by Chris Tiernan

We witness a miracle every time a child enters into life.  But those who make their journey home across time & miles, growing within the hearts of those who wait to love them, are carried on the wings of destiny and placed among us by God’s very own hands. – Kristi Larson

The above quote encompasses our adoption journey, which ended with two beautiful boys coming home to us from Korea.

Even before we were married 15 years ago, my wife Elizabeth and I had always planned to adopt.  We envisioned having a dynamic and loving family made up of both biological and adopted children.  But after several years of attempting to get pregnant, infertility issues prompted us to start our adoption journey earlier than expected.  However, since we already had a mindset to adopt, this decision was not a difficult one.

Eight years later, we have the family we could never have envisioned.

In 2010, we received an email from Holt notifying us that Korea was now accepting adoption applications for children with minor medical conditions.  We knew that Korea had stopped accepting applications for some time, so it was exciting to receive the email.  It was very important to us that we adopt from Korea, since we wanted a sibling from Korea for our first son Nathaniel (Nate) – who we adopted from Korea in 2006.

As our experience with Holt was extremely positive the first time, we contacted them without any hesitation.

We submitted our application in October of 2010 and, after furiously completing all the paperwork and home study requirements, we received our child assignment papers in March of 2011. It was so exciting to receive those first couple of pictures.  Noah was 8 months old at the time.

We fell in love with him at first sight, and named him as soon as we saw the picture.

At the same time, it was a little scary as well.  We knew going in that Korea was only releasing for international adoption children with at least some minor medical conditions.  In preparation, we filled out a medical conditions checklist stating which conditions we would be open to. But until that first referral email, we had no idea what kind of condition that would be.  Noah was born with an abnormal sonogram of the brain and, after some research, there was no definitive way to determine how – or if – it would affect him now or later in life.  However, Holt’s medical staff reassured us that the results from these scans were fairly common as they usually indicate some sort of trauma during childbirth that doesn’t normally manifest further.  Fortunately, all subsequent monthly scans came back normal and this alleviated some of our concerns.

We fell in love with him at first sight of his referral picture and could think of nothing else, except, “How soon can we go pick him up?!” What made the experience even more enjoyable was to see the joy on Nate’s face as he could finally see tangible evidence of his little brother.  He was so excited and immediately started talking about all the things he could do with him.

Awaiting approval for the travel call was quite intense.

For 6 months, we received constant updates regarding delays in Emigration Permit (EP) submission – the official documents permitting children to leave Korea with their adoptive families. All the while, we were very apprehensive that Korea would reach their quota and close travel until the following year.  It was 6 of the longest months of our lives.

Noah in the traditional outfit his foster mother gave him for "Tol," his first birthday.

As we waited for the travel call, one of the things that made the wait more bearable was involving Nate in virtually all the preparation.  Since Nate was also adopted, it was very important to us that he experience most aspects of the adoption process – as well as just the basic joy of getting ready for a new brother.  This included everything from having him help paint the new baby room, to talking to him about all the adoption updates and having him help setup a first birthday celebration for Noah – even though his baby brother was 5,000 miles away. My wife and I also read all the books that Holt suggested for toddler adoption.

Even though it seemed like a millennium, we received our travel call in October of 2011.  All three of us were so excited!  Even though we went to Korea to pick up Nate the first time, we were especially excited this time because we could take Nate back to his country of origin – and he also had the opportunity to meet his foster mother!

Holt International, and specifically Holt Korea, was incredibly supportive and efficient throughout the process.  This became even more evident when we arrived in Korea.  The day after arriving, we received a call from Holt Korea that Noah had been admitted to the hospital with pneumonia. At the time, we were not sure how severe his condition was or if we could even take him home.  But within a day, Holt Korea gave us an update and arranged for us to visit Noah in the hospital as he recovered.

DJ, Holt Korea’s incredible family representative, made all the arrangements so we could visit Noah.  However, she said it would be a few days before we could see him. The wait was excruciating.  There was no way to truly mentally prepare for what was to come.  Would we really be able to see him in the hospital?  How sick was he?  Would we be able to take him home?  The unknown was so difficult to deal with.  All we could do as a family was try to stay positive and pray for the best.

