[Trans] 2PM's Junho as a sponsor in Ethiopia, the untold story
Tuesday, February 28 2012 Written by Cassina
Source: WVblog | Kor-Eng: Buckme @2pmalways
MAY BE TAKEN OUT WITH FULL CREDITS
"Hello, I'm 2PM's Junho…I contacted you because I wanted to help a child…"
That was how Junho's first connection with World Vision started.
Calling in person to say that he was interested in sponsoring a foreign child.
After quietly sponsoring them for about a year, another phone call came.
"I…want to go to Ethiopia to meet Felmeta, how can I do that?"
In his first vacation time in 4 years, to Africa to meet the person he most wanted to see in the whole world.
When World Vision puts a public figure in charge of goodwill or international relations usually we first suggest the idea to the star's manager or management company, but Korea's most popular idol group, 2PM's Junho called me first instead.
Amongst Korea's busiest people are idol singers. I knew that they always have a lot of schedules abroad and not much time in Korea either, so I thought of asking frankly "Can you really go? Can you use up a whole week to meet a sponsored child?". But the next time I spoke with Junho I realised that those thoughts were completely groundless.
"I received permission from management for a vacation starting a week from the 16th of January!
I arranged it with my manager hyung so that I could go to Africa ^^"
Junho was always one step ahead of us,
Before leaving for Ethiopia, we arranged to have two orientation meetings. The first meeting. He had arranged to meet us at World Vision's headquarters in Yeoido with his manager, but even though the meeting time was arranged for early morning he arrived right on time. Second meeting. The meeting was once again arranged for the morning, but he arrived about 10 minutes before us. As you can never be late for meetings with celebrities, and even though I arrived earlier than our arranged meeting time I was so surprised to see Junho already there waiting for us.
We cautiously suggested to EBS doing a newly planned "Global Project Sharing" programme. Our helper Junho was worried about whether there was any chance of causing damage or inconveniencing the residents of Ethiopia due to the filming. After worrying for a while, we thought that even if one person who had seen the broadcast could help a child in difficulty it would be great, and so decided with the broadcast team to go through with it. Of course, under the condition that the staff would cause the minimum amount of disruption there.
Finally, depaaaarture!
If a celebrity is going to help out somewhere, a lot of people look at them a bit funny. "Are you going to get there by flying business class?" "Some more money to spend in duty free would be more helpful…" "Why are you bringing your coordi and make up artist into the wilderness with you, are you shooting a pictorial?". Our helper Junho's visit to Ethiopia to help the children would shatter those sort of public prejudices. Now in earnest we depaaart!
caption: I think maybe you've seen this picture through all the news sites. Junho's tweet just before taking the plane to Ethiopia.
After going through the departure process, the first place that Junho stopped by at was none other than a bookshop!
This friend seems like he really like books.
He was already reading our team leader Han Biya's book "Three times around the world on foot" to prepare.
If I was going to recommend a book to give as a present it would be this!
(I didn't forget to call and check after the trip as to whether he had read it all. ^^;)
This broadcast of EBS's "Sharing" was going to be themed around hope blossoming through music, and our helper Junho did it with his close friend JYP music engineer Shin Bongwon. They sat side by side in economy class, and chattered about how as they're going to Ethiopia they must definitely give a sheep to the kids as a present. As I watched them chattering away I started laughing without realising. If the fans could have seen this lovely picture they probably would have passed out. (ㅠㅠ)
Only 17 hours after leaving Incheon airport we arrive at Addis Ababa airport!
The boxes piled on top of Shin Bongwon's cart are all presents to give to the children.
Arrival in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa.
World Vision's aid giving is difficult, and we mostly do it in poorer rural areas.
Therefore even though we arrived in Ethiopia it wasn't really our arrival.
This was just the start.
Dust and dirt covers the unpaved roads, and after 8 hours we arrived at World Vision's establishment in Jimma Geneti.
The hotel of course didn't have a restaurant. There wasn't anything.
We stayed in the lodgings of the World Vision employees, and cooked in the establishment's kitchen…
We make trips to Africa often but amongst the places we've been this was one of the poorest areas.
The lodgings where our team stayed.
The child I've only seen in photographs, you're really real!
The story has become a bit long but this was the goal of the trip, Junho meeting the child he had sponsored, Falmeta!
It was a really touching reunion moment for sponsor Junho and Falmeta.
Planting an apple tree with Falmeta, giving as a gift the sheep that they had talked about on the plane, and going to the school Falmeta attends and giving the whole school stationary and supplies.
(Junho considered all the friends who might be jealous!)
The whole time he thought about how to make it not awkward or uncomfortable.
Watching him trying to convey warmth to the child while being careful out of concern that a foreigner's approach
might become a burden or hurt the child, we could see his sincerity.
He had already become close with all the neighbourhood children. If Junho ran, all the children would follow him and run too.
If Junho waved his hand, the children would wave back until they couldn't see him anymore.
Even when you can't communicate through words, you can still convey things with your heart!
Don't cry!
The day before we left Ethiopia,
after meeting the children, the things he felt and the time he spent with them, I saw Junho's eyes get wet.
He wanted to always show the kids a bright and happy image, and seeing Junho holding back his own tears I felt sad and cried.
Idol group, Hallyu star, 2PM…For that week in Ethiopia, no title was stuck to him.
To the children he was a neighbourhood hyung, to the World Vision staff he wasn't a celebrity, he was just a polite young Korean man.
The first week-long vacation time in 4 years. Wanting to take a break for myself from the murderous schedule if only for a week…
Instead Junho spent his time helping World Vision and continuously thanking us.
"It would be great if happy people could turn their eyes to these children and share just a bit of that happiness with them." Junho's words continue to linger in my mind.
To our supporter Junho, who left on this trip to find true happiness, I hope that this becomes a time that for your whole life you'll never forget.
Writer - Korea's World Vision Sponsorship Development Team Deputy Sharon Kim
