tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8283674149915853764.post881268820507574529..comments2024-02-15T23:56:02.370-08:00Comments on MPAK Blog: Hung Up at the Family CourtSteve Morrisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08485811260567035056noreply@blogger.comBlogger67125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8283674149915853764.post-41803915355048253212013-04-22T14:03:40.661-07:002013-04-22T14:03:40.661-07:00Steve, I know it only Tuesday morning but have yo...Steve, I know it only Tuesday morning but have you heard anything on movement yet? Anyone hear anything that had court dates on April 5th and 10th?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8283674149915853764.post-56528281844651461882013-04-21T17:32:32.683-07:002013-04-21T17:32:32.683-07:00Happy Birthday to your sonHappy Birthday to your sonAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8283674149915853764.post-17678726037998849682013-04-21T16:52:29.259-07:002013-04-21T16:52:29.259-07:00Adoption is not manufacturing cars. The goals isn...Adoption is not manufacturing cars. The goals isn't efficiency. The goal isn't to produce as many cars as possible in the fastest time for the cheapest price. We are talking about the lives of children. The goal should be an adoption that meets the highest ethical standards. By definition this takes time. I applaud the judges for taking the time to learn about the complexities of the process and do things right. Is the wait for my child to come home excruciating - absolutely. Am I proud that one day I will be able to tell my child that the country of her birth did everything possible to make sure her adoption was ethical - absolutely.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8283674149915853764.post-91249087922362278622013-04-21T08:21:40.039-07:002013-04-21T08:21:40.039-07:00Steve, I find it incredibly sad that some adoptees...Steve, I find it incredibly sad that some adoptees have had a difficult time in their lives and that breaks my heart. However, I do wish that the vast majority of adoptees could express their opinions too. Most of them are just happily living their lives and not involved in the politics of adoption in Korea. I know because two of them are my cousins. They are both in their thirties and have children of their own. One is a pediatrician, the other is a lawyer. They are amazing women who love their families so much. They are two of the most well-adjusted, happy individuals I know. They were adopted from Korea in the 1970s as babies and grew up in New York in a very loving family. They returned to Korea a few years ago and met their birth families. It was a profound experience for them. One of my cousins (who has 3 biological children of her own) plans to adopt from Korea herself. I just wish the stories of these adult adoptees could be heard, too, in the midst of all this debate. They are out there, living their lives and being successful, happy adults. They are our friends, our family, our neighbors ....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8283674149915853764.post-56132884409419112862013-04-21T08:15:44.384-07:002013-04-21T08:15:44.384-07:00Thank you Steve for everything you do on behalf of...Thank you Steve for everything you do on behalf of the children in Korea who need families. We are the proud & grateful parents of a beautiful 4 year old son who was born in Korea. We were able to bring him home at 12 months old in 2010, and I remember at the time being frustrated about the wait time but I knew that we were so incredibly lucky that Korea was allowing us the amazing privilege of raising one of their children. What an honor! We have taken that honor very seriously. We love him more than words can express. He is the best thing that ever happened to us. We have been to Korea twice now and have fallen in love with our son's birth country - the people, the culture, the language, the food, everything! We cannot wait to return. In the meantime, we've learned some Korean language, we celebrate all the Korean holidays with our son, and we are proud to count many Korean Americans among our friends who are helping us educate our son on Korean culture. Next year, our son will attend Korean school on Saturdays and I hope he will join Tae Kwon Do classes, too.<br /><br />Now we wait for our daughter to come home from Korea. She is 9 months old, the most beautiful baby we've ever seen (aside from our son, of course!), and she is living with the most wonderful, loving foster family who is providing her with a stable & happy home while she waits to join her forever family. We have faith that she is growing up healthy and with lots and lots of love.<br /><br />The wait is incredibly hard, but like some of the commenters above I believe wholeheartedly that the Korean government and the judges at the family court have the best interests of the child in their hearts & minds, just like we adoptive parents do. Because of this, I know they are working diligently to process these adoption cases. The new adoption law implemented in Korea last year was a very well-intentioned law aimed at ensuring that everything in the adoption process is as ethical as possible. This is of paramount importance to all of us, and as adoptive parents we want to make sure we can tell our children this when they are older. These safeguards are necessary and important. We applaud Korea for passing this new law. We hope and pray the process speeds up so babies can start joining their forever families. That is what is best for the children. Our frustration in the delays are not important, but the children's well-being is and we pray that will be the driving force in the process going forward.