Three days later, we arrived at the Children’s Hospital in Seoul.  It was so nerve-wracking, but DJ escorted us the whole way, always reassuring us.  As soon we walked in the room, we saw Noah sitting in the middle of a hospital bed with an IV in his arm.  It was so surreal – heartbreaking and exciting all at the same time.

We felt so bad for him as he was obviously quite sick.  He lethargically clung to his foster mother as she tried to entertain him amongst the IV tubes and medical equipment.  However, the immediate love we felt was undeniable and, although we would have to wait a week, his full recovery was the most important thing.

It was also comforting to see he was being well taken care of.  His foster mother had been at his bedside the whole time, and the room was actually filled with a sense of serenity and even happiness.  There were about 6 other children in the same room, and they all had visitors of their own.  Even though nobody spoke English, everyone was very supportive.  They made us feel comfortable and enjoyed watching us interact with Noah.  It was quite difficult to leave Noah that day, but the whole experience was quite positive and enabled us to cope with the situation.  DJ continually reassured us with updates throughout the week, offering a chaperone anytime we wanted to visit Noah until he was fully recovered.

A week after we arrived in Korea, we were finally able to pick up Noah from the Holt facility.  “Gotcha Day” was an incredible experience.  We were able to spend quality time with Noah’s foster mother.  She was so gracious as she talked about Noah.  She told us everything we would ever want to know about him, such as his favorite foods, he favorite things to do, how to comfort him, etc.  She even gave us some of his favorite toys and a photo album documenting the first 15 months of his life.  We were overjoyed that we could finally take Noah home.  But it was obvious that Noah had formed a tremendous bond with his foster mother.  The difficulty of saying goodbye was heart-wrenching, as we could see how much Noah’s foster mother loved him.

Brothers Noah (left) and Nate Tiernan.

Once we were settled again at the hotel, we had a couple of days before our flight back to the U.S. These two days were filled with extreme highs and extreme lows.  Understandably, Noah was very upset when we first got back. For several hours, he would periodically look at the hotel door, crying for his foster mother. The only person who could comfort him was me. As he did not immediately take to his new mother, consoling him became quite difficult – not only for Noah, but also for my wife.  She wanted so bad to hold her new son and comfort him. She felt helpless.

However, there were times when Noah would relax and his natural jovial nature shined through. It was quite infectious as he played and interacted with all of us.  He especially liked to run around with Nate, and was absolutely fascinated with the hotel phone.  He actually slept with it in his arms that first night!

Given that Noah was 15 months old when he arrived home, the adjustment process has been quite challenging – at times, for the whole family.  For the first few months, Noah could only be comforted by me and he would have severe night terrors – waking up in the middle of the night, not knowing where he was and virtually inconsolable.  It was also quite an adjustment for our older son, Nate.  An instant brother was a little difficult to deal with at times, but Nate cherished the role of trying to be a big brother. Over the last six months, they have solidified their sibling bond.

Since coming home there have been many ups and downs in regards to Noah’s health.  Since his bout with pneumonia in Korea he has had three visits to the E.R. with similar symptoms.  Fortunately, his sicknesses have not manifested into full-blown pneumonia and, with proper care and medications, his health is relatively sound.

Six months later, with Holt’s support – and our family’s continuous showering of love over Noah – we are a family of four with an unbreakable bond.  In most accounts, Noah has fully assimilated into the family, especially in regards to his bond with his mother.  It took a few months, but Noah not only enjoys being around Mommy, he even seeks her out for comfort or companionship. He likes to make believe that she’s coming when it is outside fun time.  Noah also exhibits adoration as well as jealousy for his new big brother.  It’s amazing to see them play and bicker like any other brothers would and to see their relationship blossom in just 6 months.  Although the first few months were extremely challenging and the adjustment was difficult, the reward of seeing our two sons begin to form a lifelong bond is pure enjoyment.

Noah is flourishing with two loving parents and a big brother who adores him.

Korea is now accepting applications from prospective families! Click here to learn more about eligibility, timeframes and the children now coming home to families from Korea.

