Everybody's Bill Corney with an army and normal folks.

And we continue now a part two of our conversation with Peter Moo to BOSSI right after these brief messages from our general sponsors, and you end up going to university and then you end up in England.

Yeah, so I went.

So I finished high school, went to University of Uganda and then go to scholarships to go study in England.

And that's how I came to United States.

Tell us about your time in England briefly.

So you know, there was a students from Dirham University who came to Uganda and my pastor was busy.

He's like, look, I have no time for these teenagers.

So we need to also say real quick to set this up.

I started tearing up when you started tearing up, and I missed, so I screwed up the whole interview.

Thanks a lot, all right.

He also said there were two things.

One you had to go to church and what was the other.

There were two things he said right on.

One of them was you had to go to church, right Is that not right?

Yes?

And the funny part of the church is I got.

Be Baptist church, so is what I got it Baptist Church.

That's why I wanted to say it.

I've got a Baptist church.

I thought mister Jordan might appreciate that little bit of trivia.

Hey Bill, they're bringing you tissues.

If either you guys want to, I'm good.

We're good.

Get something around out there.

The simplicity of a name, the simplicity of a meal, the simplicity of the ability to simply dream for acceptance and love and humanity and belonging ultimately is what changed life.

Yes, it is also ultimately the recipe had changed so much of what els are American culture.

Because although your story is African, and although your story has certainly children living worse than any child I can think of in America, it doesn't diminish the fact that we are riddled with kids all over our country who don't dream, who are abused, who nobody knows their name, who don't feel like they belong, who are dealing with so much trauma they fear to also dream.

And thus the generational repetitive nature of poverty and all the crap that's killing our society along with it.

But you go to England and briefly, what you do in England before you come to the US.

Uh.

Yeah.

So my job was to reshare the gospel, you know, so I can go to every country I could possibly.

It's important to say the church part before you just go to England and do the gospel thing.

Uh you know.

So yeah, so that the Uh, there were students who came from Durham.

So my past like, I have no time there here for you know, missionaries who come and want to spend every time.

So it's like can you hang up with them?

I say sure, you know, so I did hang.

Out with them for for a few weeks, and so when they went back, they're like, we met this guy from Ughana and I would like to do something special.

We'd like to give my scholarship to come and study it.

So that's how I ended up going to England for the group of students that I got to horse Water.

I mean Uganda for sure.

And then you come to the US.

Yes, so you know in southern Sudan there was a war for many days.

It actually good from here, right, So here's.

An American kid who's just you know, shutless and in a refuge camp.

By then, I was working for the Red Cross, you know, so I was dating an American.

So I was like, Hey, if you come to COMPAA, come and hang out with us, and he said sure, so he came.

So he stayed with us for a month and he came back to United States again.

He went to his school and said, I met this guy.

You should give him a scholarship to come and study.

And that's also how I came to study.

What I'm trying to say is the kindness of strangers who saw the best in me by me just doing what I was required to do.

But somehow they went back and became my testimony and a way, like I know him, you know, you should give him an opportunity to do more.

And that's how I came to United States.

Absolutely, and I if you want to know, so coming to United States was really a jump in a way.

You know.

I came from Kampala to Los Angeles, and when I arrived, I thought where am I?

You know, first of all, I thought we're going to crush because you know, I'd never seen a car going eighty miles an hour, So I was like, come.

It never came.

But my first day I really really struggled with my face.

The family that were hosting me that day.

They took me for lunch, so, you know, bought food for me.

So I ate all I could, you know, uh, And I was cleaning with the plate with my fingers.

They're like you a most say is that possible?

So they gave me more food, you know.

But while I'm sitting there, I saw, you know, the waiters passing by with plates.

So I said, where is that food gonna go?

And they said, well, what's going to the trash?

And in those moments it hit me.

I said, I don't think I can read the Bible go to same church as these people do.

You know.

The reason was, how could God love others to have so much throwaway and others to die for lack of beans and potatoes?

You know, I've lost members of my family for lack of beans and potatoes.

When you haven't eaten or you have no nutrition, usually you're not you're not strong enough to fight malaria, you know, which is a simple disease.

So I've lost members of my family for lack of bees and potatoes.

So seeing all that food thrown away, I could not.

I just said, there's no way I can go and read the same Bible as these people do.

Because I'd never seen that much food thrown away, and I didn't want to go back to church because of that, my first experience.

Luke twelve forty eight.

To whom much is given, much is required.

You want to talk about that?

Yes, absolutely, So while I was mad, you know, I somehow I went back to my dormitory and somehow I read you know some you know someone thirty nine.

You know this, we know David.

This girl was thinking wealthy.

You know, I hate I'm a single dad.

