by Sally Dunbar, Holt Family Recruitment Specialist
Ilsan, Republic of South Korea—It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at Ilsan Center, known affectionately as Holt Ilsan Town! Today was the annual Christmas party at this residence center for homeless, disabled children and adults, some of them now in their late 50s and who have been here since Harry Holt first developed this site in the early 1960s. I couldn’t tell who was more excited: the 270 residents or the Holt International Korea Gift Team.
Molly Holt welcomed the Gift Team into her home, the last original structure that Harry Holt built at Ilsan with his own hands, and told us how much the residents have been looking forward to this day. It wasn’t long before our group was off, each donning a Santa hat, carrying bags and bags and bags of gifts, delivering them to every residence home at the center. The residents were so excited that some of them burst outside to greet the team before we arrived at their doorsteps. We shared a few Christmas carols and exchanged many hugs, but that was only the beginning of the festivities.
Once every home had received a bag of gifts, the residents, staff, volunteers and guests made their way to the gymnasium (home to Holt’s wheelchair basketball team and site of the annual Holt Cup Games) for the main Christmas party. Two members of the Gift Team (a mother and daughter) had the privilege of meeting their sponsored child, a 6-year-old boy, and walking hand-in-hand with him into the Christmas party. The happiness and excitement that was in the air instantly came over us as we walked into the gym. Residents young and old filled the room, beaming from ear to ear and talking excitedly in words I couldn’t understand with my ears, but understood perfectly well with my heart.
The party began with Molly Holt sharing the Christmas story, how Jesus Christ was born to save us from our sins and offer everlasting life with God in Heaven. Then, we were entertained with Christmas carols (the Gift Team even sang and danced a song for the residents), skits, and a “Holt Auction” Ilsan style in which the team bid on different gifts to be given to residents with particularly special needs. Among the “auctioned” gifts were a bicycle helmet, teddy bears, and one I’ll never forget—a Play-Doh set. The Play-Doh set went to a girl who is learning, through physical therapy, to be able to control her hands and fingers and make goods that she can eventually sell to produce an income of her own. The girl clutched the Play-Doh set tightly to her chest and did not put it down, not even once, the rest of the party.
As with all good things, the party came to an end. The team boarded the bus back to Seoul, and as we all boarded, I noticed something very familiar: sounds of joy and excitement filled the bus, just like what we’d heard inside the Holt Gymnasium. We had been blessed by our experience; we had been given the gift of happiness from the residents and staff at Ilsan.
Holt Children’s Services of Korea will soon begin a complete renovation project of Ilsan Town. The project will be long and laborious, but it is being undertaken to fulfill Harry Holt’s promise to residents that they will always have a home and family as long as they need it, where they know they are loved, wanted, and have every opportunity to reach their full potential.
Oh, Sally, you just made me cry again!! What a great, great day and a wonderful memory…
Reading this blog brought back memories when I was a child at Holt Il San Orphanage. When I was a child I remember u.s. army personnel stopping by to drop off some Christmas gift off to the orphanage. I remember sitting in the chapel and singing Christmas music. Please keep in mind I grew up as an infant until reaching the age of eight years old. I still fond memories of the orphanage. In 1991 when I was stationed in Korea I had the privilege to going back and visiting the orphanage. I met Molly Holt and she took me around the orphanage and let me spend the weekend at Guest House. I really enjoyed being there.
I was adopted from the Harry Holt Orphanage in 1961 and raised in the United States. My parents adopted my sister and myself and my aunt adopted three children from the Harry Holt program. I was not old enough to remember the orphanage or to learn the Korean language, but I am very grateful to the Holt’s for fighting for international adoption laws to allowed people in the US to adopt children from other countries. I am now 48 years old and know how lucky I was to be adopted and brought to the US.