Homecoming

It was a cold and rainy Spring night in Seoul. Mrs Lee was flustered for being late, but rushed into the lobby holding her precious cargo. Jin Hyeok was wearing a new outfit and baseball hat and was tired after a busy day. She brought Jin Hyeok in, straightened his clothes, and then placed him in our arms. The founder of the orphanage began to pray and as he prayed, the soft cry from Mrs Lee became a sob. Becky held her tight and they cried together - two mothers in love with the same child. One who had raised him since birth, one who would be raising him the rest of his life. Mrs Lee had had been a foster mom for the orphange for 20 years, but Jin Hyeok was the first child she had kept for 8 months. Her love for him was deep.

After a few minutes, the social worker stepped up and gently said, "it's time for you to go". She took our arm, and led us to the elevator. We stood in the elevator weeping - looking across at Mrs Lee in the arms of the social worker - and the doors slowly shut.

We walked to our room on the 5th floor. Jin Hyeok was bewildered. His eyes were searching everywhere for Mrs. Lee. As the door closed in our room, he could no longer take the anxiety. He looked at Becky, he looked at me, he opened his mouth, and he cried.

And cried, and cried, and cried. This was not a cry we had ever heard before. It was a wailing, a scared, deep, lost sob that was incosolable. Becky and I could do nothing to console him. We felt like first-time parents all over again. After 2 hours, the sobs subsided and he drifted off to sleep inbetween us.

The next morning, he woke and just stared at us. He was timid, but not crying. We headed off to the airport and flew home to Dallas.

And the last 4 years have flown by since we had that glorious day - the day Jin Hyeok became Tucker Paul Jin. As I was telling Tucker the story last night I reminded him that he was a Daily boy from the moment that he was born. God had planned and pre-ordained from the very beginning that we were his family. In the last 4 years, you have gone from a very timid little boy to our dynamite child. You are fearless, curious, athletic, and non-stop energy.