MPAK

Mark Your Date...
MPAK 10th Annual Fundraising Gala is set for Saturday, October 26, 2024 at the Hilton Anaheim Hotel. The registration site will be ready soon.

Pastor Lee of the Baby Box is blessing the Brian Kidder family as they just completed and finalized the adoption of their new boy Elijah (2). Brian and his wife are in prayers as Ethan (12) and his new brother Elijah are enjoying their moments. Pastor Lee remarked that Elijah is a Baby Box child. My wife Jody and I were happy to be with the family for this special occasion.

The Kidders are one of the very few last rounds of families that have been blessed to adopt a child from Korea. Korea is essentially shutting down intercountry adoption, mainly due to the shortage of children, and the laws that will be enacted in July 2025 where all the adoption works will be done by the central government agency NCRC and the existing adoption agencies will probably get some contractual work. The Hague Convention still allows intercountry adoption, and there will be a few that will be adopted internationally in the future, perhaps only for the children with special needs.
I have always dreamed and advocated that someday the intercountry adoption in Korea would come to a close. But only if there are no more children to be sent abroad. I had hoped that this will happen when many u***d mothers would keep their babies, and the rest of the children are adopted domestically, and that there are no more children to be sent abroad.
Unfortunately, this is not the case. The children are still being given up by the u***d mothers, and domestic adoption is not picking up as fast as I had hoped. But the greater reality is that fewer and fewer babies are being born, and this trend is the same for u***d mothers. The birth rate is now 0.68 child per couple, one of the lowest in the world. So the government is very concerned with such low birth rate. I believe the geatest cause of this decline is due to the massive abortions taking place in Korea.
Even the number of children in orphanages are being dwindled across the nation, resulting in more and more orphanages being closed.
However, the overall direction of the child welfare system in Korea is moving towards the group home settings or fostercare system, even though the adoption is the best solution for providing a permanent home for a child.

On one evening close to Christmas of 1969, a couple sat down on a kitchen table and asked one another a question. "What gift can we give to God this coming Christmas?".
They prayerfully considered this question and decided to adopt another boy from Korea. They already had two daughthers and a son by birth, and adopted an Amerasian boy from Korea. They had four children, and they didn't need another child.
They looked over the latest issue of the newletter from Holt and saw many children that were waiting to be adopted. In that newsletter, a 13 years-old boy stood out and captured my father's attention. My father then pointed the boy to my mother, suggesting they adopt him. But when she looked at him, she was against the boy as she was concerned that the boy was too old and may bring trouble later. So she pointed to another boy of 9 years old. However, my father resisted and kept looking at my picture and said, "I think this is the boy." My mother then pointed another boy a little older, but my father insisted on my picture. This went on a couple of times, but my father did not relent and told her that he was convinced that the 13 years-old boy was his son.
She got worried, and went to see Jim, the Amerasian boy who grew up with me at the Holt Il-San Center, and asked him what he thought of the 13 years-old boy that Dad kept insisting on. Jim looked at my picture and said, "Get him!"
At that my mother gave up and the decision was made to adopt me. Interesting thing was that my mother usually got her ways in most of the decisions being discussed with my father. But that night, my father looked at my picture and knew in his heart that I belonged to him. And he had to be firm in his decision. I really believe that God spoke in his heart that night. By the time the adoption process was done, I came home as a 14 years-old boy. The rest is history.
Thank you Dad for choosing me, a boy who you never knew how I would turn out. But you chose me out of your faith and trust. For that I am always grateful.
Happy Fathers Day!

Sixty years ago today...a funeral for Harry Holt, who gave his life for us kids at the Holt Il-San Center. As a young boy I watched him being lowered into the ground. And his legacy of love lives in the hearts and minds of many that have been touched by his selfless devotion to children. Thank you, Grandpa Holt.

한국입양홍보회 (MPAK-Korea) 영상을 나누며 지난 25년동안 한국에 국내입양 활성화에 어떠한 영향을 주고 있는지를 보여주고 싶습니다. 모든영광을 하나님께 올려드립니다.
I share a video of MPAK-Korea on their efforts to promote domestic adoption in Korea, and the impact they had for 25 years. I give all the glory to God for making this happen. - In Korean Language.

My testimony is translated with English subtitles.
"The Third Best Decision" is the title of my testimony.

This testimony was delivered at the annual Daniel's Prayer event in Korea on November 10, 2023. I hope you will be blessed through my story.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yunTf6Rja8c&t=89s
Enlish subtitles Included.

[2023 다니엘기도회 10일차 말씀] 스티브 모리슨 장로 | 2023-11-10 #2023다니엘기도회강사 - 스티브 모리슨 장로 - 남가주 은혜한인교회 협동장로 - 한국입양홍보회 설립자 - 전) 미우주항공연구소 수석연구원제목 - 세 번째로 가장 좋은 결정 (The Third Best Decision)본문 - 시편 116:12-1412 내게 주신 모.....