Clark, John and Ushio, Julie

Angels in Adoption 2005 - Hawaii

Selected by Senator Daniel Akaka

It has been a natural development that Julie Ushio and John Clark have shared their adoption experiences with others and assisted them in various ways. Families in Hawaii who adopt from Japan deal directly with a Japanese agency in Tokyo. Since there is no local office or liaison in Honolulu, adoptive parents help one another. The Japan adoption program was fairly new to Hawaii when Julie and John adopted Koji, so the steps they took were passed along to others. For several years, the couples organized "reunions" of Japanese adoptive families when newly adopted children arrived from Japan. These reunions evolved into informal situations where families who were interested in adopting from Japan could meet adoptive families as well as representatives from the Japanese adoption agency. Over the years, she and John found it gratifying to see so many families who had first attended as "guests" return a year or two later as newly adoptive parents. Over the past 9 years, Julie and John have served as advocates for adoption, answering questions, and giving informal counsel and encouragement to many couples and individuals. Five families credit their adoptions to the couple's direct counsel and assistance. As Julie notes, "Adoption, and especially international adoption, is a long, involved process. There are many questions, doubts, hopes, and fears that are encountered. I tell prospective parents that there is a leap of faith involved. There will be those nagging little doubts and worries, but once you hold your new son or daughter in your arms, they all disappear. There is a special bond that adoptive families have with other adoptive families. John and I know how fortunate we are and we have gladly shared our experiences with others. The families that we have helped now help others. It's a chain, each new family a link, and it's getting longer. Happiness is contagious."

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