But I hear this guy a hundred wives, Like how do you have a hundred wives.

I'm just imagining a hundred wives with each with four kids.

Fos care.

I mean a lot of kids out of us.

But this from a guy with forty seven children.

So whatever, go ahead, we'll get to that.

I noticed that in someone that he's like, you know, the way he says words like I love you God because of how you made me that I can stretch walk like the simplest thing that we all do.

And that really helped me.

To see, like, wait a minute, kids in Africa do the same, you know, And I love what he says in fourty says.

He says for your fearfully and wonderfully made.

And I know that fully well.

So that really helped me understand the Hey, my faith isn't best on that food, you know, it's best on how He made you and I for your fearfully and wonderfully made.

On the same flip, now that I can have three meals and I had four pairs of shoes, I was like, how do I go home and say, I am okay?

You know, now I got to really be rebuilt in somewhere to who much is given, much is required.

That I knew I was the wealthiest man on the planet, you know, compared to where I come from.

Like, I can have four meals if I want, But how one day when I my Jesus says you have four?

How do you do?

But also I was living in Los Angeles and I was visiting these families that have ten to need thousand square footage, and I would say, how many people live here too?

And I'm saying just two of you?

And that really robbed me because where I come from, the biggest house is as big as your car garage, and there's six to fourteen people that are living that spacet.

So for me to compare and say, how can you have all that and still have No, I don't know, just I feel like you mass help.

And so for me, I didn't want to live that life.

I just didn't want to have and have.

But I wanted to say I have been given so much, you know, how do.

I give back?

And that's so I worked for Compassion to National for eleven years.

And while we're traveling, you know, I would always take pastors and influences or you know, artists that are seeing you know, Christian artists, or some families were adapting.

You know.

So I've been more than one hundred and one hundred and twenty countries and I had never seen someone who looked like me who was adapting.

You know, so I always.

Pause.

Yes, I think this is really important.

Everybody needs to take just a second.

Hear what he just said.

Say it again.

But let everybody consume what you're saying, because it's an indictment on our society in my opinion, that we got to fix that.

I think you are a shining example of But you said, I never saw anybody look like me that adopted.

Why don't you really say what that is?

Well, the missions that came to you Ganda where all white people.

All the families were adopting from Uganda were always white people, so that I never saw anyone who looks like me who was doing what I saw, but also being coronized by the English.

I think we were in some way now brain we are total lie.

You know, a sudden people can do these things, and sudden people can do these things.

So for me, adoption was for these people.

White people exactly, let's not say the let's just be white people.

White people, and then uh, for us, we're on the receiving end, like we can do what they do, you know, they give were on the receiving end.

We could say, here's the thing to me that reeks of paternalism that was baked into culture for decades.

Yes, and I'm not convinced that that's not baked into our culture a little bit.

Mm hmm.

Okay, So I said something.

I didn't ask a question.

Let me figure out how to ask this question.

How do we fix that?

To fix that?

You know, I think for me is on my end, I can do what I can do.

You know, for me, it's changing the naalative or the lie I was told and leave the opposite way you know or share all the people that follow me or know me to say, you know, we believe the lie.

Here's how I'm changing the nulative of what we are told, you know, And that's well.

It's no different of a lie than when you were ten and you were told you were no better than a dog, or actually under a dog.

Right, it's a similar lie.

It's just a higher level.

Correct, But it's a similar lie.

Correct.

They're only white people will not the black people aren't worthy to be adopted.

It's destructive, yes, and puts us in a place where we feel, you know, you always feel am I good enough?

You know?

I can I get there?

You know, And every time you try to get there, they're like, well, you know, we'll bring a boss from the United Kingdom to run your organization.

There's no one in my country that can run the same in a way that you get what you're seeing leadership.

You get to see it often, and yeah, you begin to believe that lie that I'm not good enough or they can white people can do this.

I'm destined to do this, you know.

And for me, I said, no, that's that can be.

I don't want to leave a different way.

We'll be right back.

So as I'm reading all about you and we're about to get to the adoptions and everything else.

The adoptions are beautiful, your story is beautiful, your book is beautiful.

But I just want to say to you on a personal level, you're sticking your feet in the sand and saying the dysfunction of these lies I am not going to bend to.

That's what is most inspirational to me about you because the question to the answer how do we change this is you and more men like you.

And that just jumped out to me when I was reading about your story as Wow.

He.

He fought through all of this as kids, but he also recognized a lie, rejected it, and as a living illustration about a change.

It's phenomenal here.

Thank you.

So you're in Denver and you decide if I can take care of some plants, maybe I could be a father.

Yeah, you know tell us that, right?

So so before I could, you.

Know, try so, I said, I'm going to take your plants and if for three months, if they survive, that means I can go next stage.

