My inspiration

Please meet my inspiration for this trip.  I met this young man in the desert in Iraq.  I was at Al-Kut which is in the middle of the desert country and in a base controlled by the Guatemalan forces.  We had a real issue with penetration into the base and so I was patrolling the perimeter to find weak places and openings. I spotted some sheep outside the base in a far corner well away from all of our folks.  When this young man saw me, he came to the fence line, right up to me.  I was of course fully outfitted with my weapons and body armor and yet, this young man came over anyway.  I know that he wished to communicate but unfortunately we did not share the same language.  We sat across the fence from each other and he offered me the prayer beads he was holding.  I knew that often if a child were caught as a sympathizer they would be killed and so I refused.  I knew that the pocket change I carried was more than this boy would see in a very long time.  That God truly blessed me and my family and that by circumstance and by where I was born I was very very lucky indeed.  Though we shared no words, I felt that over the ten or so minutes we smiled to each other and observed each other, we shared a bond.  I truly believe that as all of God's children we all share the deepest of bonds. I saw many children like this boy in Iraq and since then have had a desire to do "something".  I believe that with Christ as my guide on this trip, I can make a difference and it is way past time for me to do so.  And so   --- unnamed boy, a Shepard in the desert of Iraq, so close to the birthplace of humanity, you are my inspiration.