1 00:00:02,040 --> 00:00:04,720 Speaker 1: I said, I'm not sure what to feel now about leaving. 2 00:00:04,920 --> 00:00:07,360 Speaker 1: I said, I hope Mother Teresa's quote is true. And 3 00:00:07,400 --> 00:00:09,280 Speaker 1: her quote is that I found this paradox that if 4 00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:11,600 Speaker 1: you love until it hurts, there could be no more hurts, 5 00:00:11,680 --> 00:00:15,240 Speaker 1: only more love. Because I have surely loved until it 6 00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:18,240 Speaker 1: hurts deeply. I have come across the world only to 7 00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:22,240 Speaker 1: find myself at home, a joy growing deep in my soul. 8 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:25,360 Speaker 1: As long as I never forget the love, laughter, family, 9 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:27,639 Speaker 1: and friendship that is here, it will always be with me. 10 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:29,760 Speaker 1: So I have so much to do when I get home. 11 00:00:29,920 --> 00:00:32,800 Speaker 1: Feels a little overwhelming, but these memories and God's strength 12 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:36,320 Speaker 1: will encourage me in my weakness. Everyone said that coming 13 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:38,800 Speaker 1: here would change me, but I didn't understand how. When 14 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:41,400 Speaker 1: I first arrived, I said that Liberia had a beauty 15 00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:45,120 Speaker 1: among the rubble, and I have found such beauty. And 16 00:00:45,159 --> 00:00:47,640 Speaker 1: it is the beauty, not the rubble, that has changed me. 17 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:52,239 Speaker 2: Wow, and you're saying that with tears. 18 00:00:53,840 --> 00:01:01,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, Welcome to an army of normal folks. 19 00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:04,080 Speaker 2: I'm Bill Courtney. I'm a normal guy. 20 00:01:04,360 --> 00:01:08,119 Speaker 4: I'm a husband, a father, I'm an entrepreneur, and I've 21 00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:11,440 Speaker 4: been a football coach in Inner City Memphis. That last 22 00:01:11,480 --> 00:01:14,440 Speaker 4: part somehow led to an oscar for the film about 23 00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:14,839 Speaker 4: our team. 24 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:17,680 Speaker 2: That movie is called Undefeated. 25 00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:20,800 Speaker 4: I believe our country's problems are never going to be 26 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:24,080 Speaker 4: solved by a bunch of fancy people in nice clothes 27 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:27,960 Speaker 4: using big words that nobody ever uses on CNN and Fox, 28 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:32,240 Speaker 4: but rather by an army of normal folks. That's us, 29 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:35,040 Speaker 4: just you and me deciding, Hey, you know what, maybe 30 00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:36,000 Speaker 4: I can help. 31 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:39,960 Speaker 2: That's exactly what Peggy Halverson, the voice you just heard, 32 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:40,520 Speaker 2: has done. 33 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:44,760 Speaker 4: And as if adopting a child from Liberia in West 34 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:49,560 Speaker 4: Africa wasn't enough, this journey opened Peggy's eyes to so 35 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:53,640 Speaker 4: much else that she just could not look away from. 36 00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:59,840 Speaker 4: This was constant Mom's accidental nonprofit Teamwork Africa has since 37 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:04,880 Speaker 4: built and repaired hundreds of wells in Liberia, started a 38 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:09,080 Speaker 4: school there, and sponsors the education of hundreds of students. 39 00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:12,400 Speaker 4: I cannot wait for you to meet Peggy right after 40 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:33,320 Speaker 4: these brief messages from our general sponsors. 41 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:35,680 Speaker 2: Peggy Halverson, welcome to Memphis. 42 00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:36,160 Speaker 1: Thank you. 43 00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:37,360 Speaker 2: When did you get here? 44 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:38,560 Speaker 1: About thirty minutes ago? 45 00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:41,240 Speaker 2: Oh you're just landed, you just flew in. 46 00:02:41,400 --> 00:02:42,239 Speaker 1: You just got here. 47 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:45,760 Speaker 2: You stay in the night. Yes, where'd Alex put you 48 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:47,720 Speaker 2: Peabody or. 49 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:50,720 Speaker 1: Somewhere else Weston Memphis, Western. 50 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:53,400 Speaker 2: Memphis, about Bill Street. Oh, that's right. I hope you 51 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:55,720 Speaker 2: like music. That's in the middle of the blues district. 52 00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:58,960 Speaker 1: Oh, that's awesome, wonderful. 53 00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:03,880 Speaker 4: From rum Boogie cat In two blocks from Cashes Rumboogie 54 00:03:03,919 --> 00:03:08,320 Speaker 4: and then up at Second and Deal is bb King's right. Yeah, 55 00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:12,680 Speaker 4: so you're in the cradle of the beginning of blues 56 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:13,440 Speaker 4: and rock and roll. 57 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:15,200 Speaker 1: So that's super exciting. 58 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:18,040 Speaker 4: Yeah, you might want to kind of pedal down there 59 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:20,320 Speaker 4: and check it out. It's pretty cool. You're cross street 60 00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:26,840 Speaker 4: from the FedEx One. It's good place. So o Claire, Wisconsin. 61 00:03:26,919 --> 00:03:29,079 Speaker 4: All I know is that's a north Woods area. That's 62 00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:32,079 Speaker 4: where you came to us from. Where is that? 63 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:33,240 Speaker 1: Where is Wisconsin? 64 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:35,520 Speaker 2: H Whereconson is? But Claire. 65 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:38,520 Speaker 1: When I was in Boston, people did not know where Wisconsin's. 66 00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:42,320 Speaker 4: Okay, Well, I'm a little less geographically challenged. 67 00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:44,920 Speaker 1: Claire is on the west central side, so it's about 68 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:47,800 Speaker 1: an hour's drive from the Twin Cities or Saint Paul, Minneapolis. 69 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:49,960 Speaker 2: I got it gets real cold up there in the winter. 70 00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:50,640 Speaker 1: It sure does. 71 00:03:50,960 --> 00:03:55,520 Speaker 2: Yeah. Is it hot there? Sure is? I mean hot 72 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:56,280 Speaker 2: is relative. 73 00:03:56,480 --> 00:03:59,600 Speaker 4: We've had one hundred and ten degree heat index down 74 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:00,960 Speaker 4: here for last three weeks. 75 00:04:01,160 --> 00:04:02,960 Speaker 2: This is a mild day. You got one. 76 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:06,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, well yeah, this weekend was pretty nice up there too. 77 00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:08,760 Speaker 1: The weekend before was in the nineties. 78 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:10,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's hot for you guys, Yeah it was. 79 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:13,080 Speaker 1: It can get hot ball me. I wonder sometimes why 80 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:16,240 Speaker 1: we live there. It gets really really cold. It's really hot. 81 00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:20,520 Speaker 2: Well, welcome to Memphis. Do you know Dave would I do? 82 00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:22,560 Speaker 2: Who's Dave would? 83 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:27,279 Speaker 1: Dave and his wife Becky are wonderful supporters of Teamwork Africa. 