In the following Q&A, Paul Kim, Holt’s director of Korea and Mongolia programs, reflects on the history and continued importance of this unique post-adoption service — and shares some of his favorite memories from the past 25 years of leading Holt’s annual heritage tour of Korea.

Q: How did the concept for adoptee heritage tours originate?

A: The idea emerged in the late 1960s and early 1970s when the first generation of Korean adoptees began reaching adolescence. At that time, adoptees were grappling with identity questions — who they were, where they came from, and what their heritage meant. Social work practices then focused on assimilation, encouraging adoptees to forget their birth culture and integrate quickly into American society. But as understanding of adoption evolved, it became clear that this approach was deeply flawed.

Q: It was in fact your father, Dr. David H. Kim, who pioneered the first heritage tour. Can you share more about what inspired him to create this unique service for adoptees? [Note: David Kim was the first employee Harry Holt hired in post-war Korea, and together they created the Holt Adoption Program. David also went on to become executive director of Holt International from 1980 to 1990.]

A: My father began receiving letters from adoptees asking about their origins and Korean history. Most people at that time, even after the Korean War, didn’t know much about Korea. He realized the best way of reintroducing them to their birth heritage is to organize travel back to Korea — to show their roots and give them an idea and an understanding of Korean life. In 1975, he organized the first “Motherland Tour” to Korea for a group of 18 adoptees, most of whom were biracial and part of the post-Korean War adoption wave.

Q: What was the impact of that first tour?

A: It was transformative. The adoptees really learned much more about Korea than anyone could ever provide them just by showing them pictures or reading out of books. … Back then, if you wanted to look something up about a country, you went and read an encyclopedia. There was no Internet, there was no Wikipedia. Even television was limited.

A lot of them also really had questions about identity. How do I fit in? And so the trip was a journey of exploration and discovery, but also one of self-understanding and growth and acceptance.

Q: How did the program evolve over time?

A: After the success of the first tour, Holt continued organizing annual heritage tours of Korea. In the 1980s, we began a second tour — the “family tour” — in addition to a tour for individual adoptees traveling by themselves. This was a tour that was designed to accommodate adoptive families whose children were not old enough to come on their own, but also for families that wanted to take this journey of exploration and discovery together.

Q: Did you ever join one of the heritage tours your father led?

A: Yes, I was part of the very first tour in 1975. I also joined subsequent tours during my teens and twenties.

Q: What are some of your memories from those early experiences?

A: Korea was vastly different back then. Today, it’s modern and technologically advanced, but in 1975, it was still deeply affected by poverty. I had an experience where we were out doing some shopping and a little boy, probably about 10-11 years old — about my same age — just appeared in front of me. His clothes were in tatters. He had no shoes. His face was all smudged with dirt. He just stood there standing in front of me with his hand out with palm up, asking for money, but he never said anything, just looked at me. … I think back on that and his face is still just burned into my memory. What I feel now is a deep sense of shame for not having done anything to help him.

The reason I I talk about this is that people need to understand Korea in 1975. This is a generation where a lot of adoptees were placed in the United States. Korea was so different then. There was so much poverty.

Q: You’ve made it your life’s mission to help orphaned and vulnerable children as Holt’s director of Korea and Mongolia programs. Did early experiences like that influence your decision to go into child welfare work?

A: It certainly is something that deeply affected me. However, growing up I never envisioned working for Holt or in child welfare. But it is funny how sometimes the universe has other plans for you.

Q: After your father retired from leading heritage tours, you took up the mantle. How many heritage tours of Korea have you led?

A: I’ve led every tour since 2000. That adds up to over 30 tours so far.

Q: How has the tour changed over the years — either intentionally or organically?

A: One of the biggest changes is the kind of information adoptees have access to. As Korean laws and recordkeeping have improved, more detailed histories have become available. Today, adoptees often have access to birth family information, hospital records and even the opportunity to meet birth relatives. This summer alone, several adoptees on the tour were able to connect with their birth families. And so the tour has really evolved from one of a tourist experience; it has moved away from being so focused on just learning about Korea to where it’s now more about learning about yourself.

Q: Has the structure of the tour changed as well?

A: Yes, we eventually decided to discontinue the “motherland tour,” and our tour is now more of a unified experience. It’s not just an adoptee-only tour and it’s not just a family-only tour. We have found that this mix of life stories, of ages, of experiences really enriches that journey for everyone.

Q: After 25 years of leading Korea Heritage Tours, what are some of your favorite memories?

A: One that I’ll never forget involved a young adoptee celebrating her 16th birthday during the tour. She had enough background information to visit her birth hospital. When she arrived, the staff asked if she’d like to meet the doctor who delivered her — and he was still working there, along with the two nurses who assisted.

They even took her to the delivery room, and she sat on the very bed where her mother had given birth to her. What made it even more incredible was that it happened on her actual birthday — 16 years to the day — and within an hour of her birth time. it was just amazing. It was the most serendipitous experience.

Q: Was she able to meet her birth mother?

A: No, she wasn’t. But even without that, the experience was transformative for her. It gave her a powerful connection to her beginnings.

Q: Are you present for birth family or foster family meetings during the tours?

A: Yes, I’ve actually translated and facilitated quite a number of meetings. It’s incredibly powerful. One of the things that I’m tasked to do during that process is to act as a bridge. I grew up in the U.S. but in a Korean-American family and I was born in Korea, so I have insights into both cultural perspectives. I help navigate the differences in expectations, emotions and communication between adoptees, birth families and adoptive families.

Q: What do adoptees gain by traveling on Holt’s Korea Heritage Tour instead of going on their own?

A: That’s a question we get a lot — and it’s one that’s been answered best by the adoptees who’ve taken our tour. Traveling overseas, especially to a country where you don’t speak the language and may be visiting for the first time, can be exhausting. You’re constantly navigating logistics: where to eat, how to get around, what to do if something goes wrong. On Holt’s tour, all of that is taken care of so adoptees can focus entirely on the experience.

On Holt’s heritage tour, you’re also traveling with people who understand the adoption story. Adoptees often face questions in daily life — about their families, their identity, their background. On this tour, there’s no need to explain yourself. It’s a safe space. And that is something that I cannot overstate. You’re surrounded by people who get it. That sense of belonging is incredibly powerful, especially during such a vulnerable and transformative journey.

Q: What kind of support does Holt provide during the tour?

A: Our staff and guides are with you every step of the way. If something comes up —whether it’s a logistical issue, a health concern, or an emotional moment — you have people you can count on. We’ve been doing this for a long time, and we know how to help adoptees get the most out of their time in Korea.

Q: Can’t adoptees just do a file review on their own?

A: They can, but the difference is in the ongoing support. If questions come up days later —about something in the file, or about processing the experience — who will be there to help? With Holt, our post-adoption services team is available before, during and after the tour. Whether it’s help packing, navigating medical needs or emotional support, we’re here for the entire journey.

Q: What’s the best age for an adoptee to join a heritage tour?

A: That’s one of the most frequently asked questions from adoptive families — and our answer is always: your child will tell you. We’ve had adoptees join the tour as young as 8 and as old as 70. Some are ready early, others much later. Even siblings adopted into the same family can feel differently — one may be eager to go, while the other has no interest.

Q: Should parents encourage their child to go, even if they’re unsure?

A: We always advise parents not to force it. Listen to your child. They’ll give you clues about whether it’s the right time. And it’s not uncommon for adoptees to return to Korea multiple times — once with their parents, and later with a partner or their own children.

Q: What else would you like to share about Holt’s heritage tours?

A: It is founded on the idea that when you place a child from a country overseas, you don’t erase that child’s background. It really is a disservice to the adoptees and their understanding of who they are. Since that time, many other organizations have begun their own tour opportunities, but it all sprang from that very first tour that Holt began in 1975, born out of the idea that we do have a commitment to the children we’ve placed through adoption. This is a lifelong relationship that we have with adoptees and adoptive families.

Travel with Holt on a Heritage Tour!

For adoptees ages 9 and older, Holt offers guided tours of China, Korea, Mongolia and Vietnam. Experience the culture and customs of your birth country and visit sites significant to your adoption story.

