Twentytwo

Today is my birthday.

It has been a pretty great day. Filled especially with lots of baby hugs! 

Just because its my birthday, doesn't mean the babies don't need care, so like usual I started my day at 6am (well 5am cause I was up getting ready and bible reading). One of the girls I am working with made a happy birthday sign outside my bedroom! And the girls on night shift had put up a few decorations in the nursery, so it felt really special! I spent my morning with the Lions getting them ready for preschool. They where so so excited!! They kept singing “happy birthday to Emily”. It was very sweet!

Once they where at school I got my break, which was spent having exciting times skyping Julian and my parents. Then like usual I spent the afternoon caring for the kids, changing nappies, giving baths, feeding, cleaning, burping and of course lots of hugs. Tonight, the other volunteers and I are heading to a Mexican restaurant for dinner, which I am EXTREMELY excited about because I haven't been out for dinner in a very long time! 

Rather than getting presents for my birthday this year I wanted to give presents. So I had a stuffed toy (half where made by some AWESOME people, the other half where bought) for each child to have as their own. I put their names on the toy and put it in their cot, so as they go to sleep each night they have something of their own to hold on to. 

As much as I would have loved to be home for my birthday, I am really glad to be here. I will admit, there are moments where I feel like I am making a sacrifice being here for so long. Moments where I just wish I was home. Moments where I wonder why I choose to come to a place where I have to work on my birthday, when I could be at home hanging with my friends instead. 

We have a kids bible here that we read to the older kids each day. There is a chapter in it that I absolutely love and I read it to the kids each and every day. Its the story of the hidden treasure and I think it speaks a lot of truth as to why I am here. It goes like this:

“Jesus said “Gods kingdom is like a hidden treasure” and then he told this story... 

Once upon a time, there was a man working in a field, digging. So there he is digging, but what he doesn't know is that in that field there is buried treasure. So dig Dig, Dig, Klink, Klank, Klonk. UH-OH! His shovel bumps into something hard. Hello, whats this? He picks it up, dusts it off- its a chest. Its rusted and locked but he pries it open. What he sees inside takes his breath away, beautiful glittering, gleaming, twinkling, sparkling, precious jewels! Its a treasure chest! 

He wants the treasure! He needs to get that treasure! He must have that treasure, somehow. Even if he has to sell everything he has to pay for it. He quickly buries the treasure again, runs home and sells everything he has. He takes the money from the sale and goes and buys that field. Now he owns the field- and the treasure that is buried in it! He runs back and digs up the treasure again.

Jesus said, “Coming home to God is as wonderful as finding a treasure! You might have to dig before you find it. You may have to look before you see it. You might even have to give up all you have to get it. But being where God is- being in His Kingdom- thats more important than anything else in all the world. Its worth anything you have to give up! Because God is the real treasure”

For me God is my treasure that I would do anything for. So giving up 3 months of my life to serve him in South Africa by loving the kids here is totally worth it, even if it means being away from my family and friends for special occasions. 

My question to you is, have you ever given thought to the treasure that is in Jesus. Have you spent time looking and digging for it. Because, I promise, it will be the best thing you ever find.