Kyung Yeon

 [Here begins a series about Kyung Yeon in 1997.]

1 May 1997

We are foster parents with Healing the Children. This coming Tuesday we will get our second HTC child. She is an 8-year-old Korean who needs heart surgery, and is scheduled to stay two months. I am not much of a babysitter, but Garry and I both have felt this is something we must do. It relates to all those ads one sees of starving children in far-away places, but you wonder how much actually reaches the child if you donate. This way we know that the child is the main beneficiary. 

The last experience was difficult, but also a growing time for our whle family. This time we anticipate being shorter, but perhaps more intense. 

It has been exciting preparing for Kyung-Yeon to arrive. I bought a garage sale bed for her that exactly fit the space we had available in Amanda's room. That led to a connection with a Christian school teacher in nearby Everett, who is having her class prepare a welcome basket for Kyung-Yeon. One of my tasks has been lining up Korean translators (my least favorite task) and God has been faithful to bring several willing women my way. Two go to our church and another one lives here in Arlington. 

Yesterday we went as a family to get teh first of the new hepatitis shot series, protecting ourselves. Afterward we had dinner at the Olive Garden, comforting one another! 

Nicole and Amanda were quite enthusiastic about having another foster sister initially, but now are growing nervous, understandably. Sharing your living space with a stranger is a frightening concept. I anticipate that this girl will be quiet, at least initially. My understanding is that she is lethargic and her hands are turning blue because of the malfunctioning heart. I hope that will give my daughters a chance to get accustomed to her before she is energetic after the surgery!