Learn About heritage Tours

The post Fifty Years of Holt’s Korea Heritage Tour appeared first on Holt International.

India

Bharatiya Samaj Seva Kendra (BSSK), Holt’s long-time partner in Pune, recently organized a successful tree planting drive, which allowed children and staff to plant a variety of saplings in and around BSSK centers. The initiative emphasized the importance of environmental responsibility and encouraged hands-on learning and teamwork. From digging in the soil to watering the young plants to watching them grow, every step of the process was filled with enthusiasm, care and a shared sense of purpose!

China

Children living at a Holt sponsor- and donor-supported HIV group home in Nanning recently attended a five-day summer camp. The children spent half the day playing in the fields and getting exercise and half the day taking part in events that built their social skills and enhanced their mental health. Twelve children from the local community were also invited to join in the camp activities. In addition, a Chinese adoptee from the U.S. volunteered at the group home for two months this past summer, engaging with and encouraging the children.

In China, HIV is not well understood, and carriers of the disease — even children — face intense stigma and prejudice. But since 2013, Holt sponsors and donors have supported several group homes for children with HIV in China. With your support, children living in these homes receive everything they need — from food and medical care to school tuition. For children who have lost their parents to the disease, the group homes offer a loving family environment, where they are surrounded by caregivers and other children.

Korea

This past June, a group of 60 travelers embarked on Holt’s two-week Korea Heritage Tour. Of the group, 26 were Korean adoptees, ranging in age from 15 to 63, and 34 were adoptive parents, family members and friends. The 2025 tour marked the 50^th anniversary of the Korea Heritage Tour, which began in 1975 when Holt pioneered the concept of heritage tours for international adoptees.

This year’s tour participants had the opportunity to travel to national and historic sites to learn about Korea’s rich cultural heritage and to visit Holt sponsor- and donor-supported programs like the Ilsan Center, a long-term care facility for children and adults with disabilities or special needs. Some Korean adoptees had the chance to meet their birth families and foster families, as well as visit their birth cities and birth hospitals, thanks to the support of Holt’s post-adoption team. The Korea Heritage Tour is open to all Korean adoptees and adoptive families, whether or not their placing agency was Holt.

Mongolia

For more than 25 years, Holt sponsors and donors have transformed the lives of orphaned and vulnerable children in Mongolia. Each year, your life-changing support reaches over 7,250 children and families in need — providing vital services such as education for children living in and near Mongolia’s largest garbage dump, help for women and children escaping domestic violence, therapeutic care for children with special needs, emergency food programs, and more.

This fall, we invite you to extend your support by joining us on Holt’s Mongolia Vision Trip, which will take place from October 18 through October 25. Trip participants will travel to northern Mongolia, where they will help build traditional Mongolian homes (gers) for families in need and visit herding families who have received livestock through Holt’s Gifts of Hope. They will also meet other families in Holt-supported programs throughout Mongolia and enjoy the culture and natural beauty of the country.

Please reach out to Jordan Love at jordanl@holtinternational.org with questions or interest in this trip or future travel. 

Philippines

In July, the Philippines were lashed by a series of storms that brought heavy rains, high winds and widespread flooding to many parts of the island nation. The impact was especially felt in the impoverished communities where children and families in Holt-supported programs live. Many families were forced to leave their homes and seek shelter in evacuation centers, and many children lost personal belongings and school supplies due to the flooding.

But with the support of Holt donors and sponsors, our partner in the Philippines was able to mobilize emergency care packages, including school supplies, hygiene kits and other essentials. These efforts helped affected children recover from the devastation and resume their education as soon as possible.

Thailand

Deadly clashes along the Thai-Cambodian border last July resulted in the evacuation of more than 100,000 children and families in five nearby provinces. In response to the crisis, Holt’s local partner, Holt Sahathai Foundation (HSF), worked with the Department of Children and Youth to help address potential issues affecting young people. With your support, HSF also donated 1,200 cans of infant formula to evacuation centers in the affected areas.

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The post Notes from the Field: August 2025 appeared first on Holt International.

On the way home from Korea, I watched a movie called August Rush. It is one I had seen many years ago but had always loved the themes. (Spoiler alert if you haven’t seen it.) A child of musicians ends up in a boys’ home. He is always waiting for his parents to come for him and believes he hears them in the sound of the music he hears everywhere. He is made fun of for this. At some point he runs away and becomes a street musician, earning money for a bad person. He somehow finds himself at Juilliard as a child prodigy but is brought back to the street life by the bad person. But at the end he follows the music he keeps hearing and is eventually reunited with his parents at a concert in the park.

I never really understood why this movie spoke to me so much. And then I went to Korea on the Holt Heritage Tour. As a Korean adoptee I had always grown up with something that felt like a hole in my heart. It was not something I could explain. But I just knew that I was always looking and chasing after something. And when I made it to Korea, I felt this hole start to close.

It was not because I found my birth parents. That did not happen. I’m not sure it ever will. Even though I registered my DNA at the police station in Seoul (arranged by Holt). What I did find was a community. Others who were searching and trying to fill a hole just like me.

As I wrote in my blog, I had a popcorn moment. The Chinese and Korean way of making popcorn involves heating up kernels in a small metal popcorn container until it’s hot enough. Then releasing the steam and allowing the corn to pop all at once into a bag. I felt like my questions and pent-up emotions exploded and popped while on this trip to Korea.

All of the fellow adoptees on the trip had searched for these answers. Some starting the search early in their lives, others like myself beginning this journey of discovery much later. However, even though I was not actively looking as a young person, I always wondered about my birth family and my country of birth. My adoptive parents were not bad people, but they were different from my birth parents, not educated in Korean culture or the challenges of adoption. And they definitely did not understand the difficulty of being a Korean child in America. I knew this. I was reminded constantly because I did not look like any of my family members. I did not have the same color hair or skin. Other children were cruel at times and made fun of me. And although I know now that much of that was a learned racial ignorance that came from their parents, it still hurt.

I knew I did not feel like I belonged where I was. Thus, this journey. I tried to fill my heart hole with friends, family members, marriage, work, my own children, books, hobbies, etc. And although all these things provided something temporary, there was always something missing.

After I had my girls, I realized I had something all “my own.” Children who looked a bit like me. Had features like mine. Skin like mine. Hair like mine. As I fell in love with these girls, I started wondering how my birth mother could have made the decision to abandon me. But I was busy and my children needed me, so I just paused these questions.

However, as the feelings of abandonment and loneliness kept coming up for me, I went through intensive therapy. I started reading books about Korean adoptees such as “The Seed From The East,” an autobiography of Bertha Holt who — together with her husband, Harry Holt — started the Holt adoption agency which I was adopted through, and “I Wish For You a Beautiful Life,” which was a compilation of letters from birth mothers to the children they had given up for adoption. And articles such as “The Surprising Facts Behind Korean Child Abandonment,” which was published in the Huffington Post in 2017, “The Value and Meaning of the Korean Family,” published by the Asia Society, and “Group Resists Korean Stigma for Unwed Mothers,” in the New York Times.

It was through some of this research I started hearing about how difficult it was for young unwed mothers in Korea. And even if they were married, if they were poor, if they had a girl, they might give her up in hopes of having a boy. Even to the point that the baby could be thrown away. I was told by my adoptive parents that if I had been in an orphanage at five, I could possibly have ended up on the streets, so I needed to be grateful that I was adopted.

I did find out on this trip that the “aging out at five” was not true. However, Korea was not ready to handle all the babies and young children that were abandoned since the Korean War. Thus began international adoptions. If Korea wouldn’t accept these children domestically, there were families in other countries wanting a child and willing to accept a foreign child.

Post adoption services are critical, but when an adoptive family does not understand or is not willing to recognize the need for this support system, it creates an angst that the child must live with. This angst caused the hole in my heart to continue to grow. In the book “The Body Keeps the Score,” Bessel van der Kolk talks about how post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) impacts the body both physically and emotionally. Abandonment, moving multiple times in my formative years, and learning different languages and cultures were all things that caused trauma for me. I know I have experienced what trauma does to the body firsthand. Including unhealthy attachments because I was always chasing after love.

