Trivia Night for Korean Orphans

FOREIGN INTERESTS
Aladdin's Lamb was the busiest place in town during the orphanage fundraiser event

Over the last couple of years in our neck of the woods there has been a huge drive for foreign teachers to help Korean orphans. Who could blame them? According to the American-run CCAI (Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute), there are 153 thousand orphans worldwide. In 2011, South Korea was one of the top five countries from which orphans were adopted. A survey of over 3,8000 children in 19 countries showed that the IQs of children raised in orphanages average 20 points lower that that of children raised in families.1

MAKING IT HAPPEN
Sarah and Pier put together this extraordinary event,
which brought people together for a great time
and supported a worthwhile cause

The response in our rural area has been to host events to raise funds, collect toys and bake sweet treats for a once-a-year Christmas visit from friendly foreigners and Koreans, usually made up of teachers and military personnel. Though in the first two years there was foundational success for the program, many of us noticed that the concept of gifting toys of different value to different orphans was a recipe for disappointment and tears.

This year, the program has been overhauled by a team led by Sarah Coutts and Pier Garcia, who have been involved in past orphan drives. On Saturday night at Aladdin's Lamb restaurant, the group hosted a trivia night to benefit local orphanages. It was a lively event that helped to raise 474,000 won (roughly $450) between the admission fee, a raffle and bracelets made from reused shirts lovingly handcrafted by GPWT's own Ashley Guerrero. In addition to the funds raised by the group, Aladdin's Lamb owner Robin Park, who generously donated his space for use by the fundraiser, donated all profits from beverages to the cause.

I'M ONLY HERE FOR AN HOUR
Last year, orphans were happy to
see us, but really sad to see us go

My hope for this event is that it will continue to benefit local orphanages. There are many foreigners and Koreans who have come together to create this charity, and there are some very positive and beneficial outcomes to keeping the program alive, that is if the program stays alive.

I've been skeptical of this kind of charity in the past, because I cannot help but ask the questions: What message are we sending with our charity works? That orphans should expect to receive a present on Christmas, a holiday that has only been celebrated in Korea for a short period of time? That one day of interaction a year is equivalent to the kind of love and daily attention that children need to to properly mature and learn the necessary social knowledge to live a decent life? That when foreigners lose interest in the charity, the orphans no longer deserve their attention?

These are questions I've asked in the past, but having met with the crew responsible for the drive this year, I feel very confident that they have asked these questions too and are engineering a legacy of committed foreigners who want to help. I strongly encourage anyone reading this to help keep watch over the orphans who have been relegated to the social margins in any country.

Peace,
Leif.

Photos by Erin Jackson, Pier Garcia and Monica King


1http://www.ccainstitute.org/why-we-do-it-/facts-and-statistics.html

ALL TOGETHER NOW
Koreans and foreigners got together to bring some happy moments to orphans last year