84 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:29,440 Speaker 1: They come to our events and you know, they've been 85 00:04:29,480 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 1: with us on our journey and when I had an 86 00:04:31,680 --> 00:04:34,400 Speaker 1: event recently, they were there and they were trying to 87 00:04:34,400 --> 00:04:36,680 Speaker 1: think about what what could they do that would help 88 00:04:36,720 --> 00:04:40,400 Speaker 1: Teamwork Africa, And they thought of this podcast and they thought, Hey, 89 00:04:40,440 --> 00:04:42,800 Speaker 1: wouldn't it be cool if Peggy and Teamark Africa could 90 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:46,040 Speaker 1: be one of the ordinary folks or normal folks that 91 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:47,239 Speaker 1: could be on the show. 92 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:51,320 Speaker 2: So well, welcome. So here's the deal, everybody. Peggy Halverson 93 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 2: is the co founder and US executive director of Teamwork Africa, 94 00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:58,040 Speaker 2: which obviously we're going to get to because that's your 95 00:04:58,080 --> 00:05:01,120 Speaker 2: story while you're here lead up to it and kind 96 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:04,400 Speaker 2: of set the table for it. We found out about 97 00:05:04,440 --> 00:05:09,479 Speaker 2: Peggy because Dave would did what we ask all of 98 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:12,719 Speaker 2: you to do. Folks who are fans of an army 99 00:05:12,720 --> 00:05:15,080 Speaker 2: of normal folks who have joined the army of normal folks, 100 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:17,480 Speaker 2: Folks who are regular listeners. We ask you. 101 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:21,880 Speaker 4: Over and over again to email us about normal people 102 00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:25,040 Speaker 4: doing exceptional things in the world, and we'll find out 103 00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:27,159 Speaker 4: about them, and if if we feel like they fit, 104 00:05:27,240 --> 00:05:31,120 Speaker 4: we'll bring them to Memphis and tell their stories. And Peggy, 105 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:34,159 Speaker 4: you were here because of the kindness of Dave Wood 106 00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:36,600 Speaker 4: reaching out and telling us a little bit about you. 107 00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:38,880 Speaker 2: So Dave shout out to you. 108 00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:41,839 Speaker 4: Thank you so much for being a loyal listener and 109 00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:45,240 Speaker 4: for taking the five minutes to simply make a suggestion 110 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:48,840 Speaker 4: that has now led to Peggy plopping down in Memphis 111 00:05:48,880 --> 00:05:50,400 Speaker 4: across from me to have a little chat. 112 00:05:50,640 --> 00:05:53,000 Speaker 2: So ding ding for Dave Wood. 113 00:05:53,080 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, they're awesome. 114 00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:58,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's awesome. So where'd you come from? What'd you 115 00:05:58,120 --> 00:05:58,560 Speaker 2: grow up? 116 00:05:58,800 --> 00:06:03,279 Speaker 1: I grew up in rural Wisconsin, daughter of farming kids. 117 00:06:03,320 --> 00:06:05,920 Speaker 1: My parents book came from farming families, So I grew 118 00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:07,640 Speaker 1: up in We didn't live on a farm, but a 119 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:10,640 Speaker 1: rural area, very small town, the kind that you drive 120 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:11,560 Speaker 1: by and nobody knows. 121 00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:13,680 Speaker 2: Where it is, the one that you salute on he haw. 122 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:19,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, those for sure. Yep. I'm the oldest of three, oldest. 123 00:06:19,120 --> 00:06:23,720 Speaker 2: Of three, so pretty normal Midwestern American family. 124 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:24,440 Speaker 1: I sure thought. 125 00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:24,599 Speaker 3: So. 126 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:27,440 Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah, and your husband, yep, he. 127 00:06:27,640 --> 00:06:30,200 Speaker 1: Is a radio broadcaster in Oh really he is. 128 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:32,960 Speaker 2: He works radio, sitting right at home right. 129 00:06:33,080 --> 00:06:35,360 Speaker 1: Well, yeah, but I'm used to him in shops. 130 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:36,799 Speaker 2: But I'll be a radio broadcaster. 131 00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:40,440 Speaker 1: You have an amazing voice, do you hear that? 132 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:42,839 Speaker 2: Cash? That's right, I've got a face and a voice 133 00:06:42,880 --> 00:06:43,359 Speaker 2: for radio. 134 00:06:44,279 --> 00:06:48,080 Speaker 4: So Alex posted, So I was screwing with a guest 135 00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:53,440 Speaker 4: from North Carroltin in Memphis. We claim very few things, 136 00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:56,000 Speaker 4: but we have our claims to fame, and we're pretty 137 00:06:56,040 --> 00:06:57,000 Speaker 4: devout about them. 138 00:06:57,040 --> 00:06:57,360 Speaker 2: Okay. 139 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:00,599 Speaker 4: One is FedEx was founded and headquartered, which is a 140 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:04,920 Speaker 4: big deal to US international paper. The first Holiday Inn 141 00:07:05,360 --> 00:07:08,360 Speaker 4: ever was here, and the founder and their families here here, 142 00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:11,720 Speaker 4: and back then there was no Hilton or Weston. I mean, 143 00:07:11,760 --> 00:07:14,480 Speaker 4: Holiday Inn set the stage for how we travel now. 144 00:07:15,360 --> 00:07:21,240 Speaker 4: Termin x AutoZone, most recently XAI is here, and so. 145 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:24,840 Speaker 2: We have, Yeah, not many your face and. 146 00:07:24,840 --> 00:07:27,680 Speaker 1: You're wow right, wow. 147 00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:30,600 Speaker 4: Memphis has a lot going for it and not many 148 00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:33,040 Speaker 4: people know it. We get overshadowed by Nashville a lot. 149 00:07:33,600 --> 00:07:36,760 Speaker 4: The other thing we have is a deep rich heritage 150 00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:42,080 Speaker 4: and music, which is Elvis and I mean Aretha and 151 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:45,840 Speaker 4: Isaac Cayes and Jerry Lee Lewis and Roy Orbison, I mean, 152 00:07:45,880 --> 00:07:48,040 Speaker 4: the list goes on and on. They all got their 153 00:07:48,080 --> 00:07:52,080 Speaker 4: start here, often at Sun Studios, which is still open. 154 00:07:52,160 --> 00:07:56,760 Speaker 4: And then before that, the blues. Rock and roll is 155 00:07:56,760 --> 00:08:01,000 Speaker 4: a is a conveilation of the blues from the Mississippi 156 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:06,120 Speaker 4: Delta and rockabilly from the Hills. And when rockabilly, the 157 00:08:06,160 --> 00:08:10,040 Speaker 4: gospel and the blues collided, that's what made rock and 158 00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:16,840 Speaker 4: roll and that happened here. And so we as Memphians, 159 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:20,120 Speaker 4: we brag all that. Know, we cashes, I mean, that's 160 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:24,960 Speaker 4: our thing. And then so that's the arts, that's the business. 161 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:31,520 Speaker 4: And then culturally it's barbecue World Championship, Barbecue contest is 162 00:08:31,560 --> 00:08:36,199 Speaker 4: here and all that, and so we appreciate that the 163 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:40,000 Speaker 4: people in North Carolina, Texas and Kansas City try, but they. 164 00:08:39,880 --> 00:08:43,280 Speaker 2: Are minor league barbecue. I see, right, So I had 165 00:08:43,280 --> 00:08:44,120 Speaker 2: a guest. 166 00:08:43,840 --> 00:08:47,160 Speaker 4: Here from North Carolina not too long ago, and I 167 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:51,280 Speaker 4: was giving her the business about her you know, nice 168 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:54,400 Speaker 4: try on the barbecue, but let's be real kind of thing, 169 00:08:54,440 --> 00:08:56,880 Speaker 4: and he put it up on TikTok. And now I'm 170 00:08:56,880 --> 00:08:59,520 Speaker 4: getting dog cussed by about half the country over this 171 00:08:59,679 --> 00:09:00,520 Speaker 4: barber you thing. 172 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:07,800 Speaker 3: Okay, So while you're here, yes, if you go taste 173 00:09:07,840 --> 00:09:09,960 Speaker 3: a little of the blues in the street also has 174 00:09:10,040 --> 00:09:11,160 Speaker 3: some nice little barbecue. 175 00:09:11,720 --> 00:09:14,000 Speaker 2: You want to grab a river or two and. 176 00:09:16,160 --> 00:09:17,360 Speaker 1: See, that would be very fun. 177 00:09:18,520 --> 00:09:21,320 Speaker 2: Okay. So now now we're past that. 178 00:09:22,880 --> 00:09:27,920 Speaker 4: You guys, your your husband and you get married, have 179 00:09:27,960 --> 00:09:33,800 Speaker 4: a family, start having children, and a lovely normal American life, 180 00:09:34,080 --> 00:09:37,640 Speaker 4: but not and I don't mean this, but not anything 181 00:09:37,760 --> 00:09:40,440 Speaker 4: remarkable that would be right. 182 00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:41,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's it. 183 00:09:41,679 --> 00:09:44,080 Speaker 1: Just a normal, yeah, very normal life. 184 00:09:44,120 --> 00:09:44,840 Speaker 2: I thought. 