You know, so alive.

He wouldn't take our children because he was afraid.

He was his father and he thought if I can keep plants alive.

Maybe I can take it.

We can take this, you know.

That's but I didn't really allow me to be a fosse best.

So I said, I'm going to go in.

That's another thing you didn't even know because of this lie, if you were even allowed to be a foster friend.

Perhaps, yes, I am in the United States.

Correct, yes, because of your race.

Absolutely, But also to remember, I traveled with farmers were adapting.

So even in theopy, I'll say, hey, can I No, you have to be American or European or married or female.

But in some way they're saying a white female from America or a white female from Europe, or a family from Europe.

That's for me what I had.

But they're the only ones I saw.

So I was like, Okay, they cannot, but I'm gonna find a way, Like I'm just not giving up.

I'm going to grow some plants.

Well yes, And then I went to four scar so I said, hey, is their way is their way?

You can help me?

Or you can allow me to mentor two teenagers once a month?

Is there way you could give me one hour?

That's all I asked me.

Mentor just one hour that's all I thought.

I mean, they can't say no, right, you know.

I thought just taking a kid for lunch, that that should be easy.

So the social work who received and said, hey, have you ever thought of being a forced dad?

I said, I think, but I think about that every day, but I'm not qualified.

In my head, I was saying, one, I'm black, Two i'm a male.

Three I'm seeingle.

So I don't have the the profile you're looking for.

And she looked at me, She's like, who told you can't?

Oh?

Wait, are we talking that?

She just said, By the way, thirty percent of people who are false parents are single moms.

You can be And I was like, are you sure?

She said yes.

It was on a Monday.

I sign up on Thursday because I thought she would change her mind.

So I was like, I'm really really quick.

So on Thursday I said, okay, I'm ready for classes, you know, And that's all it took.

I wanted to, you know, and in my life I always wanted to go against the great, you know, so always going the opposite way.

So I said, I don't care, tell me what I need to do.

And on Thursday studay classes right away.

And as I was studying classes.

People you know are the you know couples that will come.

They were always married, of course, you know, and they were like, when is your wife coming.

I'm like, there's no Wife's like, are you sure you're in the right class.

I said yes, So you passed the classes.

Tell us about your very first placement.

I think you use Caine.

Yes, that's not his real name.

Everybody, it was a child, so we don't use the real name, but we'll call it Caine.

Tell me about Caine.

Tell me about your first weekend with Caine.

Oh well, so in folks got thought.

You know, you do the classes, they give you a license, so you wait for six months.

A child will show up.

I had no idea that they'll say, hey, your license arrived at ten, can you keep your phone nearby?

It is like hold on just today, sue enough.

Literally four hours late.

So I got a phone call like, hey, this is a kid.

I'm like, well, that speaks to the need it does.

It speaks You're out four hours and you get a phone call that speaks to the need for army of normal folks to step up for children who, as you've just heard the last forty five minutes even though they're not sleeping in sewers, they're dealing with all of the stuff you understood.

Yes, and the same trauma I had to go through the street kit is what the same trauma our kids are going.

It's not so much about where you are, it's what's happening to you.

And you know, as a kid, doesn't matter if you're in Africa or here, is the same trauma that you're facing.

So I got that little one arrived.

You know, in your mind you've never been a parents who you're thinking, what, like, oh lord, what did I sign up for?

You know?

So the kid comes in and I get my biggest couch.

I put it against the door because I thought if he runs away at night, I'll be right there, you know.

But the kid didn't, you know, didn't run away.

And in the morning he just said, hey, Dad, what are we having for breakfast?

I was like, that's all you're asking for.

In my head, I was like, I didn't sleep because I was worried about what to do.

And that's how he clicked, Like, Oh, all he wants is food, and that's how I have to take day by day.

And it was wonderful, you know.

And also was the most difficult, traumatized child I've ever had in my life, you know.

So in some way I thought, God, if this is it, I don't think, I know, like I it was more like what did I sign up for?

In a way, but.

It was hard, but probably the best.

I can say, you know, the best opportunity, because it really showed me first of all was all about and what I was signing up for.

And I said above six months and I knew this is my calling.

Hey, Peter, you got to tell the story about the police of Kine.

Yes, So you know, first of all, they brought the kids, so they brought out the whitest kid you could think of the first time, so you're thinking and also again again also remember my my, my lies from being an African and coming here.

We're still in the same brain.

But I was translating the same way.

For me, I thought, only kids who go to fostcare are Hispanic and African American, because that's how we're told, you know, the under the you know, disadvanced.

So in my head I knew I'm going to have as many African kids as I could.

Africanman, That's what in my head I thought, you know, so when that white kid walked in, I was like, uh, I think you're.