So, at the recommendation of my counselor, I wrote my own origin story. One based on my research. I also got a tattoo that said beloved daughter. I got this as a reminder that I know in my heart my birth mother loved me. And there was also never a time when God had not loved me, even when I ignored Him and walked away. I was always loved.

With this, I realized that the next step of the journey was to go back to Korea. To see if there was anything that I would connect to. That opportunity came when I saw an email from Holt International in September of 2024 announcing their Holt Heritage Tour in 2025. With the sale of our home in Oregon and move to Texas, there was a lot going on, but my husband and I also realized that I wasn’t getting any younger and this might be the best opportunity for me to go. I put my deposit down and started blogging about my feelings leading up to this next step in my journey.

I did not immediately remember things when I got off the plane in Korea. I did not recognize certain sites. Nothing looked or smelled familiar or like home.

What I did find was a sense of belonging. I found some answers to questions that I didn’t even know I had. Answers that started to fill that hole in my heart. I found a connection with other adoptees who had similar experiences to mine. And as I talked with the other Korean adoptees on the trip, I found that hole getting smaller and smaller. These fellow adoptees who may have had different journeys, but all found ourselves in Korea at this exact moment.

The emotions I felt just walking up to the Holt Korean Agency in Seoul. Those emotions were leaking out everywhere and I didn’t even know why. But having the hands and arms of other adoptees come around me to hold me, letting me know they understood, and it was ok was like having a family. It was the heaviest of days.

Even though there was precious little in my file, just hearing a post-adoption social worker provide some explanations filled the hole up further. Learning the name Park Soo Yung (박수영) was very likely given to me by my birth mother. Realizing that the birth story I had written, was possibly very close to the truth and that my birth mother loved me so much that she made a sacrificial decision. A decision filled with hope and trust that I would have a much better life than she could provide all just continued to fill that hole in my heart.

The tour included visiting different temples and learning about the history and culture of Korea. This included lesson about the different dynasties as well as the Korean War from our awesome tour guide.

I went to the top of Seoul Tower with a group of 10 others. Most people that know me will not be surprised that I got us a little lost on the way back. Or like my dad used to say, we took the scenic detour. We even saw the love bugs that were in the news and NO, we did not love them. But we did see the love locks as well. There was even a couple in our party that put a lock on.

Going to the Holt Ilsan Center was also full of emotion. This was where I stayed from September of 1969 to April of 1970 when I came to the US. On the wall was a picture of Harry Holt, made up of hundreds or thousands of pictures of adoptees. I also got to see a picture of what the building I likely stayed in looked like at that time.

Jeju Island, which is like the Hawaii of Korea, is beautiful and very tropically hot. Not only was there a beach, but there was a climb to the top of Sunrise Peak as well as exploring a lava tube. The lava tube was 20-30 degrees cooler. But the hike made up for it. I was soaked by the time I got to the top. We were blessed to have sun the entire time we were on Jeju Island. Something that isn’t a guarantee this time of year.

Seeing the site of the orphanage in Busan where I spent the first 3 1/2 years of my life made me feel like I was back in Oregon. I blogged about seeing the reindeer outside of this orphanage. Putting my feet in the water in Busan and seeing the Jalgachi Market (lots of live fish) were all experiences I appreciated. Many did try the live squid. I may or may not have tried it. Busan is definitely a place I will come back to.

We got to visit another temple in Gyeongju and learn more about the history and culture of Korea as well as see some ancient tombs and artifacts.

Probably one of the most meaningful experiences happened at the Holt Morning Garden women’s shelter in Daejeon. We got to hear the amazing story of the work done at this facility as well as celebrate their 20th anniversary. This was also where I got to visually see my name painted in calligraphic Hangul on a fan. And because I had previously received the blessing of owning my name and then learning the meaning of my name, another part of the hole in my heart was filled.

It was a very sobering moment to visit the DMZ. To see what humans are capable of doing to each other.

Attending a baseball game was a very unique experience. They have cheerleaders and cheers and the fans know them all. It was like being at a concert for hours. Apparently they like their fried squid about as much as Americans like their hot dogs.

I also loved wandering around and seeing the sights and sounds of Seoul and taking it all in. Oddly enough, on the last day, I actually had another foreigner ask me for directions and I was able to help her. So it’s like I’m almost a native Korean.

And the food. If I ever had any doubt I would not like the food or might not have enough, it was clear on day one that would not be an issue. So much Korean BBQ, rice, kimchee and all the other banchan (side dishes) including a favorite Japchae. And it was all family style, just like I wondered about before coming on the trip.

However, the piece that is making me feel like I am returning home as a whole person are the precious friends I have made. Lifetime friends who have the common bond of being adoptees from Korea. Some have found their birth families, many have not. But we found each other. And even though they don’t replace my adoptive family or my birth family, they add to that family. And for that I am so grateful. Seeing all these lovely people in their hanboks at the final dinner was amazing.

So, I go back to August Rush. The sound of the New York Philharmonic orchestra. Where all the musical instruments and sections have a part and without each one, the music is missing something. This boy found his family. My life has been a symphony. One that God has orchestrated and one where every single part of the journey has brought me here and let me know that The Detour really was the road to this place where I have started to feel whole and healed.

Susie Bechtle-Mason | Lago Vista, Texas

Read Susie’s further reflections on her trip to Korea in her blog “One Korean Adoptee’s Heritage Journey“

Did you know our team provides support to all Holt adoptees?

Every adoptee has a unique and complex life experience. Our team strives to support all Holt adoptees, by providing help with birth search, citizenship and more.

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The post Coming Home: One Adoptee’s Journey to Korea appeared first on Holt International.

Growing up in an orphanage in Korea, Ji-an wanted desperately to live with her parents like other children.

“Because I could not live with my parents, I spent each day crying,” she shares.

Her days were sad and hard. But one day, her caregivers helped her find an outlet in sports.

“With the support of my orphanage, I was able to start playing sports and became passionate about soccer, eventually joining the A team. However, seeing the happy families of my teammates and the generous support of their parents made me feel incredibly small,” she says. “I spent five years working 12 hours a day in a factory, having given up on my dreams.”

That’s when Ji-an learned about Holt’s Run-Learn Challenge — and began to envision a new dream.

“Through the program, I received professional training, which allowed me to attain the qualifications to become a soccer coach and referee,” Ji-an says. “Recently, I was recognized for my contributions at a national soccer tournament and received a special award. Holt’s program encouraged me to overcome failures and meet challenges. I am now the master of my life, filling each day with purpose by working in areas where I am confident in skill.”

Over the past 70 years, an estimated two million children have grown up in orphanages in Korea, with more than 1,000 young adults aging out every year.  Even though many have living relatives, often single mothers, they are labeled “orphans” and face stigma and discrimination due to the strong value placed on bloodline in traditional Korean culture.

Over the past 70 years, an estimated two million children have grown up in orphanages in Korea, with more than 1,000 young adults aging out every year. Many aged-out orphans struggle to find jobs, and many face a lifetime of poverty.

Many aged-out orphans struggle to find jobs due to this stigma, and many face a lifetime of poverty. They are vulnerable to scammers and other predators as well as sex traffickers who prey on young adults without any family ties. Some aged-out orphans, out of desperation, end up turning to crime as a means of survival. But in most cases, they simply struggle to get by in a society that shames them at every turn. Even if they overcome the odds and earn a college degree, they will likely continue to face discrimination in the hiring process. In Korea, nearly all job applicants require a background check into their family history.  

Holt International has long been concerned about the welfare of children once they come of age and leave orphanage care. “In the 1960s, when Harry Holt was still alive, Holt began their first vocational training program for youth, understanding that something had to be done to prepare older kids for moving out on their own,” says Paul Kim, Holt’s Korea program director. “In many ways, Holt has been a pioneer not only in adoption, but also in terms of the welfare of children in institutional care.”

