Korean heritage....In the Fold

I wrote and posted this on my MySpace blog on June 18, 2007. Thought you all would enjoy this.

Yesterday, Father's Day, my husband and I did something we'd never done. We attended a Korean church. Both of us were really hoping it would be a good experience. I remember saying, "Well, if nothing else, we worship the same God." Just keeping it loose, with an open mind. While I walked the baby to the nursery, I heard Jeremy introduce himself to people by saying, "I'm originally from Seoul."

The service was in Korean. An usher gave us personal listening devices, and a young woman translated into English. A gentleman sitting in front of us kept opening the hymnal up to the right page for us. Though I'm a trained singer who usually sings in a full voice, I sang the English words in a very soft voice over the Korean singing. The choir was really good. I noticed young people in casual dress slipping in late all through the service. No one had the attitude of "Oh, you heathen, being late to church"—they just went on with their thing.

After the service, several people invited us to a fellowship dinner, which is held every week. I love Korean food, and I really tried to use the metal chopsticks till someone felt sorry for us and brought forks. The gentleman in front of us was actually a pastor from another church, and he talked to us for a while. A lady about my age explained why her kids had Korean first names and English middle names, unlike many Korean-Americans. "I want them to know they're Korean, and their friends can say the names just fine." A guy across from us had a white wife who wasn't there, but we got to meet his hapa kids. Nobody acted weird about our Scotch last name (Jeremy's adopted), my race, or the fact that I'm taller than my husband. There was such total acceptance of us as a family. They told us to come back anytime, although they knew we already attend another church.

I just wanted to give props to these people and be thankful that we had such a good experience. Not that any other Korean-American person is responsible for this, but years ago, Jeremy had a negative experience. An older KA lady was upset that he didn't speak Korean (as though his white adoptive parents should have taught him.). Anyway, it was great for all of us to connect more with Jeremy's Korean heritage and be so warmly welcomed by the church.