In the wrong.

They're like, no, this is your kid.

I was like, okay, okay.

So so so that's how it came.

So I take him to check cheese.

So our kids who would traumble sometimes when when they just go in the freeze mode or fighting mode.

I mean, boy, I knew he was white when I read the fake name.

Okay, you know, black name, white kid.

So I take him to chacka Cheese and he goes off.

So as he goes off, I was like, oh no.

So he's crying, screaming.

So I picked him up and he's screaming and biting me.

So we're going through and everyone's looking like what who's this.

So the lady walking out too, he's like, where's this.

Where's his mama?

I said, I'm his mama and his dad okay, And so she goes.

She goes in her car and calls the police.

Like so I'm sitting there, so I knew she was calling the police.

So I was like, okay, So I instead of putting my child in the car, I just put him on It was a pickup track, so I put him writing a picture.

They can see us like whenever comes can see us.

So that was my first, my first experience.

And and and he didn't stop.

I think we've been stopped maybe eleven times by the police by now.

So that was my first kind of you know, his what life is going to be for you?

In a way that really changed the way I do it because it's the right thing to do.

So Cain turned into how.

Many forty seven?

And you are now the father to how many three?

And I'm in a prose of adopting the other two.

That's phenomenal.

I've seen.

There's a YouTube I highly suggest you guys listing and in attendance here look up the YouTube video of the guy that chided in his really cute cool uh exfinity something for a grocery getter Mama van.

Yes, and it's got kids piled in this thing, and it looks like the United Nations in the back of the steel.

You got white kids back there, you got black kids, you got boys, you got girls, and y'all are just.

Rolling m rolling does the world?

Yes?

Absolutely?

What's that?

Runing?

Is the word?

Yes?

Sometimes like short places and the ladies are like, hey, do you run like a transport business.

I usual said yes, I mean like, do you have space?

No ivenue space?

That is absolutely hilarious.

We'll be right back.

Tell me about your family.

So, you know, as a Fosse parent, so I've had little ones, you know, my youngest twelve month, she's now four, and my oldest is twenty one.

So I've had every child you could think of, you know, and it's really been a joy for me to learn from every one of them.

And the other part that I really so my first child.

Again, it's amazing when you have you want one kid and then get to really teach you everything about what your journey's about to be.

So he gets sick at night, so I'm like, social workers don't pick up phones at three, you know, no, So I'm like, you know, who do I call?

So I called the mom.

I said, hey, your little one is wheezing.

What should I do?

And so she said do this, do this?

So I followed and after that, you know, the kid was okay and went to bed.

And the next morning I got a phone call from the mom.

She said, Peter, thank you for allowing me to be a mom for five minutes.

You know, oh you don't remember for me coming in.

I was seeing them as my father, like you horrible parents.

You you you you, And I remember that one time someone was saying what a mother will let their kids be on the streets of Campala, and I could remember like, my mom loved me so much, but she could run away and I couldn't protect her in some way.

And in those moments when she said that, I was like, you know what, now it all makes sense why I am a false parent.

I'm a foster parent to the entire family, and I go to owner the mom and the dad and make sure they have their kids back, you know.

And that really helped me to know what's all about forced care and what my job in that path was.

So I decided to say, I will make sure that I come alongside and be a resource to their bio parents and do the best I can.

If that is not I want to be their final family.

I want to be the final dad they can have.

And that truly has been really joy.

You know.

Again, That's what forty seven because I and all of them, I'm still in touch with each one of them because I valued their parents and I did everything I could in my powers to give their kids back.

You know, for me as a male, it's easy to look at Mail and I say, it's easy.

He's what I find.

I find it's easy for us as male to cast the stones to the moms, you know, but we never understood what his moms have to go through in so many ways that for me, understanding that really helped me to say, how can I be a resource?

How can I be that person who believes in them, that can say I know you struggle, but I'm here that you wake up one day and you have your kids back.

And one other course, there's.

A couple of things I got to get to before I open it up to questions, And one is, and I think it's a story of who became your first adopted son.

Yes, is.

You really didn't want to know what Dagnham think about him, did you?

Yeah?

No, I know.

Tell us So as foster parents, we say goodbye to our kids, and most people don't want to force it because.

They're like, I don't know how I can say goodbye?

And usually I say, I actually think.

Most people don't want to foster because they don't want to welcome into their homes the trauma and tornado that is ultimately a really broken kid, absolutely, and then the people that are able to get over that, then they're like, well, I develop a relationship with this kid and I start caring about them, but my job is to return them to their parents, and I don't want to go through that.

On trauma and my own heart.

I think those are the two big things, and so you start to get guarded against it, and you're like, I don't want to know anything about this kid, but I'll take them in for a little while.

