Monday, March 19, 2012

Being a Voice for Voiceless Children

Folks,

If you are an adoptee, and if you have adopted children that can talk, or even make a sound, please make a short video and share it online.  Please share the blessings you have received through adoption.  Your voice is needed to change the hearts and minds of the Korean authorities and those against intercountry adoption to allow all the homeless children in Korea to have homes of their own, whether they be domestic or intercountry. 

Past several years there have been so many negative presses regarding intercountry adoption in Korea and we need to show that a few negative voices do not represent the great majority of adoptees that have done well.  Just as the children that have lived with their biological parents can have some misgivings regarding their biological families, adoptees are no exemptions. 

Please visit the Voice of Love website at:  http://voiceoflove.org/
In it you will find the instruction on how to upload a video.  You can take a short video using a digital camera or be more professional like some have chosen to do.  But it really doesn't matter how well the videos are done.  It's the message that is important.

We're up to 11 videos now, and this is far fewer than I had hoped. If you get the chance, it would be fantastic if you could make a short video of your child and share your experience.  The video deadline is March 30th, but I think the Voice of Love will accept late submissions. 

Here's the growing playlist of Voice of Love submissions at: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCD8A17AC1C843F9F.  We would love to include yours. 

It is all about being a voice for those children that don't.

15 comments:

  1. I'm hoping our EP gets approved & that we travel before the end of March. I would love to make one! Hoping that happens!

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  2. Really? Only 11 videos? That is EMBARASSING, especially considering how extremely vocal adoptice and potential adoptive parents are about what they feel the Korean government should do with adoptions. I am proud to say that my video is one of the 11 and was recorded MONTHS ago.

    It is my opinion that any parent who doesn't make a video has no right to complain about the wait, the way Korea processes adoptions, the quota, or anything else. This is your chance to make your voice heard - are you all going to sit there and wait for someone else to do it for you?

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    1. I think it is wonderful that people are doing videos, and I hope many more people who are comfortable contributing do so, especially adult adoptees. While I believe in this campaign, I don't think it is fair to say that someone who chooses not to make a video for this particular campaign should no longer have a voice regarding the issues surrounding international adoption in Korea.

      We truly love our children and believe that international adoption was in their best interest given their particular beginnings, we strongly support international adoption for children who are not able to remain in their family of origin and for whom families could not be found domestically, and we are greatly concerned with the length of time children are waiting in care prior to placement. Even given these things, we did not make a video. It was not because we did not care or couldn't be bothered. In the end, we are a very private family and our children are too young to have an opinion on our family's participation in this, and we were uncomfortable participating and sharing their story, their images and our names on the internet without their input and consent. We would gladly be involved in other ways and would be very willing to share our family's story in a less public way including in writing to the Ministry, to their agency in Korea, etc.

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    2. You raise a valid point--one that my husband is struggling with as well. Steve, is there a away for people to send these videos in without uploading them onto the internet for the world to see?

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    3. Thank you, but if you don't want to share your video, I don't think it is a good idea to submit it to anyone as it may get somehow distributed by mistake.

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    4. Steve, I was the poster who commented a couple of replies up (2:50 pm). Are there any other non-video options for sharing our stories? We aren't comfortable with the video option but would be happy to consider participating in another way such as sharing our written stories. My original reply was poorly worded a it relates to this, but we obviously wouldn't write directly to the Ministry; if there was another option that would be something that was within agency (Korean agency and placing agency) guidelines and was supported, we would definitely consider it.

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  3. I would love to make a video, but my little one is not home yet.

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  4. I am working on a video and hope to finish this week! I know our local adoption group was also working on making a group video as well.

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  5. If we are in process, EP submitted waiting for approval, can we talk about how much we love our little sweet girl from afar? I will totally make a video if you think an in-process family would help at all.

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    1. Yes, definitely.
      At first I thought this would only apply to those families that have already adopted, but there is no rule that you can't express yourself on behalf of the waiting child. Just think about it. You might one day show it to your child and show how much you have waited in love and how special the child is. It would be good to capture the video as a part of you adoption history.

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    2. Wonderful! I will start working on it today! We love her so much. Thanks Steve!

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    3. I have a video ready however we are in the process and signed a no contact policy form. I am terrified of making the Korean ministry angry and not being able to bring our little one home. I fear that many of us feel the same way.

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    4. Wendi, you should not worry. In fact the agencies will love you for it as you are appealing to the Korea government not just for your kid but for everyone. I suggest that you talk with your agency first.

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  6. I echo the previous comments. We are in process waiting for EP, and would be so happy to make a video and tell anyone and everyone how much we love our sweet boy. If it would help the process, or even if you would take it, we would do it in a heartbeat. Anything we can do - please let us know. Thanks!

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  7. Thanks for the reminder...made the video and sent it. Blessings to you Steve for your ongoing advocacy!

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