Since 2018, Holt donors have supported several programs that help young adults aging out of orphanage care to successfully transition to independent living in Korean society. Here is an overview of the Bluebird Program, the Dream Plus Program, the With You Community —  and the Run-Learn Challenge that empowered Ji-an to fill her days with purpose and become the master of her life.

Bluebird Program

Holt began its Bluebird Program in 2018 to help youth ages 15 to 18 prepare for the transition to independent living once they age out of orphanage care. According to Paul, there are two components to the program: career exploration and strengthening self-reliance. “Children who have spent their entire lives living in an orphanage have been provided with housing, food, clothing, medical care and everything else they need as part of their daily routine,” he says. So when they reach high school age, the Bluebird Program pairs them with mentors who help them define their life goals and take steps toward independence. “Children are asked questions like, ‘What is your future?  What do you want to do? Do you see yourself going to college? Do you see yourself working? What career interests you?’” Paul explains.

Participants in the Bluebird Program also receive support from two important donor-funded scholarships, for which they may apply. The Career Scholarship pays for after-school classes that prepare students for college and ensure their success once they are enrolled. The Self-Reliance Scholarship offers tools to help youth set up their own bank accounts, learn how to create a budget and manage their finances.

Bluebird Program participants are also coached by mentors who have formerly aged out of institutional care in activities and cultural experiences that help them develop self-reliance. Such activities may include visiting historic sites and museums, taking part in seasonal festivals and events, and traveling to other parts of Korea, such as Jeju Island. “Children living in orphanages don’t have the same experiences in terms of going out and experiencing life as those who have grown up in families,” says Paul. “They may not know as much about their country, their culture. But the mentors in the Holt-supported Bluebird Program help them set goals, take part in activities that build self-esteem and encourage them to move toward their dreams.”

Here’s what one participant had to say about the program:

“I was selected as a Bluebird student to pursue my dream of becoming a visual designer. This program was like an airport control tower to me. The control tower plays an important role in ensuring that the plane flies in the right direction throughout the entire process, from takeoff to landing. The program guided me on the right path toward my dreams and gave me the opportunity to fly anywhere. I was able to discover who I am and understand what I want. I started to dream and hope for the future.”

Dream Plus Program

Once children have aged out of orphanage care and are enrolled in college or a technical training school, they are supported by the Dream Plus Program, which began in 2022. Through this program, Holt sponsors and donors provide financial assistance for tuition, school materials, dormitory fees, living expenses, including food and clothing, and career building and self-improvement activities. “The program supports students not only in academic and career exploration, but it also helps them grow as well-rounded individuals,” says Paul.  

Here’s what one participant had to say about the program:

“When I applied to the Dream Plus program, I asked myself, ‘What do I want to do? What activities bring me joy?’ I questioned myself one by one. This is how I began to walk toward my career with Dream Plus. After just 10 months of learning, I became proficient in five design and video programs and currently hold 13 certifications. People around me admired my achievements and said I was living a godly, productive life. I became someone who accomplished many things on my own. Could I have achieved this before? Absolutely not! Think about this: An individual who thought he could not do or become anything now has people around him admiring him for what he has achieved.”

Run-Learn Challenge

Once students have earned a college degree or achieved technical training, the Run-Learn Challenge, established in 2021, is there to support them as they enter the workforce and begin their first jobs. Mentors help answer questions about a youth’s job, employer and situations they may encounter on a daily basis. Meanwhile, Holt sponsors and donors offer financial assistance toward continuing education classes, professional lectures and living expenses.

In addition, the program provides young people living on their own with the emotional support they need through individual counseling, health improvement activities and structured support groups, as well as the practical support required to pay bills and manage their money. “The goal of the Run-Learn Challenge is to help youth grow as individuals, successfully interact in a group work environment and become part of a larger community,” Paul explains.

With You Community

In 2023, Holt created the With You Community program to build social networks among youth who are living and working on their own outside of orphanage care. “Korea is a communal society — people do not live in a vacuum on their own,” says Paul. “In fact, in Korea it’s said that no one is as lonely as a person without a family, without a network, without a community. What this program does is help bring that community together, build that support network and create togetherness in a society where togetherness is everything.”

In Korea, bluebirds represent dreams. Thanks to the support of Holt sponsors and donors, young adults who have aged out of orphanage care now have the chance to experience new dreams every day.

One of the key components of the Holt-supported With You Community program is to provide group activities designed to eliminate isolation. Participants might go camping together, for example, or spend a holiday with one another, such as Lunar New Year or Chuseok, a mid-autumn harvest celebration. “Some of the individuals who have aged out of orphanage care have shared memories of being alone on Lunar New Year, in an apartment with the lights turned off because there was just no brightness in their day,” says Paul. “Sitting alone, hearing others celebrate, made them feel like life just had no meaning.” But being part of the With You Community gives aged-out orphans the sense that they’re not alone, and that there’s always someone they can turn to. Apart from group activities, the program provides emergency financial support as well as group and individual counseling, particularly in crisis situations.

Participants in the With You Community also create fundraising projects to give back to other youth who are preparing to leave their orphanages. Recently, a group of young people worked with a manufacturer to make personalized grips for cell phones, which are commonly used in Korea. They sold the decorative phone grips to the public, and with the funds they raised, they were able to provide kits containing first aid supplies and personal care items to other youth preparing to live independently. This experience allowed them the opportunity to give back to those aging out of orphanage care and transition to the role of a mentor, Paul explains.

Since 2018, these programs have impacted the lives of more than 2,000 youth in Korea, helping them to transition from a life of total dependence to one of independence and personal and professional growth. In Korea, bluebirds represent dreams, and thanks to the support of Holt sponsors and donors, young adults who have aged out of orphanage care now have the chance to experience new dreams every day.

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Hollee McGinnis was born as Lee Hwa Yeong in South Korea in the early 1970s. Her birth parents did not marry, but Hollee was raised for a time by her birth mother and paternal grandparents, who were seaweed fishermen on an island off the coast of Incheon. When Hollee was 2, her birth family could no longer care for her. So they placed her in the care of a warm and loving couple who ran an orphanage on Deokjeok Island, where she lived with 15 other children. As Hollee recalls, the orphanage was more like a foster home. 

In May 1975, at the age of 3 ½, Hollee came to the U.S. to live with her adoptive family — her parents and two older siblings who were biological to her adoptive parents. Growing up in the suburbs of New York City, Hollee had not considered a career related to adoption. But after she established the adult adoptee organization Also-Known-As in 1996, the trajectory of her life’s work began to change. For the past 30 years, Hollee has been a professor, scholar, writer, policy expert, community organizer and researcher whose work has centered on adoptive and racial/ethnic identity, adverse childhood experiences and complex trauma, cultural loss, and the life course of adoption and adoptee-led mutual aid groups.

Earlier this month, in honor of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, Hollee spoke with Holt about her early days in the U.S., her involvement in establishing Also-Known-As, her return to Korea as a researcher and scholar, her current passions and interests, and the legacy she hopes to leave behind. Here are some excerpts from the interview.

Hollee, thank you so much for speaking with us. We’re so grateful for all the work you’ve done for the adoption community over the years. So let’s start at the beginning of your life in the U.S. You arrived here at 3½ years of age, speaking no English and thrust into a completely new environment. What was that like for you?

Back in the 1970s, it was assumed that children were blank slates, that we were resilient and we would just handle things. There wasn’t an understanding of how traumatizing it was for a child to be separated from familiar people and places, and experience disrupted attachments. 

When I arrived in the U.S., I was deeply attached to the people who cared for me in South Korea. In fact, a few years after I left Korea, the director of my orphanage wrote a letter to my parents, describing the day that he and his wife brought me to the airport. I had been escorted to a point [at the airport] where they could no longer see me, but I broke loose and ran back to them. I grabbed onto the legs of the orphanage director’s wife and cried, “Eomma! Eomma!,” or “Mommy! Mommy!” Basically, I was fighting to not get on the plane.

In the first months of being in my new adoptive home, I often ran to the front door saying something in Korean that my mother didn’t understand. Later, she learned I was saying, “I want to go home.” I also wanted my older sister to sleep in the room with me the summer I arrived, which she did for a time. That’s because in Korea, young children do not sleep by themselves until they are much older.