185 00:09:45,400 --> 00:09:50,880 Speaker 4: Yeah, and we'll pick it up where a line I 186 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:55,000 Speaker 4: read by you said, I felt like God had put 187 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:56,880 Speaker 4: it on my heart that there was a little boy 188 00:09:57,280 --> 00:09:58,480 Speaker 4: that was supposed to be our son. 189 00:10:00,160 --> 00:10:00,800 Speaker 2: Did that come from? 190 00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:03,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's a great question. I was in our church, 191 00:10:04,080 --> 00:10:06,199 Speaker 1: and I was in our worship service. 192 00:10:06,040 --> 00:10:07,720 Speaker 2: And you already had how many we had? 193 00:10:07,760 --> 00:10:10,160 Speaker 1: We had three, and I was expecting our fourth and. 194 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:11,319 Speaker 2: Had not adopted. 195 00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:16,160 Speaker 4: Right, these are four natural born what's your husband's name, Mark, Mark? 196 00:10:16,480 --> 00:10:21,120 Speaker 4: So these are Mark and Peggy offspring doing life. 197 00:10:21,679 --> 00:10:24,560 Speaker 2: Four kids. There's a lot to pay for. I mean, 198 00:10:25,120 --> 00:10:26,600 Speaker 2: I have four, so I know. 199 00:10:26,880 --> 00:10:29,560 Speaker 4: And and so you're sitting in church and decides you 200 00:10:29,600 --> 00:10:32,040 Speaker 4: need to adopt also while you're pregnant. 201 00:10:32,080 --> 00:10:33,440 Speaker 2: Are you crazy? 202 00:10:33,640 --> 00:10:36,880 Speaker 1: Well, I was just listening. So I was in the 203 00:10:36,880 --> 00:10:39,480 Speaker 1: worship service, and I was worshiping, and I felt God 204 00:10:39,640 --> 00:10:42,000 Speaker 1: just speak that to my heart that they're and it 205 00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:45,440 Speaker 1: startled me. I walked out of the sanctuary and into 206 00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:48,200 Speaker 1: the lobby and there's a couple that I know there 207 00:10:48,240 --> 00:10:51,600 Speaker 1: that I really respected, who've done missions, and they's they're 208 00:10:51,720 --> 00:10:54,840 Speaker 1: all wholehearted for God. And I said, I just feel 209 00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:56,719 Speaker 1: like God told me something and I need you to 210 00:10:56,720 --> 00:10:59,240 Speaker 1: pray with me right now. And so they grabbed my 211 00:10:59,280 --> 00:11:01,079 Speaker 1: hands and I told them what I felt like I 212 00:11:01,080 --> 00:11:02,520 Speaker 1: got to put in my heart and they and they 213 00:11:02,559 --> 00:11:04,640 Speaker 1: prayed with me at that moment. And then I just 214 00:11:04,800 --> 00:11:08,680 Speaker 1: kept it in my heart quiet because we were expecting 215 00:11:08,679 --> 00:11:11,640 Speaker 1: our fourth child and my husband would absolutely think I 216 00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:17,240 Speaker 1: was crazy. Yeah, No, I didn't say anything. I just 217 00:11:17,440 --> 00:11:19,480 Speaker 1: I just kept it in my heart for a couple 218 00:11:19,520 --> 00:11:23,080 Speaker 1: of years and a couple of years later, he came 219 00:11:23,080 --> 00:11:25,120 Speaker 1: home from work one day and he had listened to 220 00:11:26,160 --> 00:11:29,439 Speaker 1: Stephen Kurst. Chapman was quoting John Piper saying that adoption 221 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:31,320 Speaker 1: is the living Gospel, and he said, I think we 222 00:11:31,320 --> 00:11:35,640 Speaker 1: should adopt. And then I told him. 223 00:11:35,520 --> 00:11:37,360 Speaker 2: How long is it between the two? 224 00:11:37,720 --> 00:11:40,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's a good question. So it's two thousand and 225 00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:43,920 Speaker 1: five when I first heard that from the Lord, and 226 00:11:44,000 --> 00:11:46,560 Speaker 1: it was probably two thousand and seven. Couple of years, 227 00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:48,960 Speaker 1: A couple of years. 228 00:11:55,960 --> 00:11:59,280 Speaker 4: And now a few messages from our general sponsors. But first, 229 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:03,000 Speaker 4: we're hosting two live interviews that I want to share 230 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:07,960 Speaker 4: with you on August twentieth. We're hosting one in Memphis 231 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:12,160 Speaker 4: with Peter Mudibasi, who is known as the foster dad 232 00:12:12,320 --> 00:12:16,199 Speaker 4: Flipper and is the most famous foster dad in all 233 00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:22,720 Speaker 4: of America. Peter is fostered get this forty seven kids, 234 00:12:23,360 --> 00:12:26,559 Speaker 4: has adopted three of them and is about to adopt 235 00:12:26,559 --> 00:12:30,360 Speaker 4: three more, and his radical love has gone viral. This 236 00:12:30,559 --> 00:12:34,280 Speaker 4: dude's got two point five million followers on social media. 237 00:12:34,440 --> 00:12:41,400 Speaker 4: To learn more and RSVP, visit foster dad Flipper dot 238 00:12:41,760 --> 00:12:48,199 Speaker 4: event bright dot com, Fosterdadflipper dot event Bright dot com 239 00:12:48,240 --> 00:12:54,880 Speaker 4: for August twentieth, a live interview with Peter Mudabasi, and 240 00:12:55,000 --> 00:12:58,319 Speaker 4: then on August twenty eighth, we're doing one in Oxford, 241 00:12:58,360 --> 00:13:02,640 Speaker 4: Mississippi with one of my mentors, and I dare call him, 242 00:13:02,679 --> 00:13:05,600 Speaker 4: dear friends, Sparky ridon Ole. 243 00:13:05,679 --> 00:13:06,360 Speaker 2: Miss was. 244 00:13:08,160 --> 00:13:11,040 Speaker 4: So lucky to have Sparky as the Dean of students 245 00:13:11,040 --> 00:13:13,880 Speaker 4: when I was there, and many others, and he's now 246 00:13:13,920 --> 00:13:19,880 Speaker 4: authored a new book, The Dean Menoires and Missives. Guys, 247 00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:22,920 Speaker 4: I'm telling you this is something you don't want to miss. 248 00:13:23,160 --> 00:13:25,560 Speaker 4: I think we can just turn on the microphone and 249 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:28,200 Speaker 4: I can say, hey, everybody, this is Sparky and shut up, 250 00:13:28,840 --> 00:13:34,720 Speaker 4: and he will entertain, inspire. He's a phenomenal guy. To 251 00:13:34,880 --> 00:13:40,240 Speaker 4: RSVP to that one visits Sparkyreardon dot event, Bright dot com. 252 00:13:40,280 --> 00:13:46,520 Speaker 4: That's Sparkyreardon dot event, Bright dot com and Oxford August 253 00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:47,160 Speaker 4: twenty eighth. 254 00:13:47,679 --> 00:13:50,720 Speaker 2: I hope you'll come to both. We'll be right back. 255 00:14:01,120 --> 00:14:04,520 Speaker 4: Before we go any further, because I want our listeners 256 00:14:04,559 --> 00:14:08,920 Speaker 4: to stick with us. Okay, first, full disclosure, I'm a Christian. 257 00:14:09,240 --> 00:14:09,560 Speaker 2: Okay. 258 00:14:11,080 --> 00:14:14,600 Speaker 4: We are not a Christian show. We are not a 259 00:14:14,800 --> 00:14:17,880 Speaker 4: non Christian show. We are an army of normal folks. 260 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:19,880 Speaker 4: And if you have an army of normal folks, you're 261 00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:22,880 Speaker 4: gonna have people of all different faiths, religions, belief sets 262 00:14:22,920 --> 00:14:27,400 Speaker 4: and everything else. So for our non Christian listeners, or 263 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:33,120 Speaker 4: maybe more less devout listeners, I want to give you 264 00:14:33,200 --> 00:14:38,680 Speaker 4: an opportunity before we go further, to let folks know 265 00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:45,640 Speaker 4: who don't really understand quote God spoke to me. Some 266 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:48,880 Speaker 4: people think that means God came down into vision with 267 00:14:48,960 --> 00:14:51,240 Speaker 4: a white robe and there was trumpets abusing. 268 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:56,600 Speaker 2: I know, because that's ridiculous, right, But as ridiculous as 269 00:14:56,680 --> 00:15:00,280 Speaker 2: that sounds to you, it sounds to other peop people 270 00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:03,560 Speaker 2: who don't understand the depth of your faith and how 271 00:15:03,600 --> 00:15:05,240 Speaker 2: you feel like you're quote listening. 272 00:15:06,080 --> 00:15:10,400 Speaker 4: So I would I would like for you to explain 273 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:15,880 Speaker 4: for our listeners what that really means and how that 274 00:15:16,280 --> 00:15:19,800 Speaker 4: sounds and feels to your ears and your heart to 275 00:15:20,040 --> 00:15:23,200 Speaker 4: move you to want to go do something, because I 276 00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:25,560 Speaker 4: don't want to lose people who say, oh my gosh, 277 00:15:25,760 --> 00:15:28,080 Speaker 4: you know what, did an angel come down and PLoP 278 00:15:28,160 --> 00:15:29,880 Speaker 4: down the pew and look at her and talk to her? 279 00:15:30,080 --> 00:15:35,520 Speaker 2: You know what I mean? Yeah, give give our give 280 00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:39,720 Speaker 2: our listeners an opportunity to understand what that what that means, 281 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:40,920 Speaker 2: I think. 