A single dad adopts an 11-year-old boy, showing that family is not a question of the color of their skin
In the United States, it is not very easy to become an adoptive parent and, in general, it is even less simple for children who aspire to a normal family life to be adopted when they exceed a certain age threshold. Who would be willing to adopt an 11-year-old boy? Peter Mutabazi had no doubts after learning about Anthony's story. The boy had been abandoned by his biological mother at the age of 2; subsequently, he had been adopted by a family who, after about 10 years, abandoned him in a hospital. Peter, who has gone through so much in his life, was shocked at this painful story and went out of his way to officially adopt Anthony. Now the two are father and son, and as the T-shirts they often wear also claim: "Family is not a question of color!" - exactly, because you don't have to "match" to be considered a family.
via Instagram / fosterdadflipper
Peter is a big man now, but his childhood was not as bright as his present life. He was born in a small village on the border between Rwanda and Uganda, in a very poor family who could not afford food or drinking water. At 4 years old he started helping his mother to harvest the potatoes, beans and peas that they themselves cultivated. As if that wasn't enough, Peter's father abused the whole family verbally and physically, beating his wife and denying food to his own children. One day, Peter went to buy him cigarettes, but on the way back he was caught by a sudden storm and the package was destroyed; Peter, who was only 10 at the time, knew that if he returned home without cigarettes he would be brutally punished by his father. At that idea, he thought it was a good idea to run away and never return to his family again.
Luckily life goes on and Peter has done everything to ensure a better future: he now lives in Oklahoma (USA) and since his house has two empty bedrooms, he decided to offer himself as an adoptive father for all those children who need a family. In America, to become an adoptive parent you must pass a test and get a license. In the last 3 years of his life, Peter has taken care, at least for a few days, of at least 12 children. Being single, he can only afford to host 2 at a time.
One evening Peter gets the call from an employee of the social services who informs him of the arrival of an 11-year-old boy to be hosted. Peter is wary because he has just been separated from the two siblings to whom he had acted as an adoptive father until a few days before, who now, however, have reunited with their biological parents, and does not know if his heart can face another great pain so great. Not immediately, at least.
In the end, after a few ups and downs, Peter convinced himself to host the boy, "but only for the weekend". At first, in fact, Peter didn't even want to know how Anthony ended up in the custody system, but when he convinced himself to listen to his story, he realized that he was destined to be the family of that boy.
Anthony had been abandoned twice in his life and Peter certainly did not want to be yet another disappointment for the boy. Initially, however, he told Anthony that he could call him Mr. Peter, but after about 20 minutes Anthony asked him if he could call him "dad".
Anthony had nowhere else to go, literally - and besides, it's not easy to find a family willing to adopt an 11-year-old boy. Peter knew he would be the father Anthony had never had.
The two are now officially dad and son: two souls who in the past have suffered a lot and who have now joined together to build an ever brighter and full of love future.
Peter has not stopped dealing with other cases and when he does, he hosts other children in difficulty for short periods.
What a lovely family!
