joy of the people with whom I work are all treasures sprinkled throughout my day.  And the more I look for such treasures, the more I find, hidden in the ordinary activities of my day.

Of course, there have been difficult moments in the past few weeks.  In light of Al-Qaeda activity in the eastern part of Kenya, Kakamega has been beefing up security, and everyone is a bit nervous about possible violence in response to upcoming political rallies in Nairobi.  Personally, I've also been struggling with pain in my right eye.  Fortunately, Ken finally convinced me to visit the local clinic (which was a wild adventure in itself), and the eye seems to be healing now.  Thank you, God.

The entrance to the eye clinic in Kakamega.

But despite all of the challenges, I'm still finding treasures.

The Lord has given me the following passage:

And I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness, secret riches; 
and you will know that I am doing this—I, the Lord, the God of Israel,
 the one who calls you by your name.
Isaiah 45:3 (TLB)

Some treasures of God may be difficult to see at the outset, but once you find them, you recognize that they are gifts only He could provide -- like peace and hope and joy.  These are the things He makes available to me every single day.  I am rich indeed.