"THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING THEM"

A couple months back, I had the extreme pleasure of leading a brand new group to Uganda to serve the students and staff of FNC Academy.  While we were there, one of the members of the group (who happened to already be sponsoring a child and whose children's ministry also was sponsoring another child) had this to say...It brought tears to my eyes and joy to my heart.  I hope you find this as inspiring as we all did, as Katie read this aloud to a group gathering...Thank you Katie, and thank you for allowing The Kissing Well to share your most amazing words.

 “thank you for choosing them”

Those were the words spoken to me by the mother of the two precious children Kory and I were sponsoring , one through our personal offering, and one through Crossing KIDS mission offering. 

Thank you for choosing them.

Who am I? Who are we to have “chosen” anyone… 

We have all been chosen by a King. We have been chosen and so we choose. 

We chose…

To ensure a boy and his little sister would 5 days a week walk to a place of hope. A place called FNC Academy, where they would be greeted and loved by dedicated, joyful servants of Jesus Christ. We chose to give so that they would have 2 meals a day, clean water, and a clean uniform tailored just to them with their beautiful names embellished and all. 

We chose to support a family in poverty to give them hope through knowledge, education, growth, opportunities and experiences. To be in an environment to empower them to lead, change, and pursue excellence. 

But, we didn’t choose anything. God chose. God knew. God painted such a beautiful path and picture greater than we could have ever imagined. 

It may have been my hands that picked up the photo of Priscilla and my mouth that said she reminds me of Morgan! Lets sponsor her. And it may have been our idea for the crossing kids to sponsor a boy that is in the middle age range of our kids, but it was the work of the Holy Spirit that paired us. 

We had no idea.

No idea that every night when we were praying for our sweet Priscilla and anxiously waiting to meet her... No idea when we wrote her a card and included a photo of our family of 3 to bring with us on our trip to give her... 

No idea that every week for two months when we prayed for “Ezekiel" at offering time and invited kids to give their spare change to sponsor him for the year… Or that hundreds of kids would be so excited to send him letters, make him gifts, and have a connection to this boy in Uganda…

No idea that these two hearts, these two lives, these children, were of the same family. Were brother and sister. 

No idea, that everyday little Priscilla waited after preK was dismissed, to nap until her big brother was done with school to walk her to their home. 

No idea that she was already protected and watched over by the boy we were praying for, and already beginning to love here. 

[oh… and we also had no idea Ezekiel really went by Patrick!]

God has called you children of God, and that is what you are. Oh sweet mother of Priscilla and Patrick… I praise God for you. For choosing FNC Academy. I will ALWAYS choose to share a piece of my heart, a piece of my life, my prayers, my finances with your babies. 

My prayer is that you know HE - the ruler of all the earth has already been loving, guiding, and CHOOSING you every.single.day. 

My heart is full. When I think of their smiles, the way her hands so carefully, and tenderly wrote each letter of the alphabet. Her focus and stoic nature in her class or with big groups. Her eyes that would light up at the sight of yours and her smile, her real genuine smile. By the end of that week we didn’t hide it anymore. She knew she was chosen. She knew she was loved. 

If I could choose anything for these two children, it would NOT be to bring them here to America to live with me. It would be to keep them with a mom, who says to 2 white strangers, “Thank you for choosing them.” Who is present for the Celebration of the school that is teaching her children to know Jesus Christ, to read and write, and lead. 

Thank you God for choosing me. For choosing me to go on this adventure, this journey that lead me to Priscilla and Patrick. For daily forgiving, redeeming, and drawing me back to you… even on days I don’t choose you.