282 00:15:40,760 --> 00:15:45,800 Speaker 1: That more people are led by the spirit of God 283 00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:50,080 Speaker 1: than they think. They don't. They wouldn't call it that 284 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:53,200 Speaker 1: they maybe they would call it a different name. But 285 00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:59,640 Speaker 1: it's that that impression, that feeling that you should go 286 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:02,240 Speaker 1: to the left today instead of to the right, like 287 00:16:02,280 --> 00:16:05,440 Speaker 1: there's or you should take that job tuition. Yeah, it 288 00:16:05,520 --> 00:16:08,120 Speaker 1: can feel like that, and I would say, you know, 289 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:11,120 Speaker 1: I certainly have that experience too. There's only two times 290 00:16:11,680 --> 00:16:14,760 Speaker 1: or three maybe in my life where I had such 291 00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:17,880 Speaker 1: a strong impression that really came out of the blue 292 00:16:18,320 --> 00:16:21,080 Speaker 1: that I would actually call it. I felt like there 293 00:16:21,160 --> 00:16:24,840 Speaker 1: was some divine calling to do something, and that was 294 00:16:24,960 --> 00:16:27,720 Speaker 1: certainly one of them. But I feel like when you 295 00:16:28,440 --> 00:16:33,920 Speaker 1: are listening to you know, paying attention to the world 296 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:37,760 Speaker 1: that you're in, that you're not so like that you 297 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:41,720 Speaker 1: quiet down the noise. That each person has a purpose 298 00:16:42,040 --> 00:16:44,800 Speaker 1: for their life, and if they're quiet and they sit 299 00:16:44,880 --> 00:16:48,720 Speaker 1: still long enough, I feel like, whether whatever your tradition is, 300 00:16:49,120 --> 00:16:51,120 Speaker 1: I believe there's a force in the universe that's going 301 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:54,000 Speaker 1: to guide you in the direction that you were supposed 302 00:16:54,040 --> 00:16:57,360 Speaker 1: that you were created to do. So for me as 303 00:16:57,400 --> 00:16:59,800 Speaker 1: a as a Christian, I call that God's voice, and 304 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:02,800 Speaker 1: if you're not a Christian, then there's I still think 305 00:17:02,840 --> 00:17:04,960 Speaker 1: that you were created for a purpose and that when 306 00:17:04,960 --> 00:17:08,600 Speaker 1: you are still and listen for it, you'll find it. 307 00:17:09,280 --> 00:17:13,159 Speaker 4: Peggy, I think that is a beautiful explanation, and I 308 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:17,080 Speaker 4: appreciate it because I want people to understand that you're 309 00:17:17,119 --> 00:17:20,760 Speaker 4: not some zellet out there thinking, yeah, it's funny that 310 00:17:20,840 --> 00:17:23,880 Speaker 4: you laugh because it sounds ridiculous to you. But some 311 00:17:24,080 --> 00:17:28,160 Speaker 4: non believers hear that and they recoil because they think, 312 00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:32,359 Speaker 4: oh my gosh, this is some zealot religious fanatic and 313 00:17:32,520 --> 00:17:37,160 Speaker 4: they think they're talking to God. And I don't want 314 00:17:37,200 --> 00:17:39,399 Speaker 4: people to get that impression when they hear it, because 315 00:17:39,400 --> 00:17:42,080 Speaker 4: that is not at all who you are, right And 316 00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:46,720 Speaker 4: I also feel like there's some times in my life 317 00:17:46,720 --> 00:17:49,040 Speaker 4: where I was quiet and still, which is very rare, 318 00:17:49,840 --> 00:17:55,320 Speaker 4: that I felt compelled, strongly convicted to do something in 319 00:17:55,359 --> 00:17:57,399 Speaker 4: my life, and I look back on it now and 320 00:17:57,480 --> 00:18:01,919 Speaker 4: I feel absolutely I was being led by my God 321 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:06,879 Speaker 4: and my faith. So I think it's a beautiful explanation 322 00:18:06,920 --> 00:18:08,639 Speaker 4: of what you're saying, and I just want people to 323 00:18:08,720 --> 00:18:10,840 Speaker 4: kind of hear it from the horse's mouth because you're 324 00:18:10,880 --> 00:18:11,359 Speaker 4: the one who. 325 00:18:11,320 --> 00:18:14,879 Speaker 1: Felt what I think that there are times where people 326 00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:18,760 Speaker 1: can get really crazy ideas and that can happen. But 327 00:18:18,840 --> 00:18:21,879 Speaker 1: for me, especially for this particular thing, this wasn't the 328 00:18:21,920 --> 00:18:24,560 Speaker 1: outside of what I was expecting. I didn't do anything 329 00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:27,439 Speaker 1: with it for two years. I just sat and waited 330 00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:30,639 Speaker 1: because if this was from God, then it wasn't going 331 00:18:30,720 --> 00:18:32,399 Speaker 1: to be something that I was going to make happen. 332 00:18:32,720 --> 00:18:36,040 Speaker 1: It was a door that was open, and whenever the 333 00:18:36,119 --> 00:18:38,000 Speaker 1: time was right to walk through it, I was ready 334 00:18:38,040 --> 00:18:38,600 Speaker 1: to walk through it. 335 00:18:38,920 --> 00:18:41,200 Speaker 2: And then Mark rolls in and says, we need to adopt. 336 00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:43,639 Speaker 2: Did you then share the hill? Yes? 337 00:18:43,800 --> 00:18:45,000 Speaker 1: Then I shared it with him. 338 00:18:45,200 --> 00:18:48,920 Speaker 4: Well, now you guys are in. I mean, you've been 339 00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:51,159 Speaker 4: carrying this for two years. He rolls in, dumps it 340 00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:54,880 Speaker 4: on your lap, and you're like, well, guess what, Mark. 341 00:18:54,720 --> 00:18:55,400 Speaker 2: I think you're right. 342 00:18:56,280 --> 00:18:59,640 Speaker 1: But even then, even though I felt like it was Africa, 343 00:19:00,119 --> 00:19:03,120 Speaker 1: we didn't start with Africa. We actually looked at all 344 00:19:03,119 --> 00:19:06,440 Speaker 1: different kinds of adoption options. We looked at foster care 345 00:19:06,440 --> 00:19:10,920 Speaker 1: adoption and special needs adoption and international adoption to try 346 00:19:10,960 --> 00:19:13,120 Speaker 1: to find what was the right fit for our family, 347 00:19:13,560 --> 00:19:17,359 Speaker 1: and we were so overwhelmed by the information that we 348 00:19:17,400 --> 00:19:18,920 Speaker 1: found that that one of The first things we did 349 00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:21,680 Speaker 1: was we hosted a conference, a workshop in our community 350 00:19:21,800 --> 00:19:24,879 Speaker 1: called Hope for Forgotten Children, where we invited people to 351 00:19:24,920 --> 00:19:28,320 Speaker 1: come and learn about foster care, orphan care, and adoption. 352 00:19:28,840 --> 00:19:31,680 Speaker 1: And then it was actually through that that we met 353 00:19:31,800 --> 00:19:34,680 Speaker 1: the woman who was doing work in Liberia and actually 354 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:37,159 Speaker 1: led us through the started us on the process of 355 00:19:37,359 --> 00:19:38,960 Speaker 1: adoption in Africa. 356 00:19:39,040 --> 00:19:40,480 Speaker 2: So it was through that what's her name? 357 00:19:40,520 --> 00:19:41,639 Speaker 1: Who she Her name was Donna? 358 00:19:42,080 --> 00:19:44,239 Speaker 2: And what did she say and how did she know? 359 00:19:44,440 --> 00:19:48,160 Speaker 1: She Well, she was doing humanitarian work in Liberia and 360 00:19:48,560 --> 00:19:51,880 Speaker 1: she was helping people getting matched with kids there and 361 00:19:52,280 --> 00:19:54,840 Speaker 1: at the time, Liberia was really easy to adopt from, 362 00:19:55,240 --> 00:20:00,000 Speaker 1: and so she had she had communic connections in Liberya 363 00:20:00,160 --> 00:20:02,480 Speaker 1: and she's like, hey, I can help you guys find 364 00:20:02,480 --> 00:20:04,280 Speaker 1: a kid to adopt if that's the direction you want 365 00:20:04,320 --> 00:20:06,080 Speaker 1: to go. And so we're like, okay, tell us more 366 00:20:06,760 --> 00:20:10,280 Speaker 1: so kidding, Yeah, yes, So I think we probably held 367 00:20:10,280 --> 00:20:12,960 Speaker 1: that conference in you know, in the summer, and we 368 00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:15,600 Speaker 1: started our home study and by December we had the 369 00:20:15,600 --> 00:20:19,080 Speaker 1: picture of a little boy and you know, from Liberia 370 00:20:19,200 --> 00:20:23,639 Speaker 1: and the email said could this be your son? And 371 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:25,560 Speaker 1: we hadn't even finished the home study yet. 372 00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:31,640 Speaker 4: Okay, we Alex has plopped people guests down in front 373 00:20:31,680 --> 00:20:33,560 Speaker 4: of me to interview and Oh. 374 00:20:33,600 --> 00:20:37,159 Speaker 2: You're gonna butcher this as you always do. All yeah, 375 00:20:36,760 --> 00:20:39,159 Speaker 2: I am going to butcher this. But I'll fix it. 376 00:20:39,400 --> 00:20:42,439 Speaker 4: I know you will. Oh, by the way, it's like 377 00:20:42,520 --> 00:20:46,160 Speaker 4: Wizard of Oz. Ignore the man behind the curtain. He's 378 00:20:46,240 --> 00:20:49,520 Speaker 4: just an irritating thing. He'll sit over and say stuff 379 00:20:49,520 --> 00:20:51,920 Speaker 4: every once a while. Just act like he's not there. Okay, 380 00:20:52,320 --> 00:20:57,480 Speaker 4: that's rude. See, so I've interviewed I don't know, we've 381 00:20:57,480 --> 00:21:01,160 Speaker 4: probably had four or five interviews with folk past shows 382 00:21:01,200 --> 00:21:04,600 Speaker 4: that have been in and around the adoption world, certainly 383 00:21:04,640 --> 00:21:10,480 Speaker 4: never from Liberia. So you're first. I'm always struck by 384 00:21:11,680 --> 00:21:16,000 Speaker 4: the desire to adopt. I have four children that I adore. 