Well, I had the two had gone home on Monday, so I told my so and say, hey, this is really hard.

So I need six month breaks, you know.

So that's what we agreed on, six months, so I can now have a little, you know, a.

Little downtime on Monday.

She calls me on Friday, she's like, hey, there's a kid six months there's the key that needs a home.

I said, hold or old up?

Six months, says Peter.

I promise you, this is just for the weekend.

I promised.

That's what they always said, the people that heard giggling.

I said no.

I said no, and then she said he's at the hospital.

So then I'm like, oh, dang it.

Now I can't say no.

You know.

So I said, yeah, he can come, but I don't need to know.

I don't want to know anything about him.

All I need to know is what I need to keep my knives, what do I need my water?

Like, what do I need to keep?

Because it was eleven, you know, because the kids had left.

I just wasn't in me.

There wasn't something for me to give back to this kid, you know.

So he comes in at three in the morning.

All my kids by the way, coming between three in the morning and four.

I don't know what, you know, you know what.

So he walks in and the sushwalker left.

So I said, hey, call me mister Peter.

My last name is long.

And he looks at me and said, hey, but can I call him my dad?

This is what I said.

I said, hell no, no, no.

No, no, no, no, no.

No, no no no.

He was my number.

He was my number eleven I had had.

I said no, no.

And many And then he looks at me and say, but I was told since I'm eleven, I can choose whom my father should be.

You should be my dad.

I said, dude, knock it off.

First hour, no.

Twenty minutes, twenty no, no, no, twenty minutes.

I said, dude, stop, I said, knock it off.

You're living on Monday.

And I had and I had won the social work.

I said, if you don't pick up, if you don't pick him up in a Monday, he'll be outside on the porch waiting.

For That was my warning.

So I said please, so on my Monday, finally they come to pick him up.

Now that I signed papers, I was like, so, by the way, why was he left in the hospital, you know?

And the social worker told me, well, he came in to fosk get one and a half and then he was adapted by the family that took him in at four and the same family had dropped him at the hospital, never say goodbye and never give him the reason why they did not want him anymore.

And in those moments, I think I went back to my ten year old on the bus and I said no, no, but also to sometimes we ask God to give us something, you know, you pray and ask God to give you something, and then when it gives you, like not today it was.

I want that, but just know today, you know.

And I think for me as a parent, I've always wanted to be a dad and he's a kid screaming, can I be your dad?

I'm like no, no, no, no, no, no no no.

You know, so finally, you know, I knew, I knew he called me dad, I knew his dad, and I said, just give me those paperwork.

I was send him to school tomorrow.

And that's my first adopted son, Anthony to us.

He's now nineteen years old going to college.

Yes, unbelievable.

Yes, yeah, I thought a couple couple things before we turn it over to the audience.

In your book book by the way, I guess I need to plug the book.

I did plug the book, but I'll plug it again.

Everybody.

If you like what you've heard so far, you're an absolute goofball.

Not to buy love does not conquer all, and other surprising lessons I learned as a father died to more than forty kids.

Remember he also has a life.

He flips and rehabs houses while taking care of all these children and adopting others.

Chapter seven.

We don't always like our kids.

Oh yes, I got.

Four children that are as you would call them bios Peter's language for a child that you actually birth that has your DNA as a bio.

Right, well, I got four bios and they're biodegrading have to die, and I don't like them at all.

Sometimes, yes, but I always love them.

Yes seven tell us tell us what you mean by we won't always like her kids absolute.

I think sometimes as parents we come in with these kumbai roses and whatever you call them.

You know, in fourth case the opposite.

You know that there's sometimes when they do things or their trauma shows up and I don't like it.

And that's the genuine valid way of saying I'm human, like I don't like it when you're putting holes in my in my home, in my wall, and there's like number twenty of holes you put in.

You know that for me to say it's okay.

I think sometimes we are afraid to say I don't like it.

You know that people will think we are bad parents.

But for me, I'm like, yeah, some days I just say, son, if I had a way, I could drive and I'll come back, I would do it.

But I can't.

You know that we don't always have to love our children, but we can always be there and protect them and fight for them, even in the times when they they're not pleasant to be around.

I laughed out loud when I read this, listen to this their body.

Over forty foster children and three adoptions later, I find myself surprised on a daily basis.

I never expect to have a child paint the bathroom with poop, or destroy a school classroom, or to find eight nine year olds making out like they saw people doing homes from which they were moved.

Nor did I expect to find my next door neighbor's video game console in my living room.

Yet I've discovered the surprises of parenting are also opportunities to grow as a human being and as a dad.

Talk about it, you know, there's a sense sometimes for us friends who we think we are doing a favor for someone you know.