I arrived in May, and by September, I was speaking English and able to go to nursery school. I was able to adjust, and my parents’ love did settle me down. But something inside me was broken.

So what happened next for you?

Growing up, I had to shut the door on my past as a coping mechanism and just start my new life. I identified as Hollee McGinnis, part of an Irish Catholic family. I knew I was adopted, but it only came up in conversation if someone pointed it out, or if I had to explain how I got into my family. There were always these little nibbles, though, these microaggressions. For example, my parents and two siblings and I would go to a restaurant, and a waiter would ask if we needed a table for four — not five, not realizing I was part of the family. 

In college, I realized people were expecting things of me because of my race that I could not deliver. They would speak to me in Chinese or Japanese, or praise me on my English. I thought I would major in Asian studies so I could learn about all the things people expected me to know because of my appearance. But then I thought, well, that’s just fulfilling a racial stereotype! So I changed my major to American studies, focusing mostly on 20^th century race relations. I hoped to better understand why people were interacting with me based on my race and not my lived experiences.

In college, I realized people were expecting things of me because of my race that I could not deliver. They would speak to me in Chinese or Japanese, or praise me on my English.

After college, I was working in New York City when I learned about a three-month leadership training program. As part of the program, we were asked to design something for our community. Since I had studied international adoption and its history as an undergrad, and since I was hearing news stories about Chinese adoptees coming to live in America, I thought this could be a compelling focus of the project. I thought it would have been helpful for me to have had mentors or seen other families like my own when I was growing up, so that was the impetus for this project — to find adult adoptees to mentor this upcoming generation of international transracial adoptees. And that’s how the organization Also-Known-As got started in 1996.

It’s amazing that Also-Known-As is still around today. How has the organization changed?

Once we got started, our mission grew because we realized we needed more than just a mentorship program. So we focused on three things: empowering adoptees to understand their own lived experiences, building bridges back to our countries of origin and to ourselves as a way of healing, and transforming conversations about race. As I began building a community of adoptees for Also-Known-As, I started to feel that adoption was much more at the forefront instead of just in the background of my life. That’s when my career focus started to shift.

(Editor’s note: To delve deeper into her work in the adoption community, Hollee returned to school to earn a master’s degree in social work from Columbia University, completed a clinical fellowship at the Child Study Center at Yale University and worked as the policy director at the Donaldson Adoption Institute, with an emphasis on program development, public policy and mental health care. Then in 2013, Hollee returned to Korea for 18 months to conduct research on children living in orphanages as part of her doctoral dissertation.)

What prompted you to return to South Korea to study children living in orphanages?

In 2000, Also-Known-As planned a trip to Korea for adopted adults and I went as one of the tour guides and mentors. We visited an orphanage, where all the children were 6 and under. It was the first time I’d been back to an orphanage since I was a baby. When I was getting my PhD, I wanted to research the mental health outcomes of adolescents in orphanages in Korea. One of my core questions was, Do children in orphanages experience birth parent loss in the same way that adopted children do?

David Brodzinsky [professor emeritus of clinical and developmental psychology at Rutgers University] was one of the first people to really study birth parent loss as a core trauma or a core stressor of adoption. He found that it correlated with higher anxiety and depression in adopted children. So I was curious if this would be true for the kids in the orphanage too. They ranged in age from 12 to about 18 or 19, and I was struck by the fact that 80% of the kids in my study had some contact with their birth parents. But regardless of contact, they still experienced birth parent loss, and in my data at least, it was found to correlate to higher trauma symptoms. One of the things that came up was that the children didn’t know why they were in the orphanage, why they had been abandoned. I think this is a core question for adopted people too. (You can read more about Hollee’s research in South Korea here.)

What did living in South Korea mean for you personally?

I always had a dream to go back to South Korea and live there for at least a year. So personally, this was very special because I went with my husband, who is also adopted from South Korea, and my oldest son, who was 6 at the time we arrived. It was a really profound, foundational experience that really solidified the subtleties of being in another culture. After that experience, I felt that I was truly bicultural — that year and a half put that deeply in my bones.

When we came back to the U.S., the experience seeded in me a desire to eat the food I ate in Korea because I really developed a palate for it. So that motivated me to cook more Korean food at home, including kimchi. And now I teach kimchi-making workshops from time to time, both in my home and on retreats!

That sounds so interesting. What do those classes involve?

For many years, I felt like an imposter, someone who was “performing” Korean culture when I tried to do things that were Korean. Inside me, I felt like I’m not a Korean Korean, like people who live in Korea are. When I approached culture only from my mind, I thought… ‘I didn’t grow up in Korea. I didn’t grow up with Korean parents. I didn’t eat Korean food every day.’ But when I realized that if I could let go of those thoughts, I could actually touch this authentic part of myself that says, ‘Of course, you’re Korean. What are you talking about?’

So in my classes, I use the power of making kimchi as a healing process for adoptees. We let go of the imposter syndrome, the thoughts that say, ‘How can I make someone else’s food?’ And we reclaim and re-indigenize ourselves to our ancestral wisdom through our bodies, hearts and souls.

That’s beautiful! What else have you been working on these days?

One of the things I’ve been interested in is how complex trauma and early adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in adoptees can correlate with physical health and mental health challenges and problems as we age. Most of the research on adoptees stops by the time we’re 20 or 30, so we’ve not looked at these long-term health aspects.

Currently, I’m leading a research study called Mapping the Life Course of Adoption Project, which examines the health, wellbeing and importance of adoptee connections in adulthood. In 2023, we surveyed 465 adoptees over the age of 18, who were adopted domestically, internationally or through foster care. The average age of the survey participant was 36, although we did have a few people in their 40s, 50s and even 60s. We’re analyzing the data now and finding that the average number of ACEs is higher in the adoptee survey participants than in the general population — and we’re assessing what impact that might have on our long-term physical and mental health.  

Through the Mapping the Life Course of Adoption Project, we want to leverage the power of research to benefit all adoptees, including those in their 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s.

Complex trauma can show up in in the body in many ways. For example, I have a group of eight close women friends, all adopted from Korea, who I’ve known since my 20s. Five out of the eight of us developed breast cancer in our 40s. Is this related to the fact that the rate of breast cancer is rising among Asian American women in general and at earlier ages? Or is this also somehow connected to our adverse childhood early experiences? We just don’t know because the research isn’t there. That’s part of what we hope to accomplish with this study and others in the future. We want to leverage the power of research to benefit all adoptees, including those in their 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s.

Hollee, you’ve done such important work in so many aspects of your life. Is there a particular motto you live by or legacy you’d like to leave behind?

I think for now I’m trying to live by my principles and my ideals, which are to be fully present to my children, my community, the people who matter to me. I think that’s what I would want to most be remembered for — that I lived a life that wasn’t just lip service, right? That I lived a life aligned with my values and wish for all people to believe in their own beauty and worth.

Finally, as we wrap up Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, can you share something about the importance of elevating AANHPI voices — and in particular, AANHPI adoptee voices?

Yes, of course. Adoptees who are of Asian ancestry are a minority within a minority. So it’s very important for us to elevate our experiences. It’s also important for us to connect to how we are immigrants as well, and a part of the Asian American experience. Even though some of our adoptive parents immigrated a long time ago, those legacies of how Asians came into the United States, and our histories as Asian Americans, impact our lived experiences because we walk in Asian bodies. While I also dream that we live in a world where a person is not judged by the color of their skin, the truth is the only way for us to get there is to see how our society has not operated this way. Only when we see how color and race have shaped how we treat each other and ourselves can we move to this dream for all of us.

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It was a night of celebration — filled with smiles, warm embraces and tears. Women in elegant hanbok were honored on stage for their years of service — some retiring after more than 30 years of caring for foster children.

The foster mothers event in Korea drew hundreds this past December. Although an annual event, this would be the final one.

After 60 years, the Holt foster care program is turning the page to its final chapter, as it transitions to the Korean government in July 2025.