385 00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:20,000 Speaker 4: They are now twenty eight, twenty nine, eight, twenty seven, 386 00:21:20,040 --> 00:21:23,040 Speaker 4: and twenty six. I adorn most times. Sometimes they're a 387 00:21:23,040 --> 00:21:25,000 Speaker 4: complete pain of the butt, but I do adorm in 388 00:21:25,040 --> 00:21:29,480 Speaker 4: general right, and as empathetic as I want to be 389 00:21:29,520 --> 00:21:31,600 Speaker 4: in the world, and as much positive I want to 390 00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:35,960 Speaker 4: do in the world, I cannot fathom inviting another headache 391 00:21:36,000 --> 00:21:39,119 Speaker 4: into my life, especially one that I did not create. 392 00:21:39,520 --> 00:21:43,640 Speaker 4: I think it takes I think it takes a special 393 00:21:43,720 --> 00:21:48,520 Speaker 4: design and empathy and heart and person to take on 394 00:21:49,280 --> 00:21:52,320 Speaker 4: what you take on, especially those that even consider special 395 00:21:52,359 --> 00:21:55,040 Speaker 4: needs kids, knowing they're bringing that into their home and 396 00:21:55,080 --> 00:21:57,479 Speaker 4: their life, into their own children's lives. 397 00:22:00,359 --> 00:22:03,080 Speaker 2: So i't to tell you I'm in awe of people 398 00:22:03,400 --> 00:22:03,760 Speaker 2: like you. 399 00:22:03,840 --> 00:22:06,760 Speaker 4: There's something inside of you that's just very, very special 400 00:22:06,800 --> 00:22:11,119 Speaker 4: that I do not have in me. Then comes the 401 00:22:11,160 --> 00:22:14,080 Speaker 4: work to actually do it, once you clear the hurdle 402 00:22:14,160 --> 00:22:17,120 Speaker 4: of being that kind of person. And I have been 403 00:22:17,280 --> 00:22:22,040 Speaker 4: astounded at the cost of this, the financial burden it 404 00:22:22,080 --> 00:22:28,160 Speaker 4: takes just to get adoption done. Sometimes walk us through 405 00:22:28,200 --> 00:22:31,480 Speaker 4: that initial process so that people understand that it's a 406 00:22:31,520 --> 00:22:34,080 Speaker 4: lot more than calling up Liberian saying hey, I'll take 407 00:22:34,119 --> 00:22:35,160 Speaker 4: a kid, ship them over. 408 00:22:37,640 --> 00:22:42,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, And our story is unique and probably would not 409 00:22:42,359 --> 00:22:45,520 Speaker 1: ever be repeated. But at the time that we were 410 00:22:45,520 --> 00:22:49,560 Speaker 1: matched with Michael in Liberia, you could petition the government directly, 411 00:22:49,600 --> 00:22:51,600 Speaker 1: So once you had your home study on the US side, 412 00:22:51,760 --> 00:22:54,800 Speaker 1: you could petition the Ministry of Gender in Liberia and 413 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:57,280 Speaker 1: then they would do their background check or whatever. And 414 00:22:57,400 --> 00:23:01,160 Speaker 1: it was just a real simple process. And I don't 415 00:23:01,160 --> 00:23:02,800 Speaker 1: even remember what it was at the time, because it 416 00:23:02,800 --> 00:23:05,840 Speaker 1: didn't happen when we got masked with Michael in December 417 00:23:06,000 --> 00:23:08,840 Speaker 1: of two thousand and eight, and in January Liberia closed 418 00:23:09,720 --> 00:23:14,119 Speaker 1: to adoption. Yeah, lovely, because it was so easy to 419 00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:17,600 Speaker 1: adopt from Liberia that there was a huge amount of corruption. 420 00:23:18,480 --> 00:23:22,640 Speaker 1: So children were being adopted that weren't orphans. Children were 421 00:23:22,640 --> 00:23:25,399 Speaker 1: be adopted that had special needs, but it wasn't disclosed 422 00:23:25,440 --> 00:23:29,080 Speaker 1: to the adoptive families. There was extortion and bribery and 423 00:23:29,080 --> 00:23:30,280 Speaker 1: all kinds of awful, awful things. 424 00:23:30,480 --> 00:23:33,440 Speaker 2: Say child trafficking too, probably, I mean, yeah. 425 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:36,760 Speaker 1: I mean, I guess that's the definite. I mean, sending 426 00:23:36,760 --> 00:23:39,879 Speaker 1: a child home with other people who have parents without 427 00:23:39,920 --> 00:23:43,480 Speaker 1: their permission, I guess would be wrafficking. So there was 428 00:23:43,560 --> 00:23:49,199 Speaker 1: one story. So at that time again and this is 429 00:23:49,240 --> 00:23:53,520 Speaker 1: you know, surely Library had a twenty year civil war 430 00:23:53,600 --> 00:23:56,000 Speaker 1: from nineteen eighty nine to two thousand and four, and 431 00:23:56,080 --> 00:23:59,120 Speaker 1: so this is shortly after that. This was within four 432 00:23:59,160 --> 00:24:01,680 Speaker 1: or five years after that war had ended, and so 433 00:24:01,720 --> 00:24:04,919 Speaker 1: a lot of families were just really struggling. So as 434 00:24:05,119 --> 00:24:09,120 Speaker 1: nonprofits and aid was coming in adoption, orphanages were being 435 00:24:09,160 --> 00:24:11,280 Speaker 1: set up. So a lot of times parents would put 436 00:24:11,280 --> 00:24:13,480 Speaker 1: their kids in the orphanage to take care of them 437 00:24:13,800 --> 00:24:17,840 Speaker 1: while they're trying to get things established, with the full 438 00:24:17,880 --> 00:24:20,400 Speaker 1: intention of going back to that orphanage to go get 439 00:24:20,400 --> 00:24:24,280 Speaker 1: their kid once everything was okay, and then they would 440 00:24:24,320 --> 00:24:27,520 Speaker 1: go back and their child would be gone. 441 00:24:30,520 --> 00:24:31,440 Speaker 2: We'll be right back. 442 00:24:49,480 --> 00:24:52,760 Speaker 4: So the country after the civil War, trying to get 443 00:24:52,880 --> 00:24:58,160 Speaker 4: some level of civics arranged, closed it to stop. 444 00:24:57,880 --> 00:25:01,560 Speaker 2: All the bad stuff. Yes, yes, but who got caught up? 445 00:25:01,600 --> 00:25:03,560 Speaker 2: And that was the good people too, trying to do 446 00:25:03,600 --> 00:25:04,320 Speaker 2: the good thing well. 447 00:25:04,320 --> 00:25:06,639 Speaker 1: And we were told from the beginning, oh, it'll just 448 00:25:06,680 --> 00:25:09,560 Speaker 1: be six months, and every six months it was another 449 00:25:09,600 --> 00:25:13,160 Speaker 1: six months for like years. But in the meantime, even 450 00:25:13,320 --> 00:25:16,000 Speaker 1: before they even closed, we found out shortly after we 451 00:25:16,040 --> 00:25:17,720 Speaker 1: got matched with Michael that he had a little brother 452 00:25:18,320 --> 00:25:22,760 Speaker 1: and would we be willing to adopt him too, Oh, 453 00:25:22,800 --> 00:25:28,080 Speaker 1: you're nuts, And so I mean again, just just at 454 00:25:28,080 --> 00:25:31,440 Speaker 1: the very beginning of learning about Liberia and the losses 455 00:25:31,720 --> 00:25:34,840 Speaker 1: that people had experienced and the brokenness and the pain, 456 00:25:34,920 --> 00:25:37,200 Speaker 1: I was like, if Michael lives with his little brother, 457 00:25:37,760 --> 00:25:39,600 Speaker 1: the last thing I want to do is separate him 458 00:25:39,920 --> 00:25:43,760 Speaker 1: from the family that he has. And so we agreed 459 00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:46,119 Speaker 1: that we would adopt both of those boys and he 460 00:25:46,160 --> 00:25:48,080 Speaker 1: would be our extra little blessing. 461 00:25:48,640 --> 00:25:51,359 Speaker 4: So apparently what God put on your heart what God 462 00:25:51,400 --> 00:25:54,240 Speaker 4: put on Mark's heart were like one each. 463 00:25:55,160 --> 00:25:58,480 Speaker 1: Yes, yes, I never thought about it. 464 00:25:57,640 --> 00:25:59,800 Speaker 2: That seems to me. 465 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:02,119 Speaker 4: All right, Before we go forward, There's one other question 466 00:26:02,200 --> 00:26:05,560 Speaker 4: I have to ask that I think people want to 467 00:26:05,600 --> 00:26:11,760 Speaker 4: know but are often maybe too socially afraid to ask. 468 00:26:11,840 --> 00:26:14,040 Speaker 4: But I'm gonna ask it. But I want to be 469 00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:18,280 Speaker 4: as respectful and gentle with the topic as possible. But 470 00:26:18,440 --> 00:26:23,280 Speaker 4: I still think I need to ask it. To understand, 471 00:26:24,400 --> 00:26:29,359 Speaker 4: you're white, your husband's white, Your children are therefore white. 472 00:26:29,520 --> 00:26:32,840 Speaker 4: They are you live in Oa Claire, Wisconsin, which I assume. 473 00:26:32,640 --> 00:26:33,600 Speaker 2: Is pretty white. 474 00:26:34,280 --> 00:26:35,520 Speaker 1: It is okay. 475 00:26:36,600 --> 00:26:42,280 Speaker 4: I have seen mixed race adoption families before, and I 476 00:26:42,359 --> 00:26:46,920 Speaker 4: even hold them in even higher regard because. 477 00:26:48,640 --> 00:26:51,520 Speaker 2: There has to be a little bit of a social stigma. 