As a child in Uganda, Peter Mutabazi knew survival better than safety. He grew up in poverty, in a home marked by abuse, and by the age of ten, he made the decision to run. With no plan beyond escape, he climbed aboard a bus headed for Kampala. For the next four years, the streets of Uganda’s capital became his world.
Life there was harsh. Peter slept on scraps of cardboard and learned to fight off stray dogs and vultures for food tossed into garbage piles. He earned what he could through odd jobs, and when work wasn’t enough, he stole to survive. Trust was dangerous, and kindness was something he had learned to expect little from.
That changed the day a stranger looked him in the eye and asked his name. It was the first time anyone had done so. The man began returning to the marketplace, each time offering food, and eventually something greater: the chance to attend school. Peter accepted only for the promise of regular meals, but the opportunity grew into something more.
In time, he came to the United States, where he became a citizen and built a new life. But he never forgot what it felt like to be a boy without a home. Today, Peter is a foster father in North Carolina. Over the years, he has fostered more than thirty children and adopted a son, determined to give to others what was once denied to him: stability, belonging, and unconditional love.
For more of Peter's story visit https://nowiamknown.com.