How to enter:

-        Qualified applications must be foreigners (to Korea); no age limit.

-        Make a video clip no longer than 3 minutes describing why you love Korea. (The video may be made with any device, such as a cellphone, digital camera, video camera, or digital device).  *English or Korean submissions are preferred.

-        Upload your video to YouTube or other legal video-sharing website

-        Email the completed application form to culturemofat@gmail.com or culturemofat@mofat.go.kr

Contest runs through March 1-May 20, 2012 (12 weeks)

* If the video is not filmed in English or Korean, please include a complete description written in English or Korean along with your application.

Individual winners will be announced on June 11, 2012.

“[Foster] children need and deserve safe, loving, and permanent families who can help restore their sense of well-being and give them hope for the future”  –President Barack Obama in a president proclamation from the White House (May 2nd, 2012)

May is National Foster Care Month.  In honor of this special month, we pay tribute to Holt’s loving foster families in Korea and China, India, Thailand and Vietnam who devotedly nurture and protect thousands of vulnerable children every day.  When children come into Holt’s care in these countries, it’s the foster families who wrap them up and comfort them, giving them love for possibly the first time in their lives.   They love and care for the children as if they were their own and provide for their every need until they go home to loving, permanent families.

Last year, two foster mothers from Korea visited Holt’s headquarters in Eugene, Oregon.  Read about their visit below.

Holt honors two foster mothers from Korea. Since 1995, Mrs. Choi has cared for 67 children. Mrs. Lee has cared for 312.

by Robin Munro, Senior Writer

Mrs. Choi with Noah on the eighth anniversary of the day he entered her care.

Mrs. Choi hasn’t seen Isaac in more than a decade. Back then, Isaac wore diapers, and went by the Korean name Dong-joon. Since then, Isaac has sprouted into a lanky 13-year-old boy who plays the trumpet and loves Star Wars memorabilia. He now lives in California with his parents and sisters.

Isaac may have been too young to remember Mrs. Choi, but Mrs. Choi sure remembers Isaac. As a Holt foster mother in Korea, Mrs. Choi, Yeong-sun cared for Isaac during the first five months of his life, before he joined his adoptive family in the U.S. and became Isaac Hughes.

Every year, Holt honors two foster mothers for their devoted service to children awaiting adoption in Korea. Holt Korea flies them from Korea to Holt’s headquarters in Eugene, Oregon, where we treat them like royalty for a few days. Every year, we also invite families of children they’ve cared for to a reception in Eugene. Isaac’s family couldn’t travel to Oregon for the event, but they wanted to do something special for Mrs. Choi. So they put together a picture collage of Isaac over the years, including a photo of Mrs. Choi holding Isaac as a baby. “I was hoping that would spark her memory of him,” says Isaac’s mom, Barbara.

They also recorded a video, in which Isaac takes Mrs. Choi on a virtual tour of his room. He shows her his Lego creations, his trophies, his Star Wars collection. She smiles, amused, as she watches the video during the Holt reception. As he begins to play the Korean National Anthem on his trumpet, Mrs. Choi sighs with joy. Although she can’t understand what he says, she understands this melody.

“Thank you for taking care of me when I was a baby,” he says at the end of the video, smiling broadly. It’s clear. Isaac has a good life and a loving family, and Mrs. Choi is so pleased to see that.

“This opportunity to see the kids I’ve cared for grow up so beautifully and strong brings me such joy. I’m so grateful to the parents who’ve love them so well,” says Mrs. Choi, in Korean, after both foster mothers are presented with awards for their service. Sitting beside Mrs. Choi is her fellow honoree, Mrs. Lee, Wol-seop, both of them wearing traditional hanboks.

Holt staff and visiting families applaud Mrs. Lee and Mrs. Choi.

Although Isaac’s family couldn’t make it, two families did travel to Eugene for the event – the Ellisons, from Springfield, OR, whose daughter Lindsay Mrs. Lee cared for as a baby; and the Gibsons, from Olympia, WA, whose son Noah was in Mrs. Choi’s care.