But I think for me, I want it to look into what like as much as I love them and as much as I want to be there for them, that they have taught me so much as well that there are some plays says they've helped me grow and be a better human being in a way.

So it's both.

It's as you get to shaper and be there as their parents that they get to do the same.

More.

I understand patients like I thought I knew patients You know, I thought I knew grace.

I was like, man, this Christian thing, I'm far from it, you know.

But they've taught me in a better way that I'm a better human being because we both benefiting from each other.

Now it's not just one way.

It's not just me being there for them, that there are also a source of resilience.

May we can get as much out of it as we more?

Absolutely I think I get maybe more, Yes, I think I get more.

Took you seventeen years to become an American citizen, yes, but you are now?

Yes?

Why seventeen years?

You know the only system I have.

You know that I did all they asked me, follow the rules, you know, whatever, you know, student from student to work, work for work, green cards, green card, you know, and funny an American, you know, because I wanted to fight for the kids.

But also I feel like FOSTHK is my calling, like truly truly believe every That's what I breathe, that's what I talk about.

That's my life, you know.

Falth care that truly, truly is a place for us to make a difference.

You know, I tell people you know who are fighting, you know, six traffic I'm like, that's so cool, But you're coming in tu late in some way.

You know that sometimes I wish you came a little bit earlier when they are thirteen and come alongside.

You know that, yes, we get to hold people homeless, help people on homeless, but sometimes I wish we could have come a little earlier when they are fourteen.

You know that I feel, as a male who lived that life, that truly I can be a voice to sometimes in a place where there's less men as well, to really show that men we have the same resuppose, but as moms do, to be there, to be tender, and to be on our knees, to truly take care of the list of this.

We'll be right back.

Alex.

The producer drives me absolutely nuts, and any regularistor will know that I often just tell him to be quiet and sit in a corner, like the Wizard of Oz does behind that carden, you know, because the producers are paint in the body.

But he does have lots of value, both personally and professionally.

This is something he has said to me over and over and over again, and for everybody listening out there, and those of us who joined us here they're over four hundred thousand kids and foster care in the United States.

There's one hundred and fifteen thousand of them whose parental rights have been terminated and could be adopted today.

Meanwhile, there's four hundred thousand houses of worship in our country.

Between churches and synagogues and mosques, there's four hundred thousand houses of worship in the country.

So if just one person out of one of every three houses of worships served like Peter did, there would be no orphans in our country.

And when you have a streat kid that grew up in Uganda, who couldn't even dream of anything other than one mill a day, who it took nineteen years to become a citizen of our country, having served forty seven foster children, adopted three and it's in the process of adopting three more.

What does it say about our apathy towards the most needia among us.

If we're really going to be an army and normal folks, guys, there's got to be a calling.

There's got to be people listening to me right now who have a passion for children.

And one of these big old houses that you talk about, Peter one of three, one of three of all these houses of worship, and Peter so rightly cited.

Too much has been given, much is required.

So it's really not a nice thing to do to step up and do this work.

It's responsibility.

It is a scietal responsible And there's.

Two million people waiting for adoption, and we are trying to say why, wait, you know, maybe change your perimeters instead of wanting a toddler, maybe a seven year old, maybe a nine year old, maybe a teenager.

They are my favorite human being.

Why because they can dress themselves, they can tell me their feelings, and they're just fun to be around.

I'm going to end with asking you to tell me a story, and I'm going to open up for questions for the last few minutes we have together.

Yes, Joseph and the Answer.

Can you tell me the story of Joseph and the Answer and what we can learn from it?

Joseph Andy, Yeah, the story about.

There's an an invasion in your home?

Peter, Oh, yes, yes, there you go.

You know, Yes, holding is part of our kids.

Come, it's not a disease, it's not a it's not a bad thing.

When you know, just was me when we would steal food and hide it, you know, and sometimes we will lose it because we're hiding it, because you know, you can't eat all the food you're hiding to our kids.

Yes, the idea that food, it won't be there today in the United States, it is there that some kids go to bed hungry and they try to make sure that they can provide for themselves.

And that is holding.

So my kids will take the food and hide it.

And I knew, so I knew how I can help them.

So one time he took the food, you know, so I said, hey, this make a deal.

You know.

No, so there was food there, so I said, hey, why is the food there?

And he looked in my eyes and said, well, it walked here.

I was like okay, So I said, okay, cool.

Can we make a deal next time you see it walking, can you say, Dad, it is walking in my room and I will come running and I'll make sure I make it.

Go back says sure, you know, and we would do it over and over.

I found, in a way, by believing his white lie, he really learned to trust that, hey, you know what, it would be food for me.

So then we began to put food nearby way he can help food that won't bring ants in a home, you know.

