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Experiencing Eastern's Heart and Soul

by Beth Stohr Brennan

We were never really anxious about the adoption process until the day we received the assignment of our son, Charlie D. Brennan. The picture, video and information from Dillon International gave a face and personality to our baby. We began to say things like "When can we get him? And "We have go to get him soon so we can bond with him." We worried, not so much about whether his physical needs were being met (the picture showed he was VERY well fed), but whether he was being emotionally stimulated and loved.

Beth with CharlieThen the call came in January 2000 and we went Seoul to bring our son home. It was then that we realized what a wonderful, caring process Eastern Social Welfare Society has developed for these babies because the children are VERY well cared for.

Eastern was founded by, and still headed by, Dr. Kim, Duk Whang, Ph.D. When we met Dr. Kim, we immediately sensed a peace and kindness that extended beyond his eighty some-odd years. He is so gentle that it is hard to believe he was a government official who "retired" into the adoption business. He spoke mostly of the children and placing them in good families. He prays for them daily and is the "soul" of Eastern. Perhaps bringing adoptive families together comforts him, as he has endured forced separation from many relatives in North Korea.

Dr. Kim, Do Young M.D., Ph.D., is the elder Dr. Kim's son and Executive Director of Eastern. He runs the day-to-day operation. While more business-like and crisp in his approach than his soft-spoken father, under his day-to-day operation of Eastern, the medical care for the babies is extensive and the facility is spotless. He, too, is very proud of the 30,000 children's files that Eastern has. With sentiment like this at the top, this warm and caring philosophy cannot help but extend to the staff at Eastern. Every staff person we dealt with went out of their way for us. Our social worker knew so much about our baby and helped us get additional information. The day we arrived at Eastern, we were invited to attend a ceremony to mark the completion of a new wing of the building (more sleeping rooms for adoptive parents as well as Korean adoptees on birthland tours). Every member of the staff participated in the ceremony. Both Dr. Kims led us in prayers of thanks to God and extended congratulations to various staff members who had shouldered responsibility for the construction.

Brennans with foster mother And then there are the foster families. The day we visited Eastern there were 20 or so foster mothers lined up in the hallway waiting for the babies to have their regular medical check-ups. Many of them knew each other. The din of the chatter was high as they helped each other adjust the babies in and out of the baby carriers. It tugged at my heart to see them play with the babies knowing (and hoping) that the babies would be leaving them soon for permanent homes.

We were fortunate enough to meet our son's foster mother, Mrs. Kim, and visit her apartment. She had always seemed so serious in the pictures with our son that we had received from Dillon. Seeing her so playful with the baby was nice and it was evident from his responses that he was used to it. We also noted from the family photos hanging on her wall that she never smiled in them either. Mrs. Kim has been a foster mother with Eastern for 15 years and shared with us two big boxes in which she keeps mementos and photos of the over 70 babies she has cared for. She seemed delighted and proud that the adoptive families thought to send her photos.

As we were leaving for the airport on our final day, the elder Dr. Kim came into the waiting area to say a travel prayer (in Korean). As he began his prayer, the foster mothers began to cry and one sobbed audibly. The social workers and foster mothers followed us to the waiting van and pressed their faces to the windows for one last look at the babies before we departed for the airport. It was surreal. Part of me felt guilty at taking this precious child away. But then I looked down at the little boy in my arms and focused on only one thing --- getting him home.

This article appeared in the Summer 2000 issue of CHILDLINK, Dillon International's quarterly newsletter for adoptive families and friends.




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