Today is a particularly serendipitous day for Mrs. Choi and Noah’s reunion. “We think that today is eight years to the day that he came into Mrs. Choi’s care,” says Noah’s mom, Christy, as Noah plays with a remote control truck – a gift from Mrs. Choi. Noah entered foster care the day after he was born. Yesterday was Noah’s eighth birthday.

Bill and Christy Gibson met Mrs. Choi once before, when they traveled to Korea to pick up their son a little less than eight years ago. “It was so heart-wrenching,” Christy says of the moment Mrs. Choi said goodbye to the little boy she had nurtured for the first five months of his life.

“To raise a child like that, knowing you’d have to give that child up, is something I don’t think I could do,” says Paul Kim, Holt’s director of programs for Korea. “Holt Korea loses the most foster moms after the first child. It’s too hard.”

Mrs. Choi confided to Paul that after saying goodbye to her first several foster children, she was ready to quit. But she couldn’t resist the opportunity to care for just one more.

One more turned into another one and then another. Since 1995, Mrs. Choi has cared for 67 children. Mrs. Lee, 312.

“The caring for these children is truly something that I love,” Mrs. Lee says after the award ceremony. “I’m thankful to all of you for honoring me in this way.” Lindsay Ellison, now 14, was one of the first children Mrs. Lee cared for as a foster mother. Her whole family remembers and ask about her, in particular Mrs. Lee’s two sons, who grew very fond of Lindsay during the months she spent in their home.

Lindsay Ellison, 14, with her former foster mom, Mrs. Lee.

Through translation, Mrs. Lee shares the things she remembers about Lindsay. She remembers that she smiled a lot, and that she sunburned easily in the summer. At home, she has photos of Lindsay with her sons and family. “I always hoped to meet her,” she says.

Mrs. Lee’s mention of her sons’ fondness for Lindsay underscores a point made earlier by Paul. The whole foster family raises the children, he says. It’s often just as hard for the foster family to say goodbye as it is for the foster mother.

The love and care these families provide is truly in a category unto itself.

Over 40 years ago, Holt played a major role in developing the Korean model of foster care – a model of attentive, nurturing care later adopted by many other countries. In the U.S., the term “foster care” has such a negative connotation that the Korean system deserves a different name, says Paul. In Korea, fostering a child is considered an honor. Some families have been caring for children for 35 years. Some also pass the torch to their children who, seeing how wonderful it is, choose to become foster parents themselves – becoming, in a sense, “second-generation” foster families.

For the children, the value of foster care is both immediate and long-term. Foster families provide a nurturing attention that children rarely find in orphanage settings. When placed into the warm, soft arms of a Mrs. Choi or Mrs. Lee, they immediately feel safe and comforted. When they cry, someone responds – and with a consistency they can rely on. In an orphanage full of crying infants, caregivers are often too overwhelmed to attend to every child’s needs. Study after study has proven, however, that such devoted care is essential to a child’s development. In that way, foster care serves a lasting purpose in the lives of children. It helps them achieve developmental milestones, and to form healthy attachments – easing the bonding process with their adoptive parents as well.

“There is no point in their lives that they haven’t been truly loved – from their birth mother to their foster family to their adoptive family,” says Paul.

Although Noah was too young to remember Mrs. Choi, his parents made a point of imparting the significance of her role in his life. “When I said, ‘your foster mom is going to be here, do you know who that is?’ he said, ‘yes, that’s the woman who took care of me,’ ” says Christy.

Seeing Noah, Lindsay and Isaac happy, healthy and strong is enough for Mrs. Choi and Mrs. Lee. They don’t need recognition to continue fostering children. But they deserve it.

And even though letting go of children never gets easier, the joy is worth the heartache.

“Caring for the children just brings such happiness and joy to me,” says Mrs. Choi. “That must be why I keep doing it.”

The Hong family throws a traditional Korean “Dol” party for Tyler's fourth birthday.

