Regarding Negative Comments by Adoptees on Voice of Love Campaign

Just wanted to post my own thoughts based on some critical comments made on the Voice of Love facebook (http://www.facebook.com/groups/320976787942626/). One need to look at the whole thing in a big picture. Adoptions can go wrong. So can children born and living with their biological parents can be unhappy or don't turn out so good. Does this mean that we should stop having children to avoid risk of bringing any mishap in their life? Definitely ...not.

Adoption has some risks, just as children have some risk of growing up under their biological families, or even under their unwed mothers.

Likewise it is the same when it comes to adoption. There are adoptions that don't turn out well. But that's true in normal non-adoptive families where relationships just don't work out. What is their reasons for not turning out so well. Therefore, can you really blame your misfortune in family relationships solely on adoption?

One can share their unfortunate experiences and express their opinion on intercountry adoption, but that should not be the reason to stop all intercountry adoption. Adoption may not have worked for them, but for there are so many more children that have been blessed through intercountry adoption. Intercountry adoption provides opportunity for homeless children at least chance for them to make something of themselves. This is very limited if they have to live in institutions in Korea had they not been adopted.

I wish to comment about unwed mothers situation in Korea on my next comment.

Steve

Voice of Love - A Partnership in Voice for Homeless Children

MPAK has partnered with Hope for Orphans and the Onnuri English Ministry in Korea to speak out for the voiceless homeless children who need homes.  I want all the adoptive families, adoptees, and friends to visit the Voice of Love website and please respond with your voice.

The Pastor Eddie Byun of Onnuri and Mr. Paul Pennington of Hope for Orphans are featured in this short video.  For all those waiting families, and for all those waiting children, we continue to be your voice.

Please pray that this will spread like a fire and will bring a new doors of opportunities for thousands of homeless children in Korea.
 

Listen to the Voice of Love

Another Request Sent to Expedite the EP Process

Just sent another request to the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) to process the EP while they are reviewing/revising the policies related to adoption in Korea, rather than wait till all the review/revision is worked out.  I asked them whether they couldn't do this simultaneously.

I mentioned that there are many families in the US that are on the edge for having waited so long and eagerly waiting for the arrival of their children.  And then there are those children that need to be united with their families.  I said that I am appealing on behalf of all the waiting parents and children.

Let's pray that all the issues will be quickly resolved at MOHW and the waiting children will be home soon.

Everyone Is Waiting for Exit Permits to Flow

Updated Blog

I have been getting many questions from a lot of readers wanting to know when the EP process for the year 2012 will begin as everyone is anxiously waiting for The Call. 

As the new year has dawned, the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) has not issued any new Exit Permits (EPs) yet.  This is typical in a new year as MOHW usually starts to flow the EP process by mid-January to late January.  So the agencies are all waiting for the go ahead signal from MOHW.

The MOHW is working out some guidelines that need some clarifications.  They are examining the issues of recent cases of forced deportations by the US on the adoptees that were legally adopted into the US, but somehow the parents overlooked to finalize the adoption process and to file for the US citizenship for them.  MOHW is wanting to prevent this from happening and they are reviewing the process of citizenship acquisition process.  Also, there is the issue of giving priority to Korean heritage families, where questions remain as to who would qualify and what process is needed.  This has not been clearly spelled out yet, thus not able to implement priority service to Korean heritage couples yet.  There is also the review due to the changes in the adoption law that requires the family court in Korea to handle both the domestic and the overseas adoptions.  So they need to figure out different responsibilities shared between the MOHW and the family court. 

MOHW has not yet assigned the quota numbers to the agencies yet.  In the past they let the process flow and let the agencies know what their quota would be later, but the agencies do not know what direction the MOHW will take. 

The bottom line is this.  I think the wait is going to be a little longer this year, but hopefully not too long a wait.  I did request MOHW if it isn't possible to start the EP process while all the changes are being made, but I think they are understaffed.

The adoption agencies in Korea and in the US - they are all waiting, just like many of you are.  So Everyone is Waiting for the EP process to flow again.  The agencies will be more than happy to hear from MOHW to start the EP process again.  Hopefully it won't be long.  I will post new information as they come my way.