2023 Kkachi Foundation Trip Report

Hello Kkachi Friends and Family!

After three years of hard work and prayer towards getting this thing off the ground, we have officially concluded our inaugural class visit! Our first class had seven 16 year olds in their junior year of high school and one adult chaperone from Shinmyeong Orphanage, and they all stayed with us in Milford from July 21-31st. We were blessed to be able to meet these students in Korea in 2020, so it was such a joy to be with them again and see how much they had grown!

We want to extend a huge thank you to everyone who donated and made this trip possible and to all of the people that donated time to chaperone, cook and host dinners as well. We truly could not have done it without you, and the joy you were able to give these kids through your generosity is something that is impossible to measure. If you are a donor and have not received a link to view the complete trip photo gallery, please get in touch so we can send it to you.

When we launched this foundation fresh off of a surprise move back to the States smack in the middle of the YEAR that was 2020, we could not have anticipated the reach and scope of this program. But after this past summer, we are only more serious about how important it is! Many of our students have experienced severe trauma involving the loss of, separation from, or abandonment by their parents. In addition, they often experience educational disparity due to their situation.

It’s often hard to articulate exactly how our program impacts these kids and their view of what’s accessible to them & their future because it is such a nuanced thing, so instead, let us share a few highlights from this year and how our kids’ perspectives and ambitions were changed.

We were very very blessed, due to a few connections, to be able to take our students on a tour of the Sikorsky Helicopter factory floor in Stratford. Furthermore, we were able to have the entire tour translated by a Korean expat, Sean, who works there as an engineer. It was an incredibly hot day, and we were worried the kids were not going to be interested, but a few students in particular were fixated and hung on every word. By the end of his time on the tour, one student in particular told us his career aspirations had changed and that he wanted to be an aircraft engineer like Sean.

“Gibeom, who takes the lead in everything, has a specific dream for a career at Sikorsky Helicopter. He asked good questions and was the most understanding based on the process he was taught in school. This is the moment when Gibeom shined. It is a great pleasure to see students take the leap for growth with their dreams. ” – Oak-Hee (Chaperone)

In another instance, we had a student, Minseok, who wants to be a career soldier. We had the opportunity to tour the battleship museum in Massachusetts, and then at Sturbridge Village, there was an installment of flags at the entrance commemorating active-duty soldiers. After he returned to Korea, we received word that he wants to specifically join the USFK (United States Forces Korea)

“When I visited the naval base, I was surprised by the size of the aircraft carrier, and I was impressed by how well-preserved the history was, when I thought of Korea at that time. I thought about my career path, and I wanted to become a career soldier in Korea and then apply to be an American soldier.” – Minseok

Also, after we did a guided tour of Yale University, one of our students is now determined to be able to do a semester of studying abroad in the United States.

But I think the most impactful thing was something we were not looking for and did not expect. The chaperone, Oak-Hee, sent us a letter after they all returned home to Korea and told us that the most important thing about the trip was something simpler and easily missed; it was playing badminton with Sean’s family and chasing our niece and nephew around the yard. It was the small family moments in our parents’ pool or playing yard games at a church friend’s house. It was the home cooked meals around tables. It was late night conversations where we were able to share our heart with them and they with us without the restrictions of different languages holding us back from communicating.

“As a social worker who led the students, the most important thing about this field trip was meeting, seeing, and feeling “happy families.” …Meeting and visiting the homes of the couple, Rob and Emma, Rob’s parents and sister, Emma’s father and sisters, and receiving their hospitality, we met a happy family. We experienced a really happy American family by inviting students so warmly, eating meals prepared with care, and watching their conversations. Through Rob and Emma, We met the model of a happy family that our students always hope for. I’m sure our students will make a happy family someday.” – Oak-Hee (Chaperone)

We kept these kids’ schedules full in order to make the most of their time. From the Yankee Candle Factory, to camping, to Six Flags, to basking in the nature that the New England coast has to offer, and to touring the streets of the New York, there were so many firsts and new experiences. So how much more poignant and telling that after all of that, the smaller family moments of the trip stood out to the students so much.

And in so many words, that sums up our goal; to expand the scope of what these kids think is possible for them and the perspective they have of themselves in relation to this world, certainly. But also, on a deeper level, to provide these kids an opportunity to feel free and loved and wanted. To give them that family dinner around the table and let them know they always have a place in our home and in our hearts.

After all of that, we are SO fired up for next summer! We have big plans for our second Kkachi class that we have already started working on, and we look forward to sharing more of that with you as we finalize things this year!

Thank you again to everyone who volunteered their time or money or both! A special thank you to our sponsors; Trader Joe’s in Orange who donated a bag of snacks to the students, to Costco in Milford who also donated towards feeding the students, to Six Flags New England who graciously donated towards tickets for the students, and especially Captain John Boats for generously providing an amazing once in a lifetime whale watch experience for these kids and going above and beyond for them.

2023 Sponsors

2023 Expense Summary

Costs are for 8 individuals (7 students & 1 chaperone).

Trip Total: $18,866