Bernice Gottlieb, a trailblazer in the field of international adoption, made groundbreaking efforts in the 1970s, especially with children from a leprosy-affected community in South Korea, influencing adoption practices and transforming young lives.
Back in March 1974, Gottlieb visited St. Lazarus, a village near Seoul, South Korea. It was home to around 400 people dealing with leprosy, now known as Hansen's disease. Even though medical advances had made the disease treatable and less infectious, stigma still clung to the community, keeping residents isolated from the rest of society. Jobs were hard to come by, poverty was rampant, but the community held strong through family bonds and love.
Gottlieb learned about St. Lazarus from the Rev. Lee Kyong-Jai, the Catholic leader of the village. He was on a fundraising trip to Westchester County, New York, seeking American families to adopt children from the village. Though these children were not sick themselves, they faced societal stigma. Known as Migam-a, they were often kept out of public schools and lived under the shadow of their parents' illness.
Gottlieb, who had already adopted a daughter from South Korea in 1969, was no stranger to international adoption. Her home in Dobbs Ferry, New York, became a center for prospective adoptive parents looking for guidance. Initially hesitant about adopting children from St. Lazarus, who had two living parents, Gottlieb was moved by their situation, recalling her own childhood experiences of being temporarily separated from her family.
She was a pioneer in the idea of open adoptions, insisting on maintaining contact between the adopted children and their biological parents. This was a radical concept at the time, as adoption records were generally shrouded in secrecy during the 1970s.
To gear up for the adoption project, Gottlieb threw herself into learning about leprosy. She attended a medical training course at the U. S. Public Health Service Hospital in Carville, Louisiana. Some medical experts worried about the children's risk of contracting the disease, but Gottlieb was steadfast in her mission.
She founded Operation Outreach, a nonprofit aimed at facilitating the adoption of St. Lazarus children. From 100 applicants, she carefully selected four families in the United States, ensuring they were committed to keeping the children's Korean heritage alive. Every family took in two children, most of whom were siblings.
A major hurdle was U. S. immigration laws, which blocked the adoption of foreign children with two living parents. Gottlieb worked tirelessly, lobbying for legislative exceptions and eventually winning the backing of Congressman Hamilton Fish, Jr. By 1976, Congress passed four separate bills, paving the way for these adoptions.
Meanwhile, South Korean families faced the emotional struggle of their decision. For over three years, they dealt with the heartache of separation, hoping their children would have brighter futures. In October 1976, Gottlieb returned to South Korea to bring the children, aged 3 to 15, to their new homes in the U. S.
As the children wore traditional hanboks and said goodbye to their parents, they boarded the plane with mixed feelings. Mi Yun Lee, who would later be known as Jennifer, held onto memories of her family, worried she might forget them. Upon landing at John F. Kennedy International Airport, the children faced the challenge of adjusting to a new culture and environment.
In the years that followed, the St. Lazarus children navigated their new lives, building connections with their adoptive families and dealing with prejudice in mostly white schools. Despite these hurdles, they carved out new identities and futures, all thanks to Gottlieb's steadfast dedication to their cause.
