South Korea Adoption Blog

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Two families received referrals this week, and four families were recently matched with waiting children!   The next families who are waiting for referrals are waiting since July 2008, making the wait for referral about 12 months.  Seven families have their final USCIS approval and are waiting their travel calls and five families have welcomed home their children in June.  Our God is GOOD!

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Holt Korea is hosting an auction in October 2009, to specifically help children with medical issues.  If you are interested in learning more, please view this letter from Holt Korea.  

Thank you in advance for helping the kids!

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Six families welcomed home their children in May and six more families received referrals this week! Also this first week of June, one family returned home and one family received their travel call!  The waiting time for a referral is about 12-16 months.  On our current list of approved families, only three families are waiting a year or more.  This is the way to kick-off summer!

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Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is celebrated in May to commemorate the contributions of people of Asian and Pacific Islander descent in the United States. This date was chosen because two important anniversaries occurred during this time: the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants in America on May 7, 1843 and the completion of the transcontinental railroad (by many Chinese laborers) on May 10, 1869.

Check out this website: http://asianpacificheritage.gov/

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South Korea celebrated the fourth annual adoption day on May 11.  Linked here is an article from the Korea Herald

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Thank you go Bethany's China Team for sharing this post...

This year, Mother's Day is Sunday, May 10th... HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL MOTHER'S AND ALL MOTHER'S-TO-BE!

..... although not officially on the calendar as a holiday, did you know the Saturday before Mother's Day is celebrated among the adoption community as "Birth-Mother's Day?"

A "BirthMother/First Mother" is the name given to a woman who conceives and biologically gives birth to a child who is relinquished or placed for adoption.

The adoption constellation involves many people (extended family, support, etc), but the triad consists of three points.  The three-points of the triad are: the child, the Adoptive Mother (or Adoptive Family) and the BirthMother (or BirthFamily), in no particular order.  Without one of these "points" the triad would not exist.  The relationship among the three sides is inter-related and inter-dependent.  All three sides of the triangle are of equal length.  All three should be celebrated equally!  Many Christians believe that as we are all God's adopted children, this adoption triad metaphor reflects the Trinity of our Father.

What are some ways that we as adoptive families can honor our child's BirthMother?  Internationally adopted children with little to no information about their BirthFamily oftentimes "fantasize" about where they come from and who their BirthFamily is.  In adoptive families that openly discuss the child's birth-country, BirthParents, and birth-culture, the children as adults report having a more positive self-esteem and self-worth.  Some parents encourage their children to write a letter to their BirthMom/BirthDad on these special days or even their own birthdays.  What is most important to remember is that each child has their own feelings about their BirthParents.  As Adoptive Parents, the best we can do is provide a safe and open place for discussion.

Different ways to "honor" or "celebrate" birthparents:
-Light a candle on special days.
-Say a prayer for them.
-Make a special page in the child's Lifebook to celebrate the BirthParent(s).
-Write a letter to your child's BirthParent(s) and put it aside to share with your child later.
-Write a letter/make a card jointly with your child for the BirthParent(s).
-Read age appropriate books together.
-Talk about what the BirthParents may look like.
-Celebrate unique talents that the child may have... and attribute them to the BirthParent(s).

Some adoptive families may not be comfortable talking about the child's BirthFamily or adoption.  Your child will perceive this level of being uncomfortable and may learn to be ashamed or fearful of the discussion.  In order to build a healthy relationship that is based on trust, it is important to be open with your child about their adoption.  If these discussions are open and supported from the beginning, your child will grow to learn that their adoption is celebrated, not hidden.  Your child will be proud to be adopted and will be able to honor their BirthParent's with Thanksgiving!

The book I Wish for You a Beautiful Life (Yeong & Yeong Book Company; ISBN 0-9638472-3-6) is a compilation of letters from Korean BirthMother's to their relinquished children.  Each letter is very unique and provides a glimpse of the different cultures and emotions that this choice has created, related to separation and detachment that a BirthMother may experience and/or express in writing.

As a Mother (whether through birth or adoption) of a child... whether your child is with you, with God, living in oveseas or yet to be born... Bethany Christian Services  wish you a warm and loving "Happy Mother's Day."  We also keep in prayer the BirthMother's that give Life to these precious children and love them enough to want for them, what they cannot provide.  These women too, should be celebrated, honored, and given Thanksgiving.  Their struggles and choices are immeasurable and we may never know them, but we do know them in our hearts.  We pray that they are safe, loved and at Peace.  

*In this Blog Post, we use the term "BirthMother" to refer to the woman who conceived and birthed the child whom was then adopted.  There are other terms such as: "First Mother" or "Biological Mother" or "Genetic Mother" to name a few.  The PC world of language and adoption is sensitive and we mean no offense to any particular term mentioned or not mentioned

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As submitted by one of our adoptive families...KOREAN CULTURE CAMP OF EASTERN MICHIGAN is celebrating its 2oth year.  We will be having our annual Korean Culture Camp in East Lansing, Michigan at St. Thomas Aquinas School, June 22-26^th, from 9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (except Friday).  We offer a variety of activities to teach Korean culture including, language, music, art, dance, drumming, Taekwondo, etc.  Most campers are children adopted from Korea, their siblings, and Korean-American children, but anyone with an interest in Korean culture is welcomed.  For more information, go to our website at www.koreanculturecamp.org

If you know of any Korean culture camps, activities, etc in your area, let us know!  You can add a comment to this posting...

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Holt Children's Services of Korea will be closed on Friday, May 1 and Tuesday, May 5.  May 1 is Labor Day and May 5 is Children's day, a day for children to be celebrated!

Three families received referrals this week, three more families were also matched with waiting children, and three families are in Korea picking up their children.    God is Good!

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Four families recently received referrals in the Korea program.  There are two families waiting for a referral since December 2007, which are the last families studied that year.  We're excited to see the progress, and soon move onto 2008 waiting families.  Also, one family welcomed home their child this week, and three more families are soon to travel.  We pray for safe travels for all involved!

Also to note, Bethany will be welcoming two foster mothers and one Holt staff  to our East Michigan & Chicago offices early next week.  Almost every year, Holt Children's Services of Korea rewards foster mothers with many years of outstanding service to the children with a trip to visit various agencies - giving them the opportunity to see the children that they cared for at the earliest part of their life!  What a blessing for the foster mothers and children and families .  

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A unique opportunity is coming again in 2010 for Adult Korean Adoptees in Seoul, Korea!  More than 1,000 Korean adoptees from around the globe will be in Seoul for the 2010 ADOPTEE GATHERING sponsored by the International Korean Adoptee Associations (IKAA).  Adoptees 19 years of age and older, spouses, significant others, and children are invited.  Watch for more details in the fall 2009 at www.ikaa.org.  

Bethany's 2009 Adoptee Motherland Tour to Korea has been rescheduled to coincide with the 2010 Adoptee Gathering in Seoul, Korea scheduled for the first week of August.  A short side-trip is being planned following the Gathering through Bethany - Holt Children's Services Korea and Holt Travel Service.  

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