478 00:26:51,640 --> 00:26:55,080 Speaker 4: You all have to overcome, the adopted kids, the family, 479 00:26:55,960 --> 00:27:02,280 Speaker 4: everything from a race standpoint. One. I don't want to 480 00:27:02,280 --> 00:27:05,639 Speaker 4: say did it give you pause, because I don't feel 481 00:27:05,640 --> 00:27:10,399 Speaker 4: like pauses in your vocabulary, really, but it had to 482 00:27:10,440 --> 00:27:14,200 Speaker 4: have been a consideration, and you had to have talked 483 00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:19,040 Speaker 4: to your own children about it, and I just want 484 00:27:19,040 --> 00:27:22,639 Speaker 4: to know. And again, I say this in the most 485 00:27:22,680 --> 00:27:28,080 Speaker 4: respectful way, because I genuinely think it's phenomenal that you 486 00:27:28,200 --> 00:27:32,600 Speaker 4: don't let something as insignificant as skin color stop you, 487 00:27:33,119 --> 00:27:35,240 Speaker 4: But unfortunately society says it as. 488 00:27:35,160 --> 00:27:38,520 Speaker 2: A stops on sometimes. How did you handle that part. 489 00:27:38,920 --> 00:27:41,600 Speaker 1: At the time is not a fair questions, Sure, I 490 00:27:41,600 --> 00:27:45,719 Speaker 1: think it's an important question too. I think at the time, Again, 491 00:27:46,280 --> 00:27:49,520 Speaker 1: our adoption story is really really long. So at the 492 00:27:49,560 --> 00:27:51,600 Speaker 1: time that we first got matched with Michael, we were 493 00:27:51,600 --> 00:27:53,800 Speaker 1: attending a church where a lot of families in the 494 00:27:53,840 --> 00:27:56,919 Speaker 1: church were adopting from Ethiopia, and so we felt like 495 00:27:57,520 --> 00:28:00,720 Speaker 1: if we adopted a child from Africa there he would 496 00:28:00,720 --> 00:28:02,680 Speaker 1: be at least part of a community of other kids 497 00:28:02,720 --> 00:28:05,080 Speaker 1: that looked like him in a place where there were 498 00:28:05,080 --> 00:28:07,280 Speaker 1: a lot of other adoptive families, and that would help 499 00:28:07,560 --> 00:28:10,959 Speaker 1: all of us, both biological kids and Michael and our 500 00:28:11,000 --> 00:28:13,560 Speaker 1: whole family feel like, you know, this was kind of 501 00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:15,479 Speaker 1: a normal thing that was part of what our our 502 00:28:15,560 --> 00:28:18,439 Speaker 1: church was doing at the time. We did not adopt 503 00:28:18,480 --> 00:28:20,800 Speaker 1: Michael at the and my kids were really little, so 504 00:28:21,400 --> 00:28:23,520 Speaker 1: you know, talking we talked to them about it, but 505 00:28:23,560 --> 00:28:26,200 Speaker 1: it wasn't like they had an opinion, I mean had 506 00:28:26,240 --> 00:28:29,800 Speaker 1: a strong opinion really, but we did not adopt Michael 507 00:28:29,840 --> 00:28:32,919 Speaker 1: until he was a teenager, and at the time that 508 00:28:33,119 --> 00:28:36,520 Speaker 1: our adoption was actually finally going through, I spent time 509 00:28:36,560 --> 00:28:39,600 Speaker 1: sitting down with other African American families in my community 510 00:28:39,600 --> 00:28:41,360 Speaker 1: and asked them, I'm like, what is it like to 511 00:28:41,400 --> 00:28:45,040 Speaker 1: go to high school in Auclaire as a as a 512 00:28:45,080 --> 00:28:47,680 Speaker 1: person of color and just try to get an idea 513 00:28:47,680 --> 00:28:50,880 Speaker 1: of you know, what is the what's the situation with 514 00:28:50,920 --> 00:28:53,560 Speaker 1: the police department in our town are they you know, 515 00:28:53,800 --> 00:28:56,120 Speaker 1: what is the relationship like with you know, people of 516 00:28:56,120 --> 00:29:00,440 Speaker 1: color and and the government. And I wanted to all 517 00:29:00,440 --> 00:29:03,360 Speaker 1: of that before we brought Michael into our community. And 518 00:29:03,400 --> 00:29:07,240 Speaker 1: I was really really happy. Selika Lawton is a friend 519 00:29:07,280 --> 00:29:09,880 Speaker 1: of mine and she's a community organizer. She's also professor 520 00:29:09,880 --> 00:29:13,360 Speaker 1: at Ewclaire and her son was attending the high school 521 00:29:13,400 --> 00:29:15,560 Speaker 1: that my son was going to attend. He had just graduated, 522 00:29:15,560 --> 00:29:20,120 Speaker 1: and was really really pleased to hear that our community 523 00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:24,400 Speaker 1: was doing well in trying to build a safe place 524 00:29:24,440 --> 00:29:25,160 Speaker 1: for everybody. 525 00:29:25,480 --> 00:29:27,760 Speaker 2: That's very cool, all right. 526 00:29:28,600 --> 00:29:32,360 Speaker 4: So I just asked Chatch Ebt, what, well, Claire, Wisconsin 527 00:29:32,520 --> 00:29:35,360 Speaker 4: one point five percent of the population is African American. 528 00:29:37,160 --> 00:29:40,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, pretty well, Yeah, that's that's more now than it 529 00:29:40,200 --> 00:29:42,720 Speaker 1: was ten years ago. 530 00:29:42,840 --> 00:29:43,280 Speaker 2: Adopted. 531 00:29:44,920 --> 00:29:48,240 Speaker 4: Okay, so all right, so let's go back because we 532 00:29:48,320 --> 00:29:50,640 Speaker 4: jumped from five to fifteen and the stories in the middle, 533 00:29:50,680 --> 00:29:53,920 Speaker 4: and spoiler alert for a body listening, this actually isn't 534 00:29:53,960 --> 00:29:54,480 Speaker 4: an adoption. 535 00:29:55,120 --> 00:29:55,440 Speaker 2: It's not. 536 00:29:55,960 --> 00:30:00,440 Speaker 4: It's it's a story about how adoption led to just 537 00:30:01,040 --> 00:30:04,760 Speaker 4: a phenomenal thing. But you guys had to understand everybody 538 00:30:04,840 --> 00:30:08,440 Speaker 4: needed to understand kind of how the entree happened. So 539 00:30:10,440 --> 00:30:14,040 Speaker 4: take us from Michael at five to Liberia. 540 00:30:14,600 --> 00:30:17,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, we like to call our story on our way 541 00:30:17,040 --> 00:30:21,959 Speaker 1: to somewhere else, because this was not the journey that 542 00:30:22,120 --> 00:30:24,960 Speaker 1: we had intended to go on. Mark and I we 543 00:30:25,000 --> 00:30:26,680 Speaker 1: had our four kids, and we were going to adopt 544 00:30:26,680 --> 00:30:29,280 Speaker 1: these two boys, and we were gonna keep living the 545 00:30:29,320 --> 00:30:31,760 Speaker 1: life that we had. I was a stay at home 546 00:30:31,800 --> 00:30:34,200 Speaker 1: mom at the time and Mark worked in the radio station, 547 00:30:34,320 --> 00:30:36,400 Speaker 1: and that was what we thought life was going to 548 00:30:36,440 --> 00:30:39,240 Speaker 1: look like. But six months after we were matched with Habakuk, 549 00:30:39,280 --> 00:30:41,640 Speaker 1: who was two years old at the time. He had 550 00:30:41,640 --> 00:30:43,760 Speaker 1: got malaria and he was sick, so he got in 551 00:30:43,760 --> 00:30:47,120 Speaker 1: treatment for that, but his grandpa had died and they 552 00:30:47,360 --> 00:30:49,920 Speaker 1: both the boys went back. No, just Habakuk went back 553 00:30:49,920 --> 00:30:51,760 Speaker 1: to the village where his grandpa had lived, where the 554 00:30:51,760 --> 00:30:54,120 Speaker 1: funeral was going to be. And in Liberia, when an 555 00:30:54,160 --> 00:30:56,800 Speaker 1: older person dies, it's a huge community event. So there 556 00:30:56,840 --> 00:30:59,320 Speaker 1: was a huge influx of people in that small village 557 00:30:59,600 --> 00:31:04,520 Speaker 1: and there's cholera outbreak and have a white break cholera. 558 00:31:05,120 --> 00:31:09,120 Speaker 1: Cholera is a wallet water borne illness, bacterial. 559 00:31:09,280 --> 00:31:11,400 Speaker 2: I mean, I know what cholera is, but I didn't 560 00:31:11,400 --> 00:31:13,120 Speaker 2: know there were still outbreaks. 561 00:31:13,600 --> 00:31:18,360 Speaker 1: Yeah, and a lot of the developer dveloped. Yeah, so 562 00:31:19,200 --> 00:31:22,360 Speaker 1: Havoca got cholera and very very quickly he passed away. 563 00:31:22,920 --> 00:31:23,640 Speaker 1: We lost him. 564 00:31:24,040 --> 00:31:28,240 Speaker 2: You're kidding, were you? There? 565 00:31:27,440 --> 00:31:31,520 Speaker 1: No our contact at that time, So Peter Flomo, pastor 566 00:31:31,560 --> 00:31:35,040 Speaker 1: Peter was our contact there. And so someone had called 567 00:31:35,120 --> 00:31:37,920 Speaker 1: him from the village and said Habocock was sick. Peter 568 00:31:38,000 --> 00:31:40,120 Speaker 1: tried to get there to get him to take him 569 00:31:40,160 --> 00:31:42,760 Speaker 1: to a clinic for treatment, but because he had had 570 00:31:42,800 --> 00:31:46,240 Speaker 1: malaria and he was so small, he just died really 571 00:31:46,280 --> 00:31:48,600 Speaker 1: fast at two and a half. 572 00:31:49,520 --> 00:31:53,440 Speaker 2: This is Michael's natural little brother who was going to 573 00:31:53,520 --> 00:31:54,600 Speaker 2: be your. 574 00:31:54,960 --> 00:31:56,800 Speaker 1: Sixth, our extra little blessing. 575 00:31:58,240 --> 00:32:05,440 Speaker 2: Okay, so oh now you are keenly aware what can do? 576 00:32:05,720 --> 00:32:14,200 Speaker 1: I was so emotional so angry and like sad and frustrated. 577 00:32:14,560 --> 00:32:17,800 Speaker 1: I'm kind of mad at God really, because getting two 578 00:32:17,840 --> 00:32:21,800 Speaker 1: little boys from Africa was not my idea. He brought 579 00:32:21,800 --> 00:32:25,239 Speaker 1: this little boy into our lives, he planted him in 580 00:32:25,240 --> 00:32:29,640 Speaker 1: my art, and then six months later he's gone, and 581 00:32:30,120 --> 00:32:33,800 Speaker 1: I was just really adamant that this is not the 582 00:32:33,960 --> 00:32:36,640 Speaker 1: end of this story. The story does not end with 583 00:32:36,760 --> 00:32:41,600 Speaker 1: And then Habakuk died so I'd figure out. I'm like, okay, 584 00:32:42,240 --> 00:32:45,600 Speaker 1: what this is not? Okay? I call it stupid death. 585 00:32:45,960 --> 00:32:48,560 Speaker 1: And I call it stupid because there's no reason why, 586 00:32:49,240 --> 00:32:51,800 Speaker 1: in this day and age, anyone should have to die 587 00:32:52,040 --> 00:32:55,200 Speaker 1: from dirty drinking water. It just shouldn't happen. It shouldn't happen. 588 00:32:55,440 --> 00:32:58,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, but you're in Wisconsin. They're literally halfway across the 589 00:32:58,920 --> 00:33:03,400 Speaker 2: globe and worn torn trying to recover Liberia. What are 590 00:33:03,400 --> 00:33:06,400 Speaker 2: you going to do about it? You're just a normal person. 