Sorry it has been so long since my last posting. We have been on the road with little time to spare and seldom access to a computer with internet connection. What follows was begun prior to our leaving for Sorak and Busan. I will make comment about those experiences and soon about our good byes to people and an experience very dear to us.
The last two days have been very special in my eyes. Yesterday we had opportunity to visit some sites which spoke of the history of South Korea. One of our guides explained that during the Japanese occupation of Korea, the Japanesse tried to wipe out all of Korea's past, literally trying to erase their history/past to fully make the Korean people become Japanesse. The Korean people were even forbidden to speak their native language, and were forced to learn and speak Japanesse. The Korean people have tried to re-establish some of the roots lost by building site likes the Korean folk village we visited on Tuesday. The Korean folk village displays homes and life as they existed some 300-500 years ago. They are trying to understand their roots...because they do become a foundation upon which they build their future.
Today, we visited the Holt adoption agency, we were introduced to the a number of staff, past and present, one being the person who was responsible for Rebekkah's placement with us. Another case worker met with us and reviewed Bekkah's file. From her we learned more information about her biological father and some further inight into her birth mothers life and circumstances. They were some of the missing puzzle pieces to Bekkah's life which brings a greater understanding of her roots and who she is as a person.
We don't always appreciate our roots nor the impact they have on our life.
I will jump forward a bit to our return to Seoul. On the way we left the high speed rail to visit the Holt office in Daejon. That is Bekkah's place of birth. We left the train on our own promised that an interpreter and Holt employee would meet us at the station. They did. After a great lunch with the Holt Adoption staff we meet the women who served as Bekkah's Foster mother. She is now nearly 80 years old and retired from the care of children. She had five children of her own, but she and her husband enjoyed the care of babies prior to international adaption. She and her husband cared for more than 100 children over the 20 years they served as foster parents. Her husband died 5 years ago. She was thrilled to see Rebekkah and commented many times how beautiful she is and the grandmotherly advice not to get a boyfriend too soon.
Our time with the foster mother was precious. A surprise came when the Holt staff was showing us around Daejon, the counselor who worked with Rebekkah's birth mother and who delievered Bekkah to her Foster mom requested to meet us. He no longer counsels,but supports Holt and stays in touch with Holt. He met us at a coffee shop where we talked and then He bought her a gift.
Roots...digging deeper and understanding more.
Just as an aside...we visisted a Catholic Middle School in Seoul and were treated to a concert and Tae Kwon Doe Demonstration. The Media was present from one of the major TV stations in town. Bekkah and one of the other 16 year olds were interviewed. Our group and the kids were on the morning news broadcast across Seoul.
More latter.... forgive any misstatements or spellings...this is being written late at night.
Pastor Dan
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