In the name of “family”

People visit their hometowns to meet their families in a national holiday. It is the time to share delicious of food and laughter with their loving families, but for some people, it is a day when they miss their families much more than ever.

On January 20, before the Korean national holiday for the New Year’s Day in the lunar calendar, Chairwoman Zahng Gil-jah of the Intl. WeLoveU Foundation and the members visited multicultural families and a parentless household. They carried an armful of holiday dish that they had made by themselves such as Japchae, Korean style meatball, fried fish fillets and Korean kebab as well as gift sets of fruit, dried persimmon and Korean traditional sweets and cookies.

The first place they visited is Su-bin’s home in Samjeon-dong, Songpa-gu in Seoul. Su-bin’s mom came from Vietnam for marriage. When the members first met her through the kimchi making event hosted by the WeLoveU Foundation last November, she was suffering from homesickness and depression because it was hard for her to adjust to Korean language and culture. Chairwoman Zahng who had worried about how she was doing, personally visited Su-bin’s mom. Su-bin’s mom sat close to Chairwoman, and said that she missed her mom so much. As Chairwoman Zahng comforted her and fed her Japchae and Jeon, Su-bin’s mom repeatedly said, “It’s very nice. Ngon lam (meaning “delicious” in Vietnamese)!” Her face was beaming with smile.

Next, the members went to Singeonji-dong in Anseong-si. Mr. Kazal, 46, from Bangladesh lived there with his wife and two kids. As the holiday dish was spread before them, children became so excited as well as Kazal and his wife. Chairwoman Zahng gave words of blessing to him, who was going through a hard time on account of damaged discs in his spine, “You are having a hard time, living in a foreign country, but cheer up! As you have many kind people around you, be healthy and spirited!” Appreciating the heartfelt concern of the WeLoveU Foundation after the New Life Concert last time, he said, “I will get well soon, so that I will be able to work hard and return your favor.” The kids expressed their thanks, making the shape of a heart over their heads and said, “We Love U!”

Next, Chairwoman Zahng and the members headed for Naeson-dong in Uiwang-si. Hyo-jin who is a 16-year-old girl lived with her grandfather, grandmother and younger sister. As she had intractable rare disease that made her muscles stiffened little by little, she came in a wheelchair to join the donation ceremony of the concert last time. Hyo-jin’s grandfather and grandmother were all choked up and couldn’t speak for a while when they opened the gift sets that Chairwoman Zahng presented. They shed tears, saying that they had never imagined receiving something like that. Chairwoman Zahng encouraged Hyo-jin and promised that she would keep helping them so that Hyo-jin would grow well and healthy. Hyo-jin politely said, “I truly thank you. I want to be an assembly woman who can help people in need just like me in the future,” and it warmed everybody’s heart.

The house which had been lonesome became full of laughter, and it was the very scene of hometowns in the holidays. In the name of “family,” the Intl. WeLoveU Foundation will always be with our neighbors who need love.