And also we also so for me on a pint of milk in my in my fridge, I put everyone's name, you know why because when they see their name one, they know this portion of the milk that is mine, so they're not worried that milk is going to go the next day, you know.

And that truly helped me to know how I can be there for my kids.

Not yes, ants, I don't care, but in a way, if I can help my kid know like it's okay, there is food tomorrow.

And if I can do that to every child at wom's mind.

For me, I had to do it in Africa.

There was no food to me in a country where we throw food every day that should not be for the kids who need a meal.

The point of that whole story is there really is no rule book.

No, these kids don't show up with instruction manuals.

I owe kids don't show up with instruction manuals.

And a little while a little patient's a little understanding, a little creative creativity, and an understanding that every kid ticks different and there's not one size one rule fits all.

But if you're willing to be patient, creative, you can address it all and you have done so.

Wow, Peter, what a story, What a legacy you're leaving.

What an inspiration you are.

Your book is chocked full of stuff that people have got to read.

I could do this with you two hours, but Peter, I'm told by my producer Alex the Pain of the Butt that we don't have that much time.

So that's Peter.

Would anybody here like to there he is?

You might as well ask him if you have any questions.

Yes, yeah, it's coming.

He likes to play like old Phil Donaho.

If you remember, he likes run around with a microphone.

Thanks Peter for your story, Thanks for coming all this way to Memphis.

The one question I want to ask you, did you ever go back to u Ganda to see your mother and your relatives after kind of college or even being here in the United States for a while.

Yes, so at nineteen So I went back to at nineteen eighteen nineteen for the sake of my mother.

You know, I loved my mom and I wanted to have the pride, the pride of her walking the vida and saying.

My son made it.

But it was also another way of giving my father a middle finger, like hey, you wish the best wish for me?

He's I'm gonna I'm making it like I and for us as Africans, like I think we have to face on our challenge because there's no way out, you know.

So by going back, I wanted to say, you know, you wish the worst for me, but hey, I forgive you.

And I hated him so much, like I if it was someone who wanted to hamm was my father, you know.

And I realized too, like wait a minute, he's still ruining me even him not being there.

So by me facing him and saying, you know, I out let you go, was away that I did not want my childhood affect.

What my future was going to be.

So I said no, Yeah, so.

I went by, but I have a good rest ship with my mom and him, you know, And I went.

I went back not to seek for a father, but to forgive a mind that didn't care.

She said she had the same question.

Oh, exactly, same question.

Anyone else have a question?

Hello?

Thank you hear me, Yes, thank you so much.

For that's that's not for here, that's for the cameras.

Oh thank you so much for being here with us and for sharing as I shared it with you earlier.

I follow you so I love the opportunities to see you and your children.

I love the one where your oldest son went back to Uganda with you and you introduced him to all of your family and you showed him your culture.

I love that.

Thank you so much.

You know, it's it's we get to see this, you know, we get to see the American side if you would.

But for you to tell the children that you adopted and to take them to Uganda to share that side, and for your family there and friends there to be able to meet them, that was rich.

So I just want to say thank you for that.

Thank you.

Yes, my kids sometimes they will tell their their school at school they're like, yeah, you know, I'm African.

They're like wait, what how what do you mean?

You know, But because they are proud of their father in a way that when people meet me they're like, oh, now that makes sense, you know.

And also it's really unique that my kids have never said, oh, I have a black dad.

They're like, I have a dad.

And it's usually when.

People meet us, they're like, how come you didn't say it was black and you know, like, no.

He's my father, Peter, that's all.

And that's say you have white children, no, well sometimes you know, don't put my child in the sun.

Just make sure they.

Okay the police.

You don't think of them as white children and black.

Yeah, they're my children.

But also I have to I have to know that in order to be the best friends I can be.

You know, there are you know, and you learn, you do things and you I took them the park and it was like one hundred and ten.

So when they were walking towards me, I was like, these are all my children because they had ten red so I was like, oh Sian screening.

You know.

So by me learning of who they are and their culture, it really helps, you know, that also helps me to marge their culture and my culture.

You know, any food they are so picky.

But if I say this is African food, they're like, okay, sure I'll try, you know, but if I didn't say that, they won't try.

So in some way that they've really you know, taken on that culture of this is who our dad is and that's part of who we are.

In a way makes me.

Probably the hardest part is when we call people call police on me often, you know, and that's the hardest for them when someone is questioning their father, like what do you what do you mean?

You know, we go to cast go often and you know the samples, you know, every time we go, someone will The rule is they can all video child unless the parents is there, you know.

But most some they will say can you go get to your mom and dad?

And they're like, he's right here.

What do you mean?

You know?

Uh?

And then they're the ones who kind of really want to raise their voice.

I'm like, hey, no, you know, we get to teach this person change their nulative.