“There were times when I thought maybe it would never happen. But I had faith that the perfect child for our family was out there.” — Susan Hong, Holt adoptive mom

Last April, Holt adoptive parents Susan and Tony Hong shared their adoption story with the Orange County Register, a newspaper in Southern California. Their story is typical of many of the families Holt’s China team has matched with children in recent years. In 2007, they applied to adopt a daughter. But when they learned the wait for a healthy, infant girl had increased to upwards of 5 years, they changed their plans, opening their hearts to a child of either gender — as well as a minor, correctable special need.

Two days later, they were matched with Tyler, a little boy with clubfeet.

“Tyler was 3-years-old at the time, and older than what we had originally requested, but after seeing his picture and reading his profile, we felt like this was the child who was meant for us all along and we were very excited about meeting him,” Susan Hong told the Register reporter.

The Hongs are now in process to adopt their second child, this time from Korea.

Click here to read the full story in the Orange County Register.

Help advocate for more children with special needs and older children this November, during National Adoption Month!  Click here for ideas and resources.

by Robert Daze

My name is Robert Daze and I am an adopted Korean American. My heart was set on meeting my birth mother. The file had been opened and the first initial contact had been made. I signed up to volunteer at Holt Ilsan for the summer of 2011 in the hopes that I would be able to meet her while volunteering. The final puzzle pieces of my identity as an adopted Korean American would finally fall into place. Yet this meeting did not come to pass, for little did I know that something greater was in store.

Recounting my experience in Korea will never give it complete justice, for human words cannot fully express the experience I had at Ilsan. It is one of those things that must be done in action – love in action. My volunteer duties consisted of various “activities” to engage the residents in mutual bonding moments. Oftentimes I took the residents off the Holt premises and indulged their palettes with ice cream and Coke. Having my Bachelor’s degree in dance from Santa Clara University, I was asked to teach the residents a weekly dance class. I did everything I could to assimilate myself to their daily lives. Being a premedical student I was asked to escort some of the residents to the local hospital. Coming face to face with some of the more severe cases of cerebral palsy and mental retardation opened my eyes to my future as a doctor. But more importantly, the experience I gained in Korea transcended that of medicine. I began to see the residents beyond the scope of their disabilities. The recognition of each person’s humanity and human dignity was the end-all for me. The sense of humility that became ingrained in my experience was instrumental in shaping my identity as a Korean American – these were my people. My activities extended beyond the normal set schedule, as I could not part myself from the residents. The epiphany came when some of the younger male residents began to call me “older brother.”

The hardest day for me was the day I boarded the plane back to the United States. It is a day I will never forget. The brother I never had, Jin Gyu, wrote me a letter that stated, “Robert, my brother. Thank you. I love you. Come back soon. Park Jin Gyu.” Even in the simplest of sentences this message carried maturity far beyond his years. I left Ilsan crying, as one of my other brothers, Jeon Won, begged me not to leave. The relationships I had built at Ilsan were not a consequence of my volunteer commitment.

They were grounded in something deeper. I came to the realization that these people were not just residents at Holt – they were my family. A family who I was destined to meet. A family whose bonds will never be broken. A family who I will love forever. This trip was not about volunteering but rather a homecoming. Holt Ilsan was many things, but without a doubt, it was the greatest family reunion of all. I originally signed up for Holt to help others. Little did I know that this wish would not be fulfilled as I thought; for in coming to Korea, they were they ones that helped me. The experience I gained at Ilsan is far greater than one I could have ever expected. I may not have gotten what I wanted, but I got something I truly needed.

When I got back home to America, my friends would praise me for my heroic deed of volunteering in Korea. But in fact I was no hero. The true heroes are the men and women who work at Holt Ilsan. The works of charity and compassion exuded by the housemothers and staff are timeless examples of what it means to be selfless. They were the ones changing diapers, feeding the residents, cleaning up the messes – they are the ones fighting the good fight.

Even though every journey must come to an end, I rest assured that this was only a step towards something greater. A chapter of my life has been written, written by the ones I love. I came to Korea to find my mother, but instead I found my family. They have walked into my life and left their footprints on my heart. I am forever indebted to my family for helping me become the man I am today. I know I was meant to come to Ilsan. And I know that one day I shall return. Till we meet again.