<br /><br />I want to thank the Ministry and the court for their hard work so far. I also think the Korean adoption agencies have been an amazing force of good in advocating for the children and the birth mothers. I am in awe of the social workers there who dedicate themselves to giving these children a better life. Of course, the foster families will always have a special place in our hearts. They are truly doing God's work and their willingness to raise these babies and then hand them over to their forever families is a truly selfless act of sacrifice that we will never, ever forget and can never repay.<br /><br />For the record, I want the judges to know that we would love the opportunity to come to Korea to appear before them to tell them how much we will love our daughter and how we will provide for her for the rest of our lives. That we will honor her culture and her birth parents. That we will never stop loving her. That we will stay in Korea for as long as they need us to. That we will wait as long as is necessary to bring her home, and that would never, ever, ever give up hope or stop waiting. She is worth the wait - no matter how long it takes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8283674149915853764.post-45152681909793952932013-04-21T07:48:06.967-07:002013-04-21T07:48:06.967-07:00I would like to add, as an adoptive parent myself,...I would like to add, as an adoptive parent myself, that I am embarrassed by the tone & offensiveness in your comment about the judges. I hope that Korea knows that the majority of adoptive parents RESPECT the new law and believe that the judges are working diligently to process these cases. I think everyone in Korea wants what is best for the child and is trying to make sure the adoption process is as ethical as possible. That is what the adoptive parents want too. We are all on the same team here and I think making derogatory comments about the judges hurts everyone. Let's keep the welfare of the children waiting at the forefront of our minds & hearts. They are what truly matter here. And, as an adoptive parent, I know that I would wait for as long as it takes to bring my child home because we love her with all our hearts.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8283674149915853764.post-69544016479447145712013-04-21T07:39:52.513-07:002013-04-21T07:39:52.513-07:00I agree with the reply above. As an adoptive pare...I agree with the reply above. As an adoptive parent of a Korean child, I find it offensive that you would call Korea's new adoption law a joke. The delays have been frustrating for all of us and - most importantly - for the children who wait so long to join their forever families. But make no mistake - we adoptive parents respect & honor Korea's authority to amend their own laws and I believe that the Korean government's efforts in this area have been very well-intentioned.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8283674149915853764.post-53468336786724115742013-04-20T07:51:48.792-07:002013-04-20T07:51:48.792-07:00The new law is not a joke. The new law is an atte...The new law is not a joke. The new law is an attempt by a very well intentioned government to try and improve a very difficult and complicated situation. To call the law joke is disrespectful to the wonderful country of our children's birth.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8283674149915853764.post-70109314838794017012013-04-19T13:05:31.183-07:002013-04-19T13:05:31.183-07:00Happy Birthday to your son! Once he is with you, ...Happy Birthday to your son! Once he is with you, he will be with you forever.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8283674149915853764.post-28505117436102489232013-04-19T10:14:39.006-07:002013-04-19T10:14:39.006-07:00I too believe that good news is right around the c...I too believe that good news is right around the corner! Our son turns 1 yr. old tonight(Korean time) and when we blow out his candle- our wish will be simple- Let the Court be able to move forward as soon as possible while upholding the best interest of the child and integrity of the new law. God bless all the children and beautiful families waiting for these precious children. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8283674149915853764.post-75609496074912796722013-04-19T08:54:24.570-07:002013-04-19T08:54:24.570-07:00I am so happy to see all of these positive posts. ...I am so happy to see all of these positive posts. As I am waiting for my son to come home, I have been saddened by the negative comments on this page. I know they do not represent the majority of adoptive parents. Yes, we are frustated by the delays and simply sad that these children have to wait so long to come home to their families, but we also understand that we have no right to these children and support the Korean government in making changes to the law. We know that ultimately the government and courts have the best interest of the children in mind. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8283674149915853764.post-71102323164329147652013-04-19T07:08:34.030-07:002013-04-19T07:08:34.030-07:00What a great post. Thank you. My daughters and I...What a great post. Thank you. My daughters and I watch homecoming videos each Friday night. It's become sort of a fun routine for us. It's always exciting to find a new one that we haven't seen before. We talk about and wonder what that moment will feel like. It's neat to think that while we watch these videos, others across the country may be watching the same videos...hoping, praying, and yearning. <br /><br />It's hard to explain to people that this is something that you've been called to do. It's incredible to have this group and other groups of people who don't doubt this for a second. <br /><br />Good news is just around the corner... Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8283674149915853764.post-88302583952804908682013-04-19T06:24:55.982-07:002013-04-19T06:24:55.982-07:00In a world that is often upside down it seems, wha...In a world that is often upside down it seems, what a joy to see the hearts of the faithful pour out their unfailing love for children they already "call their own." Having named the children, sent gifts to them, bought clothes and prepared a room for them, and waited and watched for any word of them, they are God's chosen people. They understand "adoption." They get it. Often, other people do not get it in the same way. For some of them, this is the only way they can create a family, while for others, it is a way of enlarging a family that is so loving and caring that one, or two more children will add to the wonderful group that wants to welcome them home.<br /><br />These families yearn for the children who were first revealed as "waiting to be adopted." That yearning never ceases. Months pass as these people spend days watching homecoming videos of children who have already been adopted. They dream of the day that they will be the ones in the video bringing home their child.<br /><br />God's chosen people are a special group. They have a strength and a resilience that will stand for as long as they have to wait. Having watched this process for almost four years, and having read countless stories of people whose faith has sustained them, I believe that in this dark world, these people shine a desperately needed light. <br /> <br />These words of scripture say it best: "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."<br /><br />Blessings to all those who make the decisions, who care for the children, and who wait.<br /> <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8283674149915853764.post-72219716722019260862013-04-18T20:27:27.074-07:002013-04-18T20:27:27.074-07:00If the courts ARE reading the blogs, then I'd ...If the courts ARE reading the blogs, then I'd like to address them. <br /><br />Dear Your Honor, <br />We are a family hoping to adopt our daughter from Korea. We have been waiting almost two years to bring her home. We fell in love with her the moment we laid eyes on her. she was about 9 months old at the time. I don't know how to describe it, but we just knew she was our daughter. We are a Korean heritage family and it's funny, but a lot of people say our daughter looks like a mix between my wife and me. We were fortunate enough to visit her last year. We were hoping to bring her home early this year so we tried to time our visit so we wouldn't be as foreign to her. <br /><br />As you know, she's still not home. We wanted to take another trip to Korea to visit her this month, but with the uncertainty of the process, we thought it be best if we saved our vacation days and money in the event we are called to go to Korea for more than 5 days. <br /><br />I'm at a loss of words when it comes to how frustrated we are. We respect the Korean laws and will abide by them. We realize the adoption process is sensitve and must be dealt with the utmost care. However, I hope you take into consideration our plea to allow us to bring our children home soon. No one seems to know what goes on inside the court room walls. We are all just sitting and waiting for you make a move. We are not judges so we have no idea what it takes to do what you do. I do know, you have all earned your rights to be there to review our cases and make your final judgement. <br /><br />My plea is simple. Please, let us go to Korea so we can pick up our children soon. The foster care system is great. However, it's taking a toll on the foster families. Some have had life changes so the children have recently been moved to a different foster home. Please consider the impact this has on the kids. <br /><br />Thank you for taking the time to read this. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8283674149915853764.post-74645920565715609882013-04-18T19:46:22.533-07:002013-04-18T19:46:22.533-07:00Steve, thank you so much for your posts! Even if ...Steve, thank you so much for your posts! Even if it's news we may not want to hear, or "no new news", it is still incredibly helpful to get information. I think we are all just information hungry these days : ). We dream of the day we can meet and hold our son and are so grateful that you are continuing to advocate for the children. We are still awaiting word on BM re-relinquishment, and will support her decision if she does decide to parent, but we will not stop loving on our boy! My parents (his halmuni & harabuji), who live in Korea, also cannot wait to meet him! I think it's almost harder for them on some days because they are in such close proximity to him, but have yet to meet him ; ). We are in it for the long haul! Aja aja! Fighting!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8283674149915853764.post-67737043588286556342013-04-18T19:31:42.740-07:002013-04-18T19:31:42.740-07:00My husband and I are waiting for our precious son....My husband and I are waiting for our precious son. We struggle with the wait bc we love him so much already and are so eager to begin our lives with him. We chose the Korea program bc we were so happy to immerse ourselves in the culture and explore his beautiful country. We have been learning all about Korea while we wait, are trying to learn some of the Korean language, and have built friendships w/ other Korean adoptive families here so he will have friends to grow up with who have similar backgrounds. Our hearts break at the length of the wait and the unexpected changes to the law. But we also appreciate that one day we will be able to look our child in the eye and tell him this truly was the plan his birth mother made for him. We will wait as long as we need to for the Court to become familiar with the new law. We have the utmost respect for Korea, our son's loving foster family, and all the people. We are so thankful to Korea to allow us to adopt one of their wonderful children and call him our beloved son. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8283674149915853764.post-2192072399138047982013-04-18T19:14:11.618-07:002013-04-18T19:14:11.618-07:00My husband and I are waiting for a referral for a ...My husband and I are waiting for a referral for a child from the Korean adoption program. One of the reasons we chose the Korean program is that we found it comforting that our child will be loved by a foster family and cared for before he/she can join our family. We will raise our child knowing what a selfless decision their mother made and how their country was kind enough to let them be raised in a loving family instead of an orphanage with no family. Adoption is a true gift, a way for us to grow our family. Please help all the families waiting to be united understand the path that is to be taken to grow their family. We are willing to do whatever is needed. We understand adoption is about the children. We want to know what we can do to help the ministry make their decisions so the children can be united with their family and that Korea has faith in the people & process. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8283674149915853764.post-75573834548303957702013-04-18T19:12:34.443-07:002013-04-18T19:12:34.443-07:00Honored to be waiting for the chance to adopt a pr...Honored to be waiting for the chance to adopt a precious child. Willing to do whatever is needed. Grateful to the courts for their continued work on our child's case.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8283674149915853764.post-8909221589199365402013-04-18T19:05:08.144-07:002013-04-18T19:05:08.144-07:00We will wait, for as long as it takes, because a c...We will wait, for as long as it takes, because a child's forever is worth it. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8283674149915853764.post-58663199618061416952013-04-18T18:24:24.782-07:002013-04-18T18:24:24.782-07:00Thank you Steve for the encouraging news. We trul...Thank you Steve for the encouraging news. We truly appreciate the judges' hard work and diligence - I was adopted from Korea many years ago and we understand what an an honor and privilege it is to be able to participate in Korea's adoption program. We remain ever hopeful that we will be given permission to travel to Korea to bring our child home and become a family. We send our prayers, hope and thoughts to you, the judges, the agencies, the foster familes, and all waiting families.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8283674149915853764.post-22505953986545168212013-04-18T17:57:28.944-07:002013-04-18T17:57:28.944-07:00We are waiting for a son from Korea. It's har...We are waiting for a son from Korea. It's hard for us to imagine why things take so long, but then again, we know that the courts and ministry are just trying to make the new process right the first time. Change always comes with a learning curve. We will wait patiently and hopefully. We appreciate the courts allowing us the chance to adopt this precious boy!<br /><br />We can't wait to go to Korea and explore the culture. We are learning a lot about it now and are working with a Korean tutor. Our whole family is going to go to a Korean school at a local church.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8283674149915853764.post-25630402952110833322013-04-18T17:32:05.148-07:002013-04-18T17:32:05.148-07:00It is amazing how much I love a child that I have ...It is amazing how much I love a child that I have not met yet. The road might be bumpy and long but he is worth the wait. I will cherish and love him. I will honor his birthmother and his culture. I am learning about his country and cannot wait to see it. I'm learning Korean so that I will be able to speak to him in his native language. I know that the Korean courts and ministry are working hard to do what is best for the children. A child is a blessing and I will never take that for granted. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8283674149915853764.post-91982119517158525572013-04-18T17:18:10.858-07:002013-04-18T17:18:10.858-07:00Thank you, Steve, for your dedication to Korean ad...Thank you, Steve, for your dedication to Korean adoptions. We are also waiting to bring a son home. I won't lie, this wait is very hard. But this is not about me. And no one ever promised it would be easy. This is about these children. And I commend the courts and MOHW for making certain these adoptions are carried out lawfully and ethically. I do hope the time frame shortens, so that the transition is as easy as possible for these beautiful children, but in the meantime, we support the officials in Korea and trust that they'll make the right decisions. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8283674149915853764.post-44455495028633417422013-04-18T17:12:46.645-07:002013-04-18T17:12:46.645-07:00I appreciate the update! I know that the courts a...I appreciate the update! I know that the courts are giving careful consideration to make sure that they know the process. I pray things will speed up soon so children can be with their families. I am also thankful that as I see corruption in many other countries when it comes to the adoption process that we can be sure that Korea is doing everything in it's power to make sure that doesn't happen. Waiting is so hard on this end, but I know it's worth it. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8283674149915853764.post-62557621258719734942013-04-18T17:10:37.591-07:002013-04-18T17:10:37.591-07:00I won't lie, this wait is hard. We have one so...I won't lie, this wait is hard. We have one son who was adopted from Korea and are waiting on another son to join our family. We are so thankful that we were allowed to parent our beautiful son and are raising him to love and respect his mother country. He is so excited about becoming a big brother. We are grateful to everyone in Korea for allowing us to adopt another child, and know how hard everyone there is working to make sure these children are placed for adoption ethically. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com