One foster mother, receiving an award for 10 years of service, shared, “Together, we faced the joys and challenges of caring for adorable babies, endured the pain of farewells and grew stronger as a family. When I first brought a baby home, I was overwhelmed by fears and doubts, wondering if I could do it well. But the moment the baby gave me a radiant smile, all my worries melted away. As they [say of babies], their mom is their whole world. Every moment spent being the whole world to these children, whether for three months or over 30 months, has been a precious memory etched in my heart.”

As the evening honored the women who have poured their hearts into the children they cared for, it also marked a poignant moment to reflect on the rich, six-decade history of Holt’s foster care program in Korea.

The Origins of Foster Care in Korea

In the aftermath of the Korean War, Harry Holt dedicated his life to caring for children left orphaned or abandoned. Many of the children coming into care at the time were malnourished and suffering from severe deprivation. Even with the best medical care, food and care from nannies, many children continued to fade — as if they had lost the will to live.

Harry believed that children needed familial love — especially a mother’s love — to give them the encouragement, nurturing and strength to live. Each child needed to feel valued and know their life mattered to someone.

When a sick infant came into care, Harry sometimes carried the child under his shirt, against his chest, so they could feel his heartbeat.

Research supports this practice, showing that skin-to-skin contact between children and their caregivers significantly improves well-being, increases the chances of recovery from illness and aids in the development of healthy attachment and bonding.

After Harry’s sudden passing in 1964, the staff in Korea began to consider how to meet the needs of each child in their care, wanting each one to know they were loved.

Holt Foster Care: A Model Around the World

In 1965, Holt established the first wide-scale foster care program in Korea.

“It started as a response to seeing what the children needed and trying to figure out how best to be able to provide for that need,” Paul Kim, Holt’s program director of Korea and son of David Kim, says. “Except for those children with specific needs that could not be best met in foster care, nearly every child placed in Holt’s care [for adoption over the past 60 years] was in foster care prior to being placed with their permanent adoptive family.”

Holt pioneered foster care as a more nurturing alternative to institutional care, keeping its mission at the center: a world where every child has a loving, secure home. Holt foster families were trained to provide what children frequently miss out on when they grow up in institutional care: the one-on-one attention and nurturing care they need to reach critical developmental milestones — and ultimately, form healthy emotional attachments. Their ability to attach to caregivers also laid the foundation for children to bond with their adoptive families. Always meant to be temporary, Holt’s model of foster care paved the way for children to thrive in permanent, loving homes.

Holt’s foster care model has since been recognized by UNICEF as best practice for children in care and replicated throughout the world. “The foster care system in Korea became a model for deinstitutionalization for every other program that we’ve had,” Paul explains. “The foster care programs in India, Thailand, the Philippines, China, etc., can all find their roots in the Korean system.”

Fostering in Communities

But foster care didn’t take hold immediately in Korea.

Like many countries in the Far East, Korea has a communal culture where bloodlines were — and still are — deeply valued. The idea of taking in a child on a temporary basis was a new concept.

But as time went on, communities began to see how fostering children was something truly special.

“The easiest recruitment method was actually other families seeing the joy that these families were getting out of fostering these children,” Paul says.“We had many … clusters of foster families in certain neighborhoods and also multigenerational foster families.”

As word spread and communities saw families loving children as their own, fostering began to catch on.

Interested families were screened through Holt, and if accepted, underwent training and received visits from social workers. After placement, families returned to the Holt office several times a year for check-ins to monitor children’s health and development. Babies received monthly wellness checks, and with the support of sponsors and donors, Holt provided subsidies for clothing, food, formula and medical care.

“A lot of these families ended up spending so much of their own money for the care of these children, beyond any type of subsidy or support Holt provided,” Paul says. Wanting to ensure their needs were fully met, foster families welcomed each child with great love, giving generously of their time and resources to nurture and care for them.

Saying Goodbye and Starting Again

Foster parents and children bond deeply in Holt’s foster care program — so much so that at the start of the program, many foster families didn’t return to foster again. It was too painful to say goodbye to another child they had grown attached to.

Paul recounts a particularly striking memory of a foster mother saying goodbye to her foster child.

“The foster mom was just sobbing, holding her face with one hand. But she’s staring into the bus, puts her hand up against the window, trying to touch her child one last time and the bus slowly starts to move away,” Paul remembers. “She’s running alongside it with her hand on the window. And finally, as [I] look back, she just stops, turns around and just collapses to the ground with an empty baby carrier.”

“You just understand that, wow, this child was loved,” he continues. “And these are the families you want, because they’re the ones who, without reservation, give all their love and attach to the kids. These are the ones who say, ‘Oh, I’ll never do it again.’ But they come back and say, ‘Okay, I’m ready again.’”

The need for fostering continues, as every child deserves the love and care of a family. Whenever it is in the best interest of the child, we champion family strengthening and reunification efforts in Korea and in other countries. We are also committed to advocating for the thousands of children left in institutional care — without the love and care that every child needs to thrive. Fostering ensures that children are given the nurturing, one-on-one care they need, while waiting to be adopted domestically or reunited with birth family.

Remembering Each Face

Some of these incredible families fostered for years — some continuously for 35 years, fostering over 100 children.

But foster mothers remember each face.

“If you talk to these foster moms and you mention a child, she’ll say, ‘I remember her — when I used to bathe her, she would sing little songs,’” Paul says, smiling. “If an adoptive family comes back to Korea and they have an opportunity to meet [their child’s foster mom], she’ll tell them all about what they were like as a baby.”

Through the years, Holt has facilitated countless foster mother-adoptee reunions, often through heritage tours, whether in Korea or other countries.  Foster mothers have also traveled to the United States on occasion. Some escorted children to their adoptive families, before that practice ended in favor of families traveling to unite with their child in their birth country. Others traveled to attend annual Holt picnics. In these cases, some adoptive families flew across the U.S. to meet foster mothers — even if only to meet for a couple of hours.

“[For many adoptees], the longest, most meaningful relationship they’ve had prior to being adopted was the care that they received from their foster family,” Paul says. “When you convey back to an adoptee, ‘let me tell you something about your foster family,’ that cements in their heart that they were loved and cared for.”

Many Lives Touched

When a child lives with a foster family in Korea, a child truly experiences what it’s like to have an entire family caring for them. Each child’s foster family may include a mother, father, siblings, grandparents and other extended family.

“We talk about foster moms, but without the support of the entire family, [foster care] is not possible,” Paul says.

Often, when the bittersweet day arrives for a family to say goodbye to their foster child in Korea, Paul says it’s not uncommon for the whole family to be there — except the father.

“The foster dads would most often decline to come because they were ashamed to be crying in public — to say goodbye to that child that they loved so much,” Paul says.

This deep sense of love and devotion to caring for children is exactly what has made the foster care program in Korea so profound.

Hope for the Transition

In mid-July 2025, all intercountry adoption processes — domestic and intercountry adoption, child intake, foster care and post adoption services — will transition to the Korean government.

In anticipation of the upcoming changes, Paul says he hopes that Holt’s foster care model can continue to be a beacon of light for caring for children outside of institutions.

“I am wondering if a government can instill the same sense of devotion and compassion in the foster families as Holt has been able to do,” Paul says. “I’m hopeful that the level of care and understanding [of] the children’s needs will not significantly change.  And [I’m] understanding that this is an important, interim step. This should not be seen as an end in itself, but as simply a transition — an important one — for the children as we find a permanent family for them.”

Fortunately, for children who are already in process for adoption, the Korean government has said they will complete the entire process, keeping each child with the foster family they’ve already been with.

Paul hopes that the government will prioritize the needs of the children first, particularly for young children who may be reassigned to a different foster family after living with one family for most of their lives. He also hopes that even after the adoption has been completed that the government will continue to maintain open communication and contact with each child’s birth parents, in hopes that family reunification in the future can happen.

In light of the changes to come, Paul says it’s important to remember this: “These changes are coming about not as some sort of bureaucratic exercise, but because the Korean government truly believes that what they are doing is in the best interest of the children, and the change in system is meant to better ensure that children’s rights and interests are protected.”

