Jung-Hwa (to become Sarah) was born in Seoul, Korea, probably in 1976. As they say, "to make a long story short", at age 7 she was "abandoned" by her parents--told to leave and not return. (Go here for her account of this story.) Perhaps a year later, she was placed for adoption by Holt International Children's Services. (Holt knew nothing of the existence of her Korean family.) It was much later that Sarah felt secure enough to tell us the story. Years later we learned that her parents had soon divorced, and (coincidentally) at that time placed Sarah's younger brother Sang-sun with Holt for adoption. He was adopted by a family in France.
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b. Sleeping on the LONG plane trip to America, October 20, 1984
c. Sarah's arrival in Des Moines airport, October 1984-- an exciting
but frightening encounter, no doubt!
d. First day in America, October 1984. She appears to feel "at
home" already!
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a. Early artistic work in Longfellow Elementary School
b. Our new family: Matthew, Melinda, Sarah, & Dennis
c. June 1985, at the Holt Family Picnic near Des Moines
d. Straw hat for Easter (handed down from her American grandmother)
Excerpts from Sarah's letters (translated) to Korea during her first week in the U.S.:
To my dear teacher:
How have you been? I am so sorry that I haven't sent a letter to you earlier. Thanks to you, I can live very well in the U.S. How is everybody in Da Wor Bang? I am wondering how many people who were in Da Wor Bang went to France or to the U.S. My mom and dad always make me comfortable and happy. The sisters who took me here went to somewhere I don't know. And two brothers and seven sisters took Mira and me here. To my surprise, they gave us some presents. There were some candy and a doll for Mira, a wristwatch and a pompon for me. Good-bye, teacher!
Wednesday, October 24, 1984, by Jung Hwa Lee.
To my dear teacher:How have you been? I love my mom, dad, and brother so much. I paint everyday here. They hang my paintings on the wall if I painted well. They always let me do whatever I want to. And my brother makes me always laugh.
My brother goes to school located very near to my house. Dear teacher, I will be able to go to school in the near future. I can't speak English yet.
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a. Our 20th wedding anniversary, 1988
b. Sarah in her IMS (Iowa Mennonite (High) School) Track/cross-country
team uniform
c. IMS women's cross-country team wins 2nd at state meet in '94!
d. Another trip to the state cross-country meet! (with Melissa
Dickel & Anna Yoder)
Sarah first discovered her interest in track in sixth grade when she qualified in the local Hershey track meet to compete in the state meet for Iowa, placing sixth in the 400 meter event. (She quickly took the lead and seeing no one else, became confused and looked back, causing her to lose her lead!) She continued to run in junior high and for a short time held the school record in the 800 meter run. At Iowa Mennonite School she began competing on the cross-country team, which went to the state meet twice.
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Sarah & Abby Wakefield (friend, classmate, & fellow cellist throughout elementary & junior high school) |
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a. Sarah, in her Korean hanbok (traditional dress), with friends
at Iowa Mennonite School Senior Banquet (IMS' equivalent to a
"prom")
b. A study in contrasts! (Sarah & her date [Tom] at the IMS
senior banquet)
c. IMS Summer Cross-country camp in Colorado Rockies (Sarah
is 2nd from right)
d. School portrait during her senior year of high school.
As is the case with most adolescents, Korean adoptees experience an "identity crisis"-- often expressed as a wish to deny one's Korean heritage in order to blend with the dominant culture. We were gratified that Sarah chose to wear her hanbok to the Senior Banquet rather than the usual "prom dress"-- showing pride in her heritage (and wearing the most beautiful dress at the affair!)
Excerpt from a letter Sarah wrote to a Korean friend:
"…I now realize why it's so important for me to have friends of my own culture. My parents tried so hard to make me mix with other Asian kids of my age but I refused for the longest time. I wanted to be an American so badly, sometimes I even forgot I was Asian. At one time I would have been so happy if someone said, "I don't even realize you're Asian because you fit so well as an American", but now I take that as an insult because I know I should be proud of my heritage and always remember I'm Korean-born. You know, it took me eleven years to figure all this out."
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Sarah began playing cello in 5th grade, and played in orchestras
at S.E. Junior High School, Preucil School
of Music, Iowa Mennonite School, and Bethel College. During her
freshmen year at Bethel College while on
a music scholarship, she was a member of the college's string
quartet.
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a. Sarah with friend Rodney Hood
b. Friend Audrey Schwartz
c. Sarah and friend Hanh Bach at Bethel College
d. Friends at Chong's Korean Restaurant near the Bethel College
campus in Newton.
Sarah often worked as a waitress fulltime during the summers
and parttime during classes.
She worked parttime at Chong's (Korean) Restaurant in Newton near
the Bethel College campus, probably one of
a very few Korean restaurants in the state of Kansas. The staff
at Chong's formed a close-knit group. Here she met Audrey, with
whom she sometimes stayed during school vacations, including the
last two months of her life, March and April '99.
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a. Friends/co-workers at Chong's Restaurant
b. Chong's Restaurant crew
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Excerpt from her journal 8 weeks before her death:
2/23/99
Dear Jesus,
I don't know where my life is heading right now. But I do know that it could go in the right direction if I could just see the light. I've blown you off for a long time and I'm hoping you could give me a second chance? … I know I can get through this w/ your help and support and in return I'll try not to turn by back on you like I have. You're the only other one who truly understands what I'm feeling and going through. Help me to deal w/ things one at a time.
I love you!
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On October 17, 1999, Sarah's ashes were buried at the cemetery adjoining the Welsh Church, on Sharon Center Road, 2 miles southwest of Iowa city. Sarah passed within sight of this spot daily to Iowa Mennonite School. It is a quiet and peaceful setting on a hillside overlooking the rolling hills of Iowa.
Through her heart and kidneys, Sarah continues still to give life to others.
to Sarah's
home page.
http://asrl.ecn.uiowa.edu/dbricker/SLB_fotos.html
Last updated: 30 March 2008
