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Harry Holt

by Katie from Spokane

"All children are beautiful when they are loved." Bertha Holt
Bertha and Harry Holt with their fourteen children (http://www.uoregon.edu/~adoption/people/holt.htm)
Bertha and Harry Holt with their fourteen children (http://www.uoregon.edu/~adoption/people/holt.htm)

Harry Holt was an ordinary man who transformed the world and impacted millions of lives, simply because he saw a need and acted upon it. Rather than acknowledging a problem and attempting to forget the pain and hurt, Harry Holt took action. At the time of his decision to adopt 8 Korean orphans, I am sure Harry Holt had no idea how great an impact his actions would have on millions of people around the world. Harry Holt's actions allowed international adoption to exist. One man with one idea changed the world forever.

In Eugene, Oregon during the 1950s, Harry and Bertha Holt watched a film regarding the enormous number of Korean children in orphanages. The Holts sent money and clothes, but realized it was not enough. The children needed families. In response, the Holts decided to adopt eight Korean orphans. At that time however, they were told the adoption was an impossible feat because there were no laws in place for international adoption. The Holts decided to work as hard as possible to make sure a law passed in both Houses of Congress. Harry and Bertha Holt both fought for the love they knew all children deserve; the love of a family.

After the passage of the law and adoption of their eight children in 1956, the Holts founded Holt International Adoption Agency in order to help other people adopt internationally. For the rest of his life, Harry worked to find homes for these orphans who so desperately needed families. When he passed away in 1964, his wife took over the agency and it still exists today. Holt Adoption Agency alone has placed 40,000 children with families, not to mention the hundreds of thousands of children who have been adopted by families through other adoption agencies.

My family as a result of Harry Holt's actions
My family as a result of Harry Holt's actions

Harry Holt is particularly important to me because international adoption holds a special place in my heart. When I was a freshman in high school, my parents decided to adopt a little girl from China. At first I thought it was a strange idea, but gradually came to the realization that it was an incredible idea. When Emilee finally joined our family in January of that year, I realized what an amazing gift international adoption is, not only for the child being adopted, but for the rest of the family as well. A few years later, my parents decided to return to China and adopt another little girl, Melanie. This time my entire family traveled to China. We visited the Great Wall of China, Tiananmen Square, and most importantly, added another little girl to our family. A few years following, my parents returned to China a third time to adopt another beautiful little girl named Anna. These three girls have been a huge blessing of joy to my family and a celebration of adoption. International adoption gives children without families the opportunity to have families that love them and also gives the families the opportunity to share in the life of a wonderful child.

The greatest lesson I have learned from Harry Holt is that ordinary people can have an extraordinary impact. Harry Holt was not a superstar, yet he saw a need and was willing to do everything it took to accomplish his goal. Hundreds of thousands of orphans have been adopted internationally as a result of Harry Holt's actions. His faith in God and passion for allowing children to be adopted into families, just as God has adopted us into his, changed the world immensely and impacted hundreds of thousands of lives.

Page created on 10/24/2007 12:00:00 AM

Last edited 10/24/2007 12:00:00 AM

The beliefs, viewpoints and opinions expressed in this hero submission on the website are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs, viewpoints and opinions of The MY HERO Project and its staff.

Related Links

Introduction to Holt - Brief summary of the Holts' contributions to international adoption
The Birth of Intercountry Adoptions - Description of a Korean adoptee's experience
Bertha and Harry Holt - Description of the Holts' international persepctive