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In 1998 Madame Lee, Hee Ho, then the First Lady of Korea invited me and several adoptive families from the US to the Blue House, the presidential palace. In 1999 when I founded MPAK in Korea, I had a dream that someday, a day would come when a certain First Lady, or a certain President would invite domestic Korean adoptive families to the Blue House. I had expected that event would happen some 10 or 20 years down the road, but most incredibly that dream came true only four years after the establishment of MPAK.
On December 17, 2003, approximately 200 members of MPAK family members attended the Blue House banquet from all parts of Korea at the invitation of the First Lady Kwon, Yang Sook. Also present at the Banquet was the minister Kim, Hwa Joong of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, MPAK-Korea president Han, Yun Hee, and a celebrity adoptive parent named Yoon, Suk Hwa.
Madame Kwon recognized all the adoptive families that day with these kind and encouraging words: “ There is no other word in all the world that gives as much strength as the word ’family’. If one has a family where encouragement, happiness and joys are shared in times of difficulties and loneliness, he is already ‘rich in his heart.’ Through adoption you have all become valuable family members to one another. It is bound by a ‘chord of love’ that is stronger than blood ties. No one can break this ‘beautiful relationship.’ Life brings many hardships and difficulties. But I have faith in all of you that you will look after one another with unending love, and that your family will live in abounding happiness. I believe all of you are changing the adoption culture in Korea for the better. It is my wish that your exemplary lives will inspire our nation’s domestic adoption program to flourish, and that many homeless children will live in happy and healthy homes with loving parents.
Adoption is love. When that love becomes deeper and greater, our society will become warmer and brighter. It is also my wish that through your lives, you will teach your children to light up the dark places in the world with hope, and to teach that love grows by sharing, and that you will encourage them to do the right things.”
Several adoptive families shared their adoption stories along with videos that brought tears to many who were deeply moved. Little children ran around the VIP Hall and Madame Kwon remarked, “The events hosted by the Blue Houses is usually solemn and rigid, but hearing the voices of children and the warmness of the families present makes me feel like a family.”
This event was the first of its kind ever held at the Blue House. The significance of this event is that MPAK’s impact on changing Korean adoption culture is being recognized by the Korean government at the highest level, but on the other hand it should be taken to mean that they expect us to work harder. We were all gratified by the invitation to the Blue House that day.