I remember my first trip to Korea as an adult as if it were yesterday – sitting on a plane filled with Korean people, experiencing my first Korean meal as an adult (granted it was airplane food), pondering for a second what line to step into at immigration and, of course, the many experiences I had in Korea during my two-week visit.

My first journey to Korea was as a participant on a Holt heritage tour, for families and children of all ages. In 2009, I became Holt’s adult adoptee director – and began hosting a tour specifically for adult adoptees, age 21 or older. At the time, I did not realize how quickly people connect based on being an international adoptee. I’ve now hosted two Holt-Bethany Korea Adult Adoptee tours.  On both, I’ve witnessed the strong connections that develop between adoptees – strangers – visiting Korea for the first time.  Connecting to one’s culture and history is important, I’ve realized, but for many of us, not as important as the connection we feel with other adoptees. In a short time, family-like relationships develop, and when the tour is over, it is difficult to say goodbye. Our hearts ache not only to leave Korea, but for the people we’ve grown so close to and with whom we’ve shared some of the most personal experiences. We’ve laughed, cried, relied heavily on each other for support—and have even expressed frustration and anger.

When I look at photos from my first trip to Korea, I wonder what the other people on our trip are doing now. Some I keep in contact with and others have become memories through the photos. However, I feel a deep connection with everyone, even those I haven’t kept in touch with.

The connections we build on the tour last a lifetime.

A common theme runs through the posts on this year’s Holt-Bethany Korea Adult Adoptee Tour blog.   In one way or another, the participating adoptees all made connections – with Korea, with their past, and with each other.

Read excerpts from their posts below:

Coming Home

May 25, 2011

Post by Amy Patterson, adopted in 1971, Texas

Walking through the door to Holt Korea offices, I had no idea what to expect. Although Kourtni and Sandy had prepped us for a possible emotion-filled day, I couldn’t imagine it would be too emotional for me. After all, I already knew most if not everything that was in my file, and I wasn’t one of the adoptees who planned on meeting a foster mother today. How emotional could it be?

Amy in a traditional Korean hanbok.

We were led downstairs to a meeting room and Director Kim came to the front of the room. She began by welcoming us back to Korea, and in that moment my world turned upside down.  My life began here, maybe not in this building, but right here in this spot with Holt in Seoul, Korea. Tears threaten, in this moment I belong; I have come home completely unaware that I was away all these years.  I am all of a sudden whole, never knowing that I had a sense of loss buried deep inside my heart. Today my heart is healed, I’ve come home.

As a Korean adoptee living in America, it isn’t uncommon to get the age-old question, “Where are you from?” The folks who ask aren’t looking for the answer I’m about to give. And whether out of spite or a need to feel 100% American, I never give them the answer they want. I’ll make them squirm to figure out the ‘right’ question to ask… I don’t know what I want them to say, but it looks different from “Where are you from?” My shift today changed everything. The question “Where are you from?” is now absolutely the right question, and the answer, “I’m from Korea,” feels 100% right.

Through my eyes…

May 25, 2011

Post by Matt Anderson, adopted 1983, Michigan

Matt tying a wish into the ropes of a stone pile, a Korean Folk Village tradition.

Taking the long taxi ride to a place I haven’t been to in over 27 years was surprisingly calm.  I believed I knew what was in my file and there would be no new information.  Of course I was hoping that there was something more about my past that I could connect to my mother with, but if there wasn’t, that wouldn’t be the end of the world…

The social worker said she had some updates for me.  First it was about my foster mother, who was unable to meet with me, but really wishes she was able to…

Then the stunner came, they had an update about my mother.  Coming into this tour I did not want them to find her.  I had all sorts of emotions in my head and heart about looking for her, but in the end I decided I didn’t want to look for her at this time.  When I explained to the social worker I didn’t want to see my mother, she was shocked.  But since she knew, I asked her what the information was.  Unfortunately, my birth mother denied ever having a baby in 1983 (the year of my birth).  My heart sank.  As a matter of fact that was the last thing I wanted to hear.

