Remembering those smiles

The dust tastes different here  
not the familiar country dirt roads I am used to  
I see poverty stricken people stuck in medieval times  
 
Lurking in the shadows is a faceless enemy  
an enemy armed with religious beliefs  
spreading their word with AK-47's and IED's  
waiting to strike at my first mistake  
In the outlying village every footstep is taken with a precise meaning  
with each drop of sweat and pounding heart beat I feel alive  
 
Complacency carries deadly consequences in the desert  
Fear of the unknown can sometimes weigh heavy  
not knowing how to process the smiles from the children’s faces  
as they follow behind me speaking a language that falls deaf to my ears  
 
I Praying that we made a difference in their lives  
hoping at least one child thinks of me walking through the villages  
and smiles again