While this cornerstone of Holt’s work in Korea is changing, what will remain is our commitment to children and families in need in Korea. Alongside Holt Korea, our in-country partner, Holt International is committed to assisting children and families at risk of separation, advocating and serving children with disabilities, uplifting single-parent families, empowering youth aging out of institutional care and so much more.

A Legacy of Love

Over the course of 60 years, thousands of foster families have joined in the mission of helping children thrive in the love and stability of a family.

Each December, Holt has honored foster mothers in Korea for each five years of service. Each one receives an award for five years of fostering and is recognized with a special ceremony when they retire.

“It’s just remarkable and always impacts me every time I witness it. It’s not just a job to them,” Paul says of the foster mothers honored at the event this past December. “The love and care that the foster moms have for the children they cared for has not changed in six decades. You can see that the love and devotion were just the same and just as strong.”

During the December 2024 event, a special ceremony was held to honor five foster mothers as they retired. In total, 25 women were recognized, with some celebrated for their five years of service and others for up to 30 years.

Dan Smith, Holt International President and CEO, took a moment to address the foster mothers at the event, sharing these words of gratitude: “I hope you understand how your love for children has impacted others. When I think about how many children foster mothers have cared for, and the number of times those children were able to share their love with others, that love has touched hundreds of thousands, or even millions of people on this earth … When you share love with a child, and that child shares love with others, we truly make the world a better place — more loving, more compassionate and caring. This is why we celebrate foster mothers today. Thank you for sharing your love with others … It’s the love that we share with others that makes the world a better place.”

As this chapter closes for Holt, we honor the thousands of foster families who have served with love — each moment a precious memory etched in the hearts of those who share in this 60-year legacy.

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On Friday, April 25, nearly 30 Holt staff, board members, adoptees and members of the Holt family gathered for a special event celebrating the book “His Eye is on the Sparrow” by David and Ani Pearman, published in July 2024.

Holt President and CEO Dan Smith opened the event by sharing how he discovered David and Ani’s book.

One day he walked into his office to find a thick, brown envelope on his desk with the name ‘D. Pearman’ scribbled across the front. Curious, he opened the package.

“Inside was a lovely book,” Dan said, smiling at David and Ani.

Cared for by Holt

As a child with polio, David stayed at Holt’s Ilsan Center in Korea — a nurturing care home founded by Harry and Bertha Holt in the mid-1960s for children with disabilities — until joining an adoptive family in 1971. It was at Ilsan that he met Molly Holt, Harry and Bertha’s daughter and a nurse who devoted her life to caring for children with special needs.

Molly could be called the Mother Teresa of Korea for what she had done for the Korean orphans. She devoted her life to caring and advocating for the unwanted children — orphaned or abandoned. She defended the most forgotten, those with developmental problems or physical needs like my handicap from polio. She loved us like her own children, but she knew if the organization could match us with loving families who would adopt us, we would thrive even better.

His Eye is on the Sparrow, pg. 62

In his book, David shares his powerful journey of resilience and faith in his search for identity as an adoptee. He reflects not only on Molly Holt’s lasting impact but also on another of Holt’s early founders, Dr. David Kim, whose kindness and guidance left a profound mark on his life.

Celebrating an Adoptee’s Story

It was a moving and memorable event — full of connection and a few tears as David read emotional excerpts from the book.

“These are tears of joy, really,” David said as he read Jeremiah 29:11, reflecting on his departure from Ilsan at the age of 10. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope.”

David read excerpts from the book, tracing his journey from life at Holt’s Ilsan Center to his arrival in the United States to join his adoptive family — a mix of joyful and heart-wrenching moments.

One afternoon when I was attending my watermelon garden, a significant event happened. I saw a tiny bird fall from a tree. It was a brown and beige bird like a sparrow. He cried out in pain, and I could see his wing was hurt badly. I could see he was trying to breathe in and out. Compassion for the helpless hurt bird overtook me. I reached down to pick up the sparrow … caring for the sparrow would later display important values in my life.

His Eye is on the Sparrow, pg. 56

Reception by the Holt Community

Robert Holt and Suzanne (Holt) Peterson, son and daughter of Harry and Bertha Holt, came to the event, along with Nancy Kim, wife of David Kim, who passed away in January 2018 at the age of 86.

“I enjoyed this — it was wonderful,” Suzanne said of the event.

The book was well received by many, including Nancy.

“I couldn’t stop reading,” Nancy said after David finished reading from his book. “I want to give [copies] to my children, grandchildren and some of my church members.”

Nancy was by David Kim’s side throughout his lifelong service to orphaned and vulnerable children. The first employee Harry Holt hired in Korea, David’s dedication to the Holt mission later led him to serve as Holt’s CEO and President for 10 years. Nancy shared about his efforts to help build Ilsan Center in Korea alongside Harry Holt, expressing how meaningful the book was to her — it brought her back to those early days.

“It was totally moving,” Nancy said, looking at David and Ani. “I admire you so much.”

Reflecting on His Journey

“His Eye is on the Sparrow” invites readers to explore themes of identity, belonging, adversity and disability and to consider the power of faith and forgiveness.

“There are many things which can apply to many people,” David said as he reflected on what he wants readers to take away from the book. “For me, God had a plan. The book ‘His Eye is on the Sparrow’ is so good in that the bird, like in the orphanage, is for a purpose. He cares for the fallen bird, as I cared for the fallen bird. God even more cares for us — whatever we’re going through … God has a purpose behind it. And if we trust Him and we open up our hearts to him and to other people around us, that will be a good thing.”

“I just believe that all these things happened for a purpose,” David continued. “It takes time to forgive, but if we just have that willingness to change, to be open to God and to people around us, we will know our purpose and identity.”

Readers can buy David’s book online from various retailers, including Kharis Publishing.

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Below, Jordan Love, a Korean adoptee and Holt staff member, shares about the party at the Ilsan Center for individuals with disabilities. The Korea Gift Team sang Christmas carols and delivered presents hand-selected for each resident based on what they specifically requested.

Concerned about children who wouldn’t be adopted, especially children with profound medical and developmental conditions, Harry and Bertha Holt personally funded and built the Ilsan Center in 1962. As Jordan notes, some of the residents have lived here for over 60 years. Others, like Jordan, stayed at Ilsan for a short time as children before they joined adoptive families. Some residents have even been able to leave the care home and lead mostly independent lives after receiving specialized therapies, vocational and skill-based trainings, and other support at Ilsan. Today, the Ilsan Center is a state-of-the-art facility that is world renowned for its care and support for individuals with disabilities.

As Jordan shares, “I feel so much gratitude and appreciation to be able to return to Holt Ilsan Center, somewhere that was vital to my life story. To be able to celebrate Christmas with the residents here (some of whom were here when I lived here) is a memory I will cherish for the rest of my life. I am blessed to be in a position to be able to advocate and show donors how transformative their caring hearts and generosity has on those in Holt care.”

The 2024 Korea Gift Team Christmas Party at Ilsan

While traveling in Korea, the gift team members also had the chance to visit the Goyang Community Center, a facility Holt donors support to empower and enrich the lives of individuals with disabilities through art and music. Below, Dan Smith, Holt’s president and CEO, shares about this amazing facility.

Visiting the Goyang Community Center in Korea

This year, the Korea Gift Team also had the chance to spend some time with the women and children living at the Morning Garden shelter.

One of six Holt donor-supported shelters for single mothers in Korea, Morning Garden provides everything from housing, food and healthcare to parenting courses, childcare and vocational training. The women receive counseling to help them cope with the stigma and discrimination that single mothers and their children face in Korean society. And they may stay at Morning Garden for as long as they need to become empowered and confident in their ability to independently raise their child.

Catch a glimpse of the Korea Gift Team’s Christmas celebration at Morning Garden below!

A Special Visit With the Women and Children at Morning Garden

Couldn’t join this year’s Korea Gift Team trip, but still want to help children and individuals with disabilities? Give a gift to the Molly Holt Fund!

Learn more about Holt’s work in Korea!

See how sponsors and donors create a brighter, more hopeful future for children and families in Korea!

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The post See Video From Korea Gift Team 2024 appeared first on Holt International.