The social worker then explained that once denying having a baby, there was no more she could do since the mother would not cooperate…

The rest of the day I was in a fog.  And to be honest, two days later I still am.  However, I’m really lucky that my roommate on the tour was here for me last night and listened to me, and when he explained his story I realized I was not alone.   I don’t know what I would have done had I just gone to bed without talking to him and I’ll forever be eternally grateful for him listening to me.  I also have to thank my parents who I called immediately the next morning and listened to me and cried with me.  I don’t know what I would do without the strength of my parents who have been supportive of me my entire life.

One night later speaking with more adoptees (and their husbands) was also great, because we all listened to each other and while we all are in similar situations, they still are different.  However no matter what those differences are, I knew they were there for me and would listen and be supportive.  I don’t think I would have been able to do this search on my own, without the support of the fellow adoptees (and of course their husbands)…

Tears, hugs, love and lots of kimchi!

May 26, 2011

Posted by Bethany Ankerson, adopted March 1988, Wyoming

Bethany with her foster mother.

The last few days here have been so full of emotions. Emotions that I hadn’t known were hidden deep within my heart. The group of people I am with, who I now call my friends, have been incredible. Together we have experienced so much in the last few days, together we have shed many tears, and together we have shared the joy of coming back to the land of our birthplace.

Tuesday we went to Holt’s office and those of us who were adopted through Holt reviewed our files with a social worker. In the beginning we watched a brief film about the history of Harry and Bertha Holt. Once it began and the speaker went on to talk about adoption and the hope children have for their future through adoption, this brought forth tears from me. I cried because I am a product of this hope, a living testimony because of my adoption. A very emotional time for most of us there…

And then my visit with my foster mother was so much different than I had ever expected. Upon seeing me, she was hysterical. Crying, hugging, smiling, and talking. Just her way of hugging me felt like I had known her forever. And instantly I felt a connection with this person who cared for me as an infant. One of the first questions I asked her was if she remembered me. To which she replied, “Yes, of course I do!” After awhile we left the office and ate lunch together with our group and the other adoptees who had brought their foster mothers along too. Looking back at our meeting was far more important than I realized. She told me that she had cared for one to three hundred babies through foster care and that I was the first baby to come back and visit her. Experiencing the joy of her seeing me, and seeing the happiness on her face was precious. I am so thankful meeting her was made possible.

Blessed Since Birth!

May 27, 2011

Posted by Sabrina Gatton, adopted in 1972, Ohio

Sabrina (right) in Korean cooking class.

Wow, it still seems so very surreal to be in the country of my birth.  I realize more and more how very blessed my life has been thanks to many people, but in the beginning, to Harry and Bertha Holt who began Holt adoptions in Korea in 1955.  It was emotional to see their gravesite.  During our time at Holt, I remembered a picture of Bertha Holt and myself many years ago and to see in person the work she started is wonderful.

I had always been told I was from Seoul, but during my birth search for this trip, I was given the name of another city:  Anyang.  I went there yesterday in hopes of finding out more.  We went to the county office and I thought that was the office from years ago, however, after speaking through a wonderful translator to a staff member, I found out more.  I asked him if he knew of anyone who may have been in the town in the early ‘70s.  Right away he called a man who had been here.  While we waited for the man to arrive, the staff member brought out a picture book of the town and showed me a picture of the county office back in the ‘70s, which is the office I was taken to by an unknown lady.  Seeing that picture brought tears for sure.  I had hopes of seeing things back then, but didn’t expect it so soon.  Once the man arrived to the county office I asked him if he knew about the dairy farm/church I had been found at and he said he did.  The farm/church are gone now, but he knew the location and we were off and running to see the area.  It is now a market.  We also saw the previous county office where my county office may have been located and it is now a nursing home, which made me laugh a little since I work in a nursing home.  What a wonderful day to finally be able to see where I came from.

Thank you Harry and Bertha Holt, Holt International and Bethany for putting this tour together. Memories to treasure for a lifetime for sure.

To read more blog entries from the Holt-Bethany Korea Adult Adoptee Tour, visit:

http://adultadopteetour.wordpress.com/2011-holt-bethany-adult-adoptee-tour-journey-to-korea/