Today was a chill day. The children started school and it wasn't much longer that a few of the chaperones had multiple chairs pushed together to create a bed, myself included. We didn't have much to do today and it was rainy. I worked on my computer stuff for awhile then Marissa asked me to join her to go get a smoothie, not sure if this is considered cheating but I had a mango smoothie while we drove up a mountain. It was exhilarating, just to process the fact that I was with children from another county, ( the exact country that stole my heart almost 3 years ago) and I was getting to hear them sing to Jesus with everything they had. This is my life, not someone I am reading about or stalking their instagram, but this is my life.
As the day went on, we had a time of prayer during the time we'd usually have lunch. One thing that was repeated during the prayer circle was to ask God why he has you here, he chose each of us for a reason. Why are you here? It's a thought that I won't know the answer to for awhile I am sure. We sang some more and broke into groups to pray. Later, the children went back to school and the chaperones went back into doing their thing.
Dinner came around and we were all so hungry, we ended the fast with another prayer circle and then had lasagna. As the host families arrived they greeted their kids with giant smiles. Joshua, a young boy in the choir sat next to me and the man who was his host home sat with us. He just loved Joshua. You could tell by the way he looked at him and asked to know more about him. The older gentleman told us he was retired and having these children in his home has changed his life. He said that he and his wife were talking about visiting Uganda. These children of course have testimonies that they stand up on stage and say, but when they tell you things that they don't say on stage you listen. As we were eating Joshua began to tell his host family about his dream to be a pastor. He told about when he was little he was almost aborted because his dad didn't want him. His mother had him and Joshua almost died after being born. The doctors told his mother that after having him she could not have any more, she had one more child after him- making her the mother of three. Joshua looked up from his food with his bright smile and said, if she wouldn't have had me I wouldn't be here now in America singing.
This was a real moment. A moment that I will never forget, nor will I ever forget the bus ride last night with Christopher, there he told me about his dreams to be a singer. I will never forget today when a young boy came to me and said "auntie Callie can I go home with you after tour?" I explained to him that his family would miss him very much. His response "my parents know that this is a good place, America has opportunities." I will never forget when another young boy looked at me today and said "auntie, you make me smile even when I do not want to smile."
And just to think that I made a phone call today expressing my frustrations with being tired and not feeling like I had a purpose here. The enemy will try to attack me no matter what. He will try to get me when I am tired and hungry. I refuse to be told I don't belong here or that I have no purpose. These children are changing my life. Their faith, their stories, their smiles and their 20 hugs a day are everything I want and more.
This is life today and I am ready for travel day tomorrow. 
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