Hyoeun Heidi Lam
Hyoeun Heidi Lam: Our Little Canadian Ambassador
By Hyoeun Heidi Lam
I am a Korean Canadian. It means a lot to me. I am not just Korean or Canadian. I understand both cultures and languages, and it leads to a richer life. One of the benefits to be Korean Canadian is that it opens many doors for the work that I would love to do in my life. I am from South Korea, but people often ask me if I am from North Korea (aka Democratic People’s Republic of Korea or DPRK). Even though I was born and raised in South Korea, I also care deeply for the other half of my mother country. I find myself having great compassion toward the people of the North and the land.
My adventure began as an ESL student in Vancouver, BC in 1998. I will always have great memories of the beautiful nature and wonderful people there. Then I met my husband who is a third-generation Chinese Canadian. It turns out that his heart also burned for the welfare of the people in the DPRK. Rights of Permanent Residence (and later citizenship) allowed me to visit the DPRK with him and do Christian ministry activities there. The most memorable moments in DPRK is meeting people in the city or a small village. They were more genuine than we could imagine. I hope that separated relatives from the North and South can meet, but also anyone else in the world can visit DPRK freely without fear and meet the genuine people. The media only reports on the 1% of this country, which leads people to the wrong concepts of the country.
Canada will always be home for me. We adopted our daughter domestically in Canada and will raise her with the Christian and Canadian values of openness, respect, compassion, willingness to work hard, to be there for each other, and to search for equality and justice. Our daughter has the diversity of a true Canadian. She is part African, Native Indian, Caucasian, and now, a part Chinese and Korean! She will become Canada’s ambassador to the nations.
Moreover, we have a very special adoption story. My husband and I were volunteering at an apartment building for low income residents by preparing a lunch for seniors once a month. A resident introduced us to a lady who was very skinny but clearly pregnant. We thought she needed some nutrition for herself and her baby and started providing healthy, cooked meals. After a month, we realized that she did not have long-term plans for raising her baby in a safe environment. We took her to an organization (Jesus Loves You Society – jlys.org) which provides counselling, resources and groceries for single mothers and low-income families. We wanted her to be aware of the many resources available in Canada that can assist in the changes that are about to take place in her life. She was introduced to free medical and nutrition services as well as an adoption agency as an option for her to consider since she does not have a steady job. By the way, we never told her we were a “Waiting Couple” at the adoption agency. She found out after contacting the agency. I share this story because one of the values of being Canadian is being there for one another. There are countless opportunities to volunteer in Canada with social services that provide equal opportunities for everyone, regardless of income or social status.
Canada has many different refugee groups from various countries because Canadians are willing and capable to accept them. What a blessing this country is to other nations! I am so proud to be a Canadian. I love to participate in activities that unite people of all ethnicities, regardless of social status, and have harmony in diversity.