Any reports of unethical or illegal adoption practices are alarming and can understandably lead some adoptees and their families to question the legitimacy of their adoptions. These reports highlight serious concerns, and we do not take these concerns lightly or dismiss the fact that mistakes were likely made — especially given the urgency to find families for the significant number of children who otherwise would have grown up in orphanages. While it’s important to clarify that Holt Children’s Services of Korea became a separate entity from Holt International in 1977, and Holt International was just one of many agencies and private parties facilitating adoptions from Korea throughout the 1980s, we stand committed to supporting all adoptees and families who are seeking answers and needing assistance.

While the anecdotal stories shared in the Frontline documentary are heartbreaking, they do not however tell the full story of international adoption from Korea and they omit important context surrounding the culture of shame and stigma toward unwed mothers by their families and communities that caused so many women to relinquish their children for adoption during that era — and still today. The news coverage also fails to acknowledge the reality for thousands of children in Korea of a childhood spent in an orphanage if they did not join a family through adoption. That was true then, and it’s true today.

At Holt International, our priority has always been to act in the best interests of the child. Our practices align with the ethical standards set forth by the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption. We first focus on helping children thrive within their birth families through family strengthening and reunification programs, which provide support and resources to families in need. When family preservation is not possible, we strive to unite children with a domestic adoptive family within the child’s birth country. Only when these options are no longer viable do we consider intercountry adoption, with a particular focus on children with special needs or medical conditions — who are often the children left behind in orphanages when younger, healthier children join families domestically in their birth countries.

While we still help children join families through a limited number of intercountry adoptions today, our focus has shifted toward family preservation. This includes providing programs that empower single mothers to parent their children, support individuals with disabilities, and provide resources for youth aging out of orphanages. These programs are designed to ensure children can remain in loving, stable environments whenever possible.

We also want to emphasize that significant reforms were made to Korean adoption laws after 1988, prompted by changes in Korean society and government. These reforms introduced stronger safeguards and accountability in adoption practices, which are now closely monitored to ensure transparency and ethical compliance.

We are taking the concerns of adoptees seriously. Our team is engaged in ongoing discussions about how we can offer more resources and support to adoptees who are seeking answers or assistance. We understand that this is a deeply personal and emotional journey for many, and we are committed to walking alongside them. We will be sharing more about these resources in the near future.

What remains unchanged is our belief that every child deserves a permanent, loving home. Under no circumstances would Holt International condone unethical or coercive activities in adoption. Our commitment to respecting the rights of birth parents, adoptees and adoptive families remains unwavering.

We are here to listen. If you have questions or concerns, we welcome the opportunity to engage with you directly. Please contact us at info@holtinternational.org.

Did you know our team provides support to all Holt adoptees?

Every adoptee has a unique and complex life experience. Our team strives to support all Holt adoptees, by providing help with birth search, citizenship and more.

adoptee support

The post Holt International Response to Recent Media About Korea Adoptions appeared first on Holt International.

Colombia

In Colombia, many families struggle to escape a generational cycle of neglect and abuse, and many have been separated by crisis and conflict. But at Holt, we believe that families can change with counseling, training and support and that every child should have the opportunity to grow up in the love and care of their parents.

In Colombia, Holt sponsors and donors support the reunification program at La Casa de la Madre y el Niño, one of our partner organizations. Recently, 30 families in the program received weekly in-home counseling and support sessions that were focused on attachment-based, trauma-informed practices. The sessions were aimed at helping families adopt unique strategies that will meet the needs of their children, and provided parents with tools to handle the challenges they face after reintegration, such as resolving conflicts, promoting children’s emotional well-being and fostering secure attachment, among others.

The La Casa program also helped families establish connections with government and private organizations that can address and support their educational, health and financial needs.

India

Now that the school year has kicked off in India, Vathsalya Charitable Trust (VCT), Holt’s longstanding partner in the city of Bangalore, has sent its education support teams out to network with local schools. Through its efforts, VCT hopes to enroll more students in educational sponsorship, which helps children living in poverty to attend school — many of them girls who would otherwise drop out to help support their families. VCT also conducted meetings with parents to discuss measures they can take to ensure a quality education for their children.  

Bangalore is a bustling city in southern India, with a population of more than 14 million people, many of them migrants who have traveled from rural areas in search of work. With the support of Holt sponsors and donors, VCT works with many migrant families living in the city’s slum communities, providing free daycare for children as well as other essential services for migrant workers and their families.  

Korea

This past July, a group of 47 travelers embarked on Holt’s two-week Korea Heritage Tour, led by Paul Kim, the director of Holt’s Korea program. Of the group, 23 were Korean adoptees, ranging in age from 15 to 70, and 24 were adoptive parents, family members and friends. Notably, nine tour participants were over the age of 60, including two adoptees. In recent years, the heritage tour has seen an increasing number of older participants, both adoptees and their respective family members. Many of these first-generation adoptees joined their families shortly after Holt pioneered the modern practice of international adoption in South Korea — 68 years ago! Since 1956, Holt has united more than 36,000 children with permanent, loving adoptive families in the U.S. 

This year’s tour participants had the opportunity to travel to national and historic sites to learn about Korea’s rich cultural heritage and to visit Holt sponsor- and donor-supported programs like the Ilsan Center, a long-term care facility for children and adults with disabilities or special needs.

Many Korean adoptees also had the chance to reconnect with their past through visits facilitated by Holt’s post-adoption team. For example, three adoptees were able to meet their birth families, five met with their foster families, seven visited their birth hospitals, and every adoptee who wished to do so was able to visit their birth city. The Korea Heritage Tour is open to all Korean adoptees and adoptive families, whether or not their placing agency was Holt.

Mongolia

Nearly a third of Mongolians live in poverty, and the nation has one of the highest rates of domestic violence in all of Asia. Roughly 47% of children and 1 in 3 women have experienced violence in the home. Holt sponsors and donors directly support three domestic violence shelters for mothers and children in the capital city of Ulaanbaatar, where they receive temporary housing and support until they can safely rebuild their lives.

Recently, Mongolia’s Ministry of Health and other government agencies issued a joint order to ensure that women and children living in such temporary shelters receive an adequate amount of food, and that their daily caloric needs are met.

In Mongolia, lack of food diversity and malnutrition are a major concern. The country’s high altitude, extreme temperature fluctuations, long winters and low precipitation severely limit the number of crops that can grow — causing much of the country’s food to be imported from neighboring countries. Many families struggle to afford the high cost of imported foods, limiting the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables in their diet.    

Philippines

This summer, a slow-moving typhoon combined with torrential monsoon rains caused widespread flooding and landslides in Metro Manila and throughout the Philippines, affecting more than 4.5 million people. Schools and government offices were closed, and many families in Holt’s programs were forced to evacuate their homes. In countries like the Philippines, where millions of people live in poverty, such natural disasters are particularly devastating.

Thankfully, our local partner, Kaisahang Buhay Foundation (KBF), was able to survey the areas where our families live and assess their needs after the flooding. In late July, Holt launched a fundraising campaign to help these families. Through the generosity of Holt donors, KBF was able to assemble 437 emergency relief packages, each containing rice, canned goods, crackers, chewable vitamin C, rubbing alcohol, a bath towel, woven mat and pillow. These items were carefully selected to keep children from going hungry, and to keep them healthy amidst the damp and unhygienic conditions in their post-flood homes and neighborhoods.

Uganda

The International Day of the African Child is celebrated each year to raise awareness about the rights and well-being of African children. This year’s theme was “Education for all children in Africa: The time is now.”

Holt Uganda participated in the event with children at all eight of its partner schools. Students received special snacks and used creative art and drama to share their views about children’s education. District authorities acknowledged Holt Uganda for its contributions toward the protection and development of vulnerable children and confirmed their commitment to collaborating with Holt to promote the right to education for all children.

Uganda has one of the youngest populations in the world, with a median age of 16.2 years. For this reason, the government has placed a special emphasis on quality education and play-based learning, viewing them as vital to the nation’s future and economic development. 

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The post Notes from the Field: September 2024 appeared first on Holt International.