591 00:33:06,600 --> 00:33:08,520 Speaker 1: What am I going to do about it? Well, the 592 00:33:08,560 --> 00:33:10,920 Speaker 1: first thing I wanted to do was to put a 593 00:33:10,960 --> 00:33:14,600 Speaker 1: well in his village in his memory. That was how 594 00:33:14,640 --> 00:33:17,920 Speaker 1: I wanted to honor his life. Okay, So I through 595 00:33:17,960 --> 00:33:19,880 Speaker 1: the contacts that I had, I'm like, how do we 596 00:33:19,920 --> 00:33:22,760 Speaker 1: do this? And so they told me. And I'm actually 597 00:33:22,800 --> 00:33:27,479 Speaker 1: an introvert sort of by personality, so the idea of 598 00:33:27,920 --> 00:33:29,760 Speaker 1: getting up in front of people and raising a bunch 599 00:33:29,760 --> 00:33:33,479 Speaker 1: of money was not something I was eager to do. 600 00:33:33,560 --> 00:33:36,240 Speaker 1: But I was absolutely passionate about this. I was adamant 601 00:33:36,280 --> 00:33:37,160 Speaker 1: that we are going to do this. 602 00:33:37,280 --> 00:33:38,760 Speaker 2: You're passion absolutely. 603 00:33:38,840 --> 00:33:40,800 Speaker 4: Do you know what we say all the time that 604 00:33:40,960 --> 00:33:45,120 Speaker 4: the amazing things in the world happen when normal people 605 00:33:45,480 --> 00:33:49,480 Speaker 4: employ their passion at an intersect with opportunity. 606 00:33:50,240 --> 00:33:52,640 Speaker 2: You saw an opportunity, you had passion. Yeah. 607 00:33:52,720 --> 00:33:54,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, So we raised the money for the well. We 608 00:33:54,960 --> 00:33:57,160 Speaker 1: got the money to library before any season so that 609 00:33:57,200 --> 00:34:00,560 Speaker 1: they could hand dig this well, and and then the well 610 00:34:00,600 --> 00:34:04,760 Speaker 1: went in in March of twenty ten, and my friends 611 00:34:04,880 --> 00:34:07,200 Speaker 1: went to Liberia for the well dedication, but I didn't go. 612 00:34:07,280 --> 00:34:09,480 Speaker 1: At the time. I saw the pictures, and I saw 613 00:34:09,520 --> 00:34:12,000 Speaker 1: the pictures, I'm like, I need to be there, and 614 00:34:12,040 --> 00:34:15,879 Speaker 1: my husband did not argue. So in October of twenty ten, 615 00:34:16,360 --> 00:34:18,520 Speaker 1: I went to Liberia for the first time to meet 616 00:34:18,520 --> 00:34:21,360 Speaker 1: Michael and to go to the community where have a cook. 617 00:34:21,520 --> 00:34:25,200 Speaker 2: Dad died. We'll be right back. 618 00:34:31,640 --> 00:34:34,640 Speaker 4: Did Michael know that you guys were to be his 619 00:34:34,760 --> 00:34:36,360 Speaker 4: family eventually. 620 00:34:36,760 --> 00:34:40,200 Speaker 1: You know. So Michael at that time was living with 621 00:34:40,400 --> 00:34:43,719 Speaker 1: Pastor Peter, so he had five biological kids. And I 622 00:34:43,719 --> 00:34:45,880 Speaker 1: couldn't tell you how many orphans were living with him 623 00:34:45,920 --> 00:34:47,480 Speaker 1: at the time, but Michael was staying with him. And 624 00:34:47,520 --> 00:34:50,600 Speaker 1: so when I got to Liberia, Peter said, Michael, this 625 00:34:50,640 --> 00:34:56,920 Speaker 1: is your mom. I of love and he was Michael, 626 00:34:57,280 --> 00:35:00,759 Speaker 1: he was five years old. He said nothing. I can't 627 00:35:00,920 --> 00:35:02,880 Speaker 1: see anything for when the world. 628 00:35:02,640 --> 00:35:04,040 Speaker 2: Went on in Michael's young life. 629 00:35:04,080 --> 00:35:06,200 Speaker 4: To become an orphan up to five and then to 630 00:35:06,239 --> 00:35:09,000 Speaker 4: be said, Hi, this person who doesn't look anything like 631 00:35:09,040 --> 00:35:11,359 Speaker 4: you of America as your mom, now, well that has 632 00:35:11,400 --> 00:35:13,240 Speaker 4: to be a little bit of a shock for Michael. 633 00:35:13,360 --> 00:35:15,600 Speaker 1: There are so many things that were hard for him 634 00:35:15,640 --> 00:35:19,040 Speaker 1: because up until then he had lived in the village 635 00:35:19,040 --> 00:35:22,520 Speaker 1: with his grandparents and he spoke their dialect, which was PLA, 636 00:35:22,800 --> 00:35:24,360 Speaker 1: so he didn't even which l. 637 00:35:26,360 --> 00:35:31,080 Speaker 2: K E l l E okay, And that's a dialect. 638 00:35:31,080 --> 00:35:33,680 Speaker 1: Like one of the sixteen dialects in Liberia of the 639 00:35:34,000 --> 00:35:34,319 Speaker 1: like the. 640 00:35:34,640 --> 00:35:36,400 Speaker 2: So it's almost a tribal language. 641 00:35:36,480 --> 00:35:38,720 Speaker 1: Yep, yep, one of the languages in Liberia. 642 00:35:38,800 --> 00:35:42,799 Speaker 2: One of the sixteen languages. Holy smokes, how do you 643 00:35:42,800 --> 00:35:44,040 Speaker 2: ever get anything done. Well. 644 00:35:44,520 --> 00:35:49,120 Speaker 1: Liberia was founded by freed American slaves, so English. 645 00:35:48,880 --> 00:35:51,560 Speaker 2: I understand connecting language. I meant to look this up 646 00:35:51,600 --> 00:35:52,040 Speaker 2: for a mint. 647 00:35:52,120 --> 00:35:58,560 Speaker 4: You met you President Monroe's administration. If I'm right about this, boy, 648 00:35:58,600 --> 00:36:00,759 Speaker 4: this is going back to like high school. 649 00:36:00,960 --> 00:36:03,520 Speaker 2: But what didn't it whenn't it? Present and Rose. 650 00:36:03,320 --> 00:36:09,600 Speaker 4: Administration offered free slaves settlement back to Africa and our 651 00:36:09,760 --> 00:36:15,360 Speaker 4: country created Liberia, liber being the Latin for freedom or freeland, 652 00:36:16,000 --> 00:36:19,840 Speaker 4: and created Liberia for American free slaves. 653 00:36:19,960 --> 00:36:24,440 Speaker 1: Is that the American Colonization Society was the organization that 654 00:36:24,760 --> 00:36:26,480 Speaker 1: organized it all, and then it was funded by the 655 00:36:26,560 --> 00:36:30,680 Speaker 1: US government to help help people go back to Africa 656 00:36:30,719 --> 00:36:31,800 Speaker 1: to start the country. 657 00:36:32,440 --> 00:36:34,920 Speaker 4: But when they showed up, there were still people living 658 00:36:35,000 --> 00:36:38,279 Speaker 4: there who were well no indigenous. 659 00:36:39,480 --> 00:36:48,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, well that's because the. 660 00:36:47,400 --> 00:36:50,440 Speaker 4: We can talk politics from Monroe area because it's not 661 00:36:50,600 --> 00:36:51,680 Speaker 4: today's politics. 662 00:36:51,719 --> 00:36:57,240 Speaker 1: Well, if you imagine the experience that these freed people 663 00:36:57,360 --> 00:37:01,080 Speaker 1: had in the United States, what it meant to be 664 00:37:01,640 --> 00:37:04,160 Speaker 1: in charge and what it meant to have power when 665 00:37:04,160 --> 00:37:07,320 Speaker 1: they went when they were in when they went to Liberia, 666 00:37:08,040 --> 00:37:11,960 Speaker 1: that was the type of society they understood. And so 667 00:37:12,320 --> 00:37:14,279 Speaker 1: in a lot of ways there ended up being a 668 00:37:14,320 --> 00:37:18,560 Speaker 1: lot of disparagement between the people who returned to Africa 669 00:37:18,600 --> 00:37:22,279 Speaker 1: and the people who are still living in indigenous Right. So, 670 00:37:22,440 --> 00:37:25,680 Speaker 1: like the motto of Liberia is love of freedom brought 671 00:37:25,760 --> 00:37:30,040 Speaker 1: us here, but that only represents ten percent of the population. 672 00:37:30,920 --> 00:37:31,960 Speaker 2: The other ninety. 673 00:37:31,719 --> 00:37:33,480 Speaker 1: Percent were already. 674 00:37:33,000 --> 00:37:36,319 Speaker 4: There and one of sixteen languages. Yeah, so how do 675 00:37:36,320 --> 00:37:37,759 Speaker 4: you even communicate about it? 676 00:37:38,120 --> 00:37:38,319 Speaker 2: Well? 677 00:37:38,520 --> 00:37:43,120 Speaker 1: And then honestly, the tension between the settlers and the 678 00:37:43,160 --> 00:37:46,640 Speaker 1: indigenous people there is what eventually fueled the civil war 679 00:37:47,600 --> 00:37:48,200 Speaker 1: in the eighties. 680 00:37:48,600 --> 00:37:53,600 Speaker 4: Good intentions, yeah, yeah, and what ends up in that 681 00:37:53,719 --> 00:38:01,040 Speaker 4: carnage is children and holmlessness and cholera, abject poverty and 682 00:38:01,200 --> 00:38:05,480 Speaker 4: loss and all of it. Okay, So you show up 683 00:38:05,520 --> 00:38:07,960 Speaker 4: and pastor what's his name says, what's his name? 684 00:38:08,000 --> 00:38:08,600 Speaker 1: Pastor Peter? 685 00:38:08,800 --> 00:38:12,600 Speaker 4: Ye, Pastor Peter says, hey, Michael, yeah, suck, this is mom. 686 00:38:13,040 --> 00:38:15,319 Speaker 1: So he yeah. So he was living with his grandparents. 687 00:38:15,400 --> 00:38:19,600 Speaker 1: His grandpa dies. He goes to Monrovia, now, which is 688 00:38:19,640 --> 00:38:24,799 Speaker 1: a totally different Liberia from the rural Liberia, but it 689 00:38:24,840 --> 00:38:26,960 Speaker 1: is yes, and speak English there. 690 00:38:26,760 --> 00:38:29,399 Speaker 2: At all Costopolitan. Is it like a city at least? 691 00:38:29,520 --> 00:38:31,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, there's a million there's at that time, there's a 692 00:38:31,520 --> 00:38:32,680 Speaker 1: million people in. 693 00:38:32,600 --> 00:38:35,759 Speaker 4: That in the So he goes from this little village 694 00:38:36,480 --> 00:38:41,440 Speaker 4: without a well for drinking water to Monrovia. 695 00:38:40,920 --> 00:38:43,600 Speaker 1: Right where people are speaking English and he speaks palle 696 00:38:44,200 --> 00:38:46,400 Speaker 1: and they just PLoP them in school and they and 697 00:38:46,440 --> 00:38:47,960 Speaker 1: they said, how can he go to school if he 698 00:38:48,080 --> 00:38:51,720 Speaker 1: doesn't even speak English? And Peter's like, I'll learn Wow. 699 00:38:52,400 --> 00:38:55,120 Speaker 1: So he didn't talk, but part of that was because 700 00:38:55,160 --> 00:38:56,560 Speaker 1: he was still learning English. 701 00:38:57,400 --> 00:38:58,360 Speaker 2: Got it, yeah when. 702 00:38:58,239 --> 00:38:59,280 Speaker 1: I met him. 703 00:38:59,719 --> 00:39:02,480 Speaker 2: Okay, so you're there, yep. 704 00:39:02,760 --> 00:39:04,840 Speaker 1: So we're there, and I get a chance to go 705 00:39:04,960 --> 00:39:07,680 Speaker 1: visit the village and I get to see the well 706 00:39:08,239 --> 00:39:11,480 Speaker 1: and I'm trying to There's about three guys in the 707 00:39:11,560 --> 00:39:14,640 Speaker 1: village who have gone to school, so they can speak English. 