coming to america

it's my turn to share a little more about myself. so i had my mom email me some details about when i was adopted. i always get the details a little fuzzy. here is what she has shared with me (for the 40th time - thanks mom!)


i was born in kunsan, south korea on or close to july 3, 1972. kunsan is on the west coast of korea. i was abandoned and left on the steps of the police station when i was a day or two old. they know this because i still had my umbilical cord. who knew the police would play such a large role in my life 25 years later. i live at the il mag won babies home for orphans up to 5 years old.

on december 10, 1972, my mom, kathryn, and adopted father, skyler visited the orphange to choose a baby. skyler was stationed in the air force stationed at kunsan. they had wanted to adopted another baby but it had died. my mom says, i cried unless skyler held me so that is how i was chosen. good thing i wasn't a quiet baby. they went to the market that night and bought me newborn baby clothes which were too big for me. i was 5 months old at the time. the next day, they took me home. my name had been myung a park. park is supposed to be as common of a last name as jones is in america. my mom had heard the name treasure and settle on it. growing up i had not really enjoyed my name, but i love it now.

on february 14, 1973, they adopted another little girl, my sister, gina. she is a year older than me. A month later, skyer had to go back to the united states but we girls could not go because our adoption papers were not finished. So my mother stayed in korea with us and we all lived in orphanage with the park family that ran it.

a little while later, i think my mother got sick and had to return to the united states. i'm thinking this is when i got this boy haircut. in the fall of 1973, they came back to korea. skyler had gotten quick orders because of the pending adoption with us two girls. both of us girls were very happy to have them back. we spent another couple of years there. apparently skyler raced motorcycles, maybe that's where the acceptance of motorcycles came from for me.

in november 1974, we finally got to come to the united states. we flew standby with skyler. it took 3 days. we moved to almogordo, new mexico to live at the holoman air force base. my younger sister, mistie was born there. my mom had said it only cost $250/each to adopt us from korea. we were considered "personal property" back then.

i am often asked if i ever wonder about my korean family. the truth is i really don't. i imagine there was some reason my birth mother had to give me up, but God placed me with my mom. he know what he was doing. i didn't fall through the cracks. he has always had me in his hand.

the officer and i often talk about how amazing it is that we are together. all the things God did to orchestrate our meeting (i.e. getting me through 8 years of college for the 4 year degree - i met the officer in my last year). i had a friend, dani, who gave me a poem in college that talked about how God will not bring two people together until both of them are ready. i had to wait an extra three years for my officer (because he is 3 years younger than me). totally worth the wait, as things God has set aside for you always are.

everyone always asks me if i know any korean words. i do not; however, my mom sent me these words. now we can all know some korean (if you can pronounce them!) :)

Korean Words
Hello - An nyong ha sim ni kka
Please - Chu sip si o
Thank you - Ko map sum ni da

Ephesians 1:5he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.
i am not the only one who can/will be adopted. i was adopted by God when i was a senior in high school.

Psalms 145:9
the Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.

Psalms 27:10though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me.
even though my birth mother had given me up, God had someone else set aside who has never forsaken me either. i have often teased my mom because during the holidays there is always someone extra she has invited in. she has a very big heart. i thought it all started when she started working with international students, but i realize it started 36 years ago when she adopted my sister and i. i love you mom!!!!

so that's the story of how i came to america.