And usually we say, you know, hey, next time, do not assume I'm standing there.

Just say are you their father?

And I will say yes or no, you know, And most of my turn around I say, if I wasn't black, would you have asked the same question?

They say, no, why because I see the other families often and I've never seen any like yours.

Yeah, And in fairness, let's not villainious people.

Absolutely, you know, if I watched you walk up with two kids, I would not naturally assume you're their father.

That is not racist.

That is just a culture recognition, right, it's the reaction to that yes that tells you everything.

Yep, it is okay to not have a natural assumption.

It is reaction to the reality that we'll tell you everything.

Ask yes, or sometimes picked them up from Dick.

If the person who I drop was and they like children, I don't think you have children.

I am like, yep, five of them over there?

Oh it was five?

Anybody else any other questions at all?

Come on, why are you the most eligible bachelor in America?

What's wrong with all these women?

Yes?

My phone number is here.

Well, so you know.

So remember I went to school.

I was sixteen, so that means at sixteen I was in grade one.

You know, at seven I wasn't great too, So for me, I had to catch up in order to be somewhere.

So even when I came to our states, I've always you know, always been behind.

So you know, I'm the oldest of five, so I wanted all my siblings have gone through university, are doing well.

It's amazing when we do one how it changes the entire family.

And that's how my family changed.

It wasn't because yes, I could send them to school, but it was more of if Peter can do it, we can do it as well, and that's the joy when we help one child who comes from the same family that looking from my father able to believe so so so for me, I really really really always behind.

So in some way, you know, dating can be a little difficult when you live on the opposite side of the way you do things, you know.

For me, I wanted to be a Fosse friend.

Either I have I'm married, or I'm not.

Like this is my calling.

And also I realized that it's my calling, but not necessarily a calling for everyone, you know, some time for people who are public places like us, people will admire you, but they admire you as a dad, but they forget about Hey, the kids I have and as normal as the kids you expect, like they have trauma, and I want to make sure that your trauma informed, you know, in order to ever even have a day.

But I have six, like you know, how do every time I go on a day, I bring all my kids and usually they never come back again.

It's really my call, and I'm trying to really show people, especially men like hey, and and single women as well, like we wait, we're waiting for someone to come so we can have a farmer, and I'm just saying, while you're waiting, could he be a mom?

Could he be a dad to a kid who needs?

And when they come, they get to know your passion and get to know what you love, but don't divit to what you're passionate about, because waiting for someone who will never come or will come and never understand what you're passionate about.

From a tiny village that had to walk four miles to get water back and forth to now a college graduate doing all you're doing, and all of your siblings have now gone to university.

And it all started because one day, one person asked your name?

Yes, how hard is it for us to exact some measure positive change on people around us every single day?

This whole story started because a man saw you as human and just said, what's your name?

Yep, he saw potential and that's all he looked at.

And if we can do that for others when we see the potential, not see the behaviors, but really focus on that potential.

I know they have behaviors, but I know where it's coming from.

The empathy in how we respond is different because we know where it's coming from, you know, But that's not going to detest us from seeing potent shorting people.

Is the foster dad Flipper.

He's the foster dad forty seven kids adopted father or three and three more in the oven, baking them up, about to get them out.

He's the author of the new book Love Does Not Conquer All and all the other surprising lessons I learned as foster dad the more forty kids.

He's from Charlotte, North Carolina.

He is hilarious, and he is a great human being.

Peter MUDBAZZI don't say it right again.

Yes, Peter so actually is my father's name.

After forgiving him, I really wanted his last name, because, you know, just so he can know that I'll leave a different legacy than he lived through his name in a way.

So that's why I called him.

My previous last name was Happy.

I'm a gift given to me by God.

In my village, for every one hundred children were born, sixty would die before the age of two.

So my mom waited until I was who I snimmed me a gift given to me by guy.

Peter.

Thanks for joining us, Thanks for telling your story unbelievable and inspirational, And for those of you who want to hang around and get a copy of his book, He's going to sign it for you.

Peter, thank you for joining us.

Thank you all right, that's it, every body, Thank you for joining and uh, Peter's here if you want to book and want to say.

Hi, oh you got that out of man man, thank.

You, thank you, thanks, and thank you for joining us this week.

If Peter Mudabasi has inspired you in general, or better yet, to take action by fostering kids, adopting a child, helping out foster and adoptive parents in your community, or something else entirely, really, y'all let me know.

I want to hear about it.

You can write me anytime at Bill at normalfolks dot us.

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with friends and on social subscribe to the podcast, rate it, review it, join the army at normalfolks dot us, any and all of these things that will help us grow an army of normal folks.

I'm Bill Courtney.

Until next time, do what you can