708 00:39:15,160 --> 00:39:17,879 Speaker 1: Nobody else can speak English because no one else has 709 00:39:17,920 --> 00:39:21,400 Speaker 1: gone to school. No one can even read the inscription 710 00:39:21,719 --> 00:39:26,200 Speaker 1: in the well and have a cook's memory. So I go, okay, 711 00:39:26,320 --> 00:39:33,080 Speaker 1: how do we start a school? So I went back 712 00:39:33,080 --> 00:39:35,880 Speaker 1: home with the goal of starting a school in this village. 713 00:39:36,360 --> 00:39:38,279 Speaker 1: And then when I got home, my husband's like, well, 714 00:39:38,440 --> 00:39:40,920 Speaker 1: now you're traveling around the world, I want to go somewhere. 715 00:39:40,920 --> 00:39:42,880 Speaker 1: And I'm like, well, we have a kid in Liberia, 716 00:39:42,920 --> 00:39:45,280 Speaker 1: so why don't you go there? So six months later, 717 00:39:45,600 --> 00:39:47,520 Speaker 1: in March of twenty eleven, Mark and I went back 718 00:39:47,560 --> 00:39:50,879 Speaker 1: to Liberia together to dedicate the school that we were 719 00:39:51,000 --> 00:39:53,840 Speaker 1: opening there. And at that time Mark and Peter started 720 00:39:54,000 --> 00:39:57,680 Speaker 1: going around to other villages and sharing about God, and 721 00:39:58,680 --> 00:40:01,759 Speaker 1: we kept seeing community after community with no clean water 722 00:40:02,080 --> 00:40:04,319 Speaker 1: and no education and no medical care. 723 00:40:04,360 --> 00:40:07,560 Speaker 4: And after that, I would assume orphans. 724 00:40:08,280 --> 00:40:11,440 Speaker 1: Sure, yeah, well, and it's hard to know who you 725 00:40:11,640 --> 00:40:15,400 Speaker 1: even are the orphans because they're all just living with somebody, 726 00:40:15,440 --> 00:40:19,200 Speaker 1: their neighbor or their grandma or their aunt or somebody. 727 00:40:19,760 --> 00:40:25,080 Speaker 4: Is that is that a tribal cultural thing or is 728 00:40:25,160 --> 00:40:29,239 Speaker 4: that a disintegration of what that culture was supposed to 729 00:40:29,320 --> 00:40:32,520 Speaker 4: be because of all the war and everything that tore 730 00:40:32,560 --> 00:40:33,160 Speaker 4: the place off. 731 00:40:33,840 --> 00:40:38,880 Speaker 1: The war disrupted everything, so it just it left an 732 00:40:39,000 --> 00:40:42,799 Speaker 1: entire generation of people just completely traumatized. Some of the 733 00:40:42,840 --> 00:40:48,399 Speaker 1: worst war atrocities that you've heard of happened in Liberia too, 734 00:40:48,640 --> 00:40:54,239 Speaker 1: like child soldiers and just awful, awful things happened to 735 00:40:54,400 --> 00:40:58,520 Speaker 1: kids that were witnesses to terrible things that their parents 736 00:40:58,560 --> 00:41:02,640 Speaker 1: were killed and women were assaulted, and kids were given 737 00:41:02,680 --> 00:41:05,680 Speaker 1: drugs to go fight this stupid war. 738 00:41:06,000 --> 00:41:09,080 Speaker 4: Yeah, that's my understandings. They would give kids as young 739 00:41:09,080 --> 00:41:12,879 Speaker 4: as thirteen's drugs and a rifle and cooke them up 740 00:41:13,040 --> 00:41:14,240 Speaker 4: and just tell them go. 741 00:41:14,360 --> 00:41:15,480 Speaker 2: Shoot what they could shoot. 742 00:41:15,680 --> 00:41:16,839 Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah. 743 00:41:17,600 --> 00:41:23,480 Speaker 2: I've also been told that the some it's not in here. 744 00:41:23,680 --> 00:41:26,920 Speaker 4: I looked it up while I was on my phone 745 00:41:27,360 --> 00:41:30,560 Speaker 4: in a actual and a board meeting, and I don't 746 00:41:30,600 --> 00:41:34,480 Speaker 4: know the exact numbers, but something like seventy five percent 747 00:41:34,640 --> 00:41:37,560 Speaker 4: of sixteen year old females by the time they're sixteen 748 00:41:37,640 --> 00:41:40,080 Speaker 4: have been sexually assaulted in Liberia? 749 00:41:40,400 --> 00:41:41,919 Speaker 2: Is that right? 750 00:41:42,480 --> 00:41:45,440 Speaker 1: The timeframe could be different during the wartime. I know 751 00:41:45,480 --> 00:41:48,880 Speaker 1: that's absolutely true. Assault of women in Liberia is still 752 00:41:49,120 --> 00:41:50,319 Speaker 1: incredibly high right now. 753 00:41:50,400 --> 00:41:51,120 Speaker 2: It's rampant. 754 00:41:51,239 --> 00:41:51,479 Speaker 1: Yeah. 755 00:41:52,200 --> 00:41:59,160 Speaker 2: So there's also an education there that needs to be had. Yep. Yeah, Okay, 756 00:41:59,280 --> 00:42:01,759 Speaker 2: So you know you and Mark from Eau Claire, Wisconsin 757 00:42:02,760 --> 00:42:04,640 Speaker 2: show up. You're going to change the country. 758 00:42:04,800 --> 00:42:07,319 Speaker 1: I guess we are. I uh, you know, when I 759 00:42:07,360 --> 00:42:11,759 Speaker 1: came back from Liberia the first time, I was so angry. 760 00:42:12,040 --> 00:42:14,040 Speaker 1: I was just one day. I was just driving in 761 00:42:14,040 --> 00:42:16,360 Speaker 1: my car and I was just ranting to God and 762 00:42:16,400 --> 00:42:18,759 Speaker 1: I was just like, how in the world can you 763 00:42:18,800 --> 00:42:20,960 Speaker 1: be the god of the universe and allow kids to 764 00:42:21,000 --> 00:42:23,360 Speaker 1: die from dirty drinking water? And children never go to 765 00:42:23,360 --> 00:42:26,680 Speaker 1: school and all of these awful things that are having 766 00:42:26,680 --> 00:42:31,000 Speaker 1: liberal Why don't you do something? And I felt that 767 00:42:31,080 --> 00:42:33,919 Speaker 1: God was just patiently listening to me. And I'm gonna 768 00:42:33,920 --> 00:42:35,719 Speaker 1: tell you another story of God speaking to me, because 769 00:42:35,760 --> 00:42:38,399 Speaker 1: when I finally stopped and I was quiet, I felt 770 00:42:38,440 --> 00:42:41,719 Speaker 1: like God said, Peggy, I am doing something and I 771 00:42:41,760 --> 00:42:45,640 Speaker 1: want to do it through you. And I was like, Okay, 772 00:42:46,400 --> 00:42:50,480 Speaker 1: what do I do? Because I didn't know anything. I 773 00:42:50,520 --> 00:42:54,920 Speaker 1: didn't know anything about Liberia or how to help. I 774 00:42:54,960 --> 00:42:56,879 Speaker 1: had no background in this area. I don't know anything 775 00:42:56,880 --> 00:43:00,440 Speaker 1: about nonprofits. I know nothing. I know that I love 776 00:43:00,480 --> 00:43:02,560 Speaker 1: being a mom, and I know that I want to 777 00:43:02,600 --> 00:43:05,600 Speaker 1: adopt this little boy. And I have started to develop 778 00:43:05,680 --> 00:43:09,680 Speaker 1: some friendships in Liberia and so I we started Teamwork 779 00:43:09,719 --> 00:43:11,839 Speaker 1: Africa and I started asking them, I'm like, what can 780 00:43:11,880 --> 00:43:12,200 Speaker 1: we do? 781 00:43:12,600 --> 00:43:15,600 Speaker 2: Like how you started the name Teamwork Africa? 782 00:43:15,680 --> 00:43:19,799 Speaker 1: Yeah, peterful Amo, So our partner in Liberia actually came 783 00:43:19,880 --> 00:43:21,120 Speaker 1: up with that name. That was the name that he 784 00:43:21,200 --> 00:43:25,040 Speaker 1: had and so he was our teacher. He was our 785 00:43:25,120 --> 00:43:28,040 Speaker 1: guide to tell us what we could, how we could 786 00:43:28,320 --> 00:43:29,920 Speaker 1: make a difference in Liberia. 787 00:43:29,960 --> 00:43:31,960 Speaker 2: So what was your goal with Teamwork Africa? 788 00:43:32,000 --> 00:43:35,080 Speaker 1: Originally When we started, we were hoping that we would 789 00:43:35,080 --> 00:43:38,000 Speaker 1: work through churches to meet the spiritual and physical needs 790 00:43:38,040 --> 00:43:41,319 Speaker 1: of communities and that we would just do whatever it 791 00:43:41,480 --> 00:43:44,840 Speaker 1: was that the community needed. So we started out doing everything. 792 00:43:44,960 --> 00:43:50,480 Speaker 1: We did clean water projects, agriculture projects, micro loans, child sponsorship, education, 793 00:43:51,560 --> 00:43:57,279 Speaker 1: you name it. We tried it and were not, well, 794 00:43:57,760 --> 00:43:59,319 Speaker 1: we've been doing this now for a long time. 795 00:44:00,360 --> 00:44:02,040 Speaker 2: But I mean at the beginning. 796 00:44:01,719 --> 00:44:06,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, it was so exciting in the beginning, like you 797 00:44:06,280 --> 00:44:08,279 Speaker 1: you know, it was great. You would go we'd do 798 00:44:08,360 --> 00:44:13,280 Speaker 1: these well dedications and people would be dancing and you know, laughing, 799 00:44:13,360 --> 00:44:15,880 Speaker 1: and it was it was amazing and it was great. 800 00:44:16,080 --> 00:44:18,480 Speaker 1: And then you know, six months later the wall would 801 00:44:18,480 --> 00:44:20,600 Speaker 1: break down and the guy who was trained to repair 802 00:44:20,640 --> 00:44:24,120 Speaker 1: it was gone. And so then we're like, well, this 803 00:44:24,280 --> 00:44:27,680 Speaker 1: wasn't a long term solution, Like you know, like it's 804 00:44:27,760 --> 00:44:30,239 Speaker 1: easy when you first start something and you really think 805 00:44:30,280 --> 00:44:32,040 Speaker 1: this is making a big difference, and then after you 806 00:44:32,040 --> 00:44:34,440 Speaker 1: do it for a decade and you look back and 807 00:44:34,560 --> 00:44:39,000 Speaker 1: you say, wow, this did not I didn't I was 808 00:44:39,040 --> 00:44:39,759 Speaker 1: hoping for more. 809 00:44:42,400 --> 00:44:46,440 Speaker 4: And that concludes part one of my conversation with Peggy Halperson, 810 00:44:46,520 --> 00:44:49,239 Speaker 4: and you don't want to miss part two. It's now 811 00:44:49,239 --> 00:44:50,880 Speaker 4: we'll be able to listen to together. 812 00:44:50,960 --> 00:44:51,280 Speaker 2: Guys. 813 00:44:51,880 --> 00:44:54,640 Speaker 4: We can change this country, but it starts with you. 814 00:44:55,320 --> 00:45:01,080 Speaker 4: I'll see in Part two.