Is the cup half empty or half full?

Personally, I remember this question mystifying me as a kid. You look at the top of the cup and there’s nothing there, so obviously it’s half empty. I’m not sure when my perspective changed, but I do remember it being a light-bulb moment, “Oh, I guess there is water in the bottom half of the cup!”

When you jump into the ocean of precious faces, names, and stories of numerous orphans around the world, it is easy to get into a half-empty type of mindset. Of all the heart-shattering images and stories I’ve encountered, none has wrecked me more than Rosie, a precious small soul we saw briefly at my son’s orphanage in China.

Rosie was not this tiny human’s real name, just a name I gave, and there are many more unknowns about his or her story that I will never know. The few details I do know crush my heart and tempt me to doubt everything I believe about God. 

You see, this precious baby has a heart condition that cannot be fixed in China. Period. No second opinions. No experimental treatments. Nothing can be done. And that is literally all I know about this bundle in a blanket. I don’t know Rosie’s age, real name, or how long the ventilator will be able to keep them alive. For all we know, Rosie could be in heaven as I type this.

That’s when the “whys” come crashing in: Why would a good God allow His precious creation to be born into a family living in a country where He knows that his or her heart has no hope of being fixed? Why would a loving Father allow this family to maybe make the most heart-wrenching decision ever to abandon this child in hopes of receiving life-saving care, only to die in a crib in a room full of strangers? Why would God not somehow someway bridge the gap between this dying child and life-saving treatment in another land? Why was this child, whom the Bible says is “fearfully and wonderfully made,” born at all? (Psalm 139:14)

Obviously, you can fill in the blank of this question a million different ways: If God is good, then why is there cancer, car accidents, natural disasters, human trafficking, and a million other heartaches, sicknesses, and tragedies? Why would a good God allow all this sadness and evilness in our world?

But isn’t this “half empty” thinking? The Bible clearly says, “You are good and do good” (Psalm 119:68). Nancy Lee DeMoss writes, “The truth is, God is good. Whether or not His choices seem good to us, He is good. Whether or not it seems true in my life or yours, He still is good.” 

So, instead of focusing on the pain and suffering in this world, what if we put our time and energy in focusing on the goodness of God we see in this world and partnering with Him in the work He is doing? Take sweet Rosie’s—probably—short life. I can praise God that he/she was found and brought to such a caring place where they tried to help him/her as much as they could. I can be motivated to pray for him/her to be as comfortable as possible and that somehow his/her life will pave the way for children with this condition to be adopted sooner. And I can pray for and give to the organizations who tirelessly work to give children life-saving care so their families do not have to abandon them in the first place. 

This is “half-full” kind of thinking that encourages action. This kind of thinking and doing brings glory to our good Father who loves each one of us and all those precious lonely, broken souls all over the world. It obviously doesn’t make the pain any less or the grief magically go away; however, it does lift our eyes from ever-changing circumstances to the one who is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). 

He was good in the past, is good today, and will be good for all of our tomorrows, whether we choose to see or feel His goodness or not. Hannah Whitall Smith wrote, “A great many things in God’s divine providences do not look to the eye like goodness. But faith sits down before mysteries such as these, and says, ‘The Lord is good, therefore all that He does must be good no matter how it looks. I can wait for explanations.’”

You might be wondering why I named this precious heart warrior Rosie. Although we weren’t able to get a picture of him/her, I will forever see that rose-colored blanket covering most of this dear child’s body, with a tiny face enveloped in a ventilator and a million tubes peeking out from the top. I know someday when this cherished one takes their last breath, they will be greeted in heaven by a loving Father and will no longer suffer or need a machine to breathe.

In my earthly “half empty” thinking, it will never be good that a heart-broken little one takes their final breath in a chaotic room of strangers or that someone whose life is devoted to encouraging others is cut short. Or, that numberless precious souls around the world wait and wait and wait for a family’s love and care, while suffering and even dying alone. But, I can choose to put on my “half full” cap and wait for explanations from my all-knowing and all-loving Father, while actively partnering with Him in His goodness around the world.

How can you partner with God’s goodness around the world? Obviously, I’m not an expert at all the amazing things God is doing around the world, but here are a few ideas to consider. 

Adopt, foster children, & support single mothers

There have been a lot of “pro-life” talk these days and for good reasons. However, as many in the adoption and other communities have said, you can’t claim to be pro-life without also being willing to support those precious lives through adoption, fostering children, and helping single mothers. As I kiss my son’s adorable cheek and see the endless line of precious faces on advocacy posts, I am so thankful that each one of their birth mothers chose life for them, possibly at great cost to themselves. James commands us to care for orphans and widows, just as much as he urges us to keep ourselves untainted by worldly things (James 1:27). Precious children in China, America, and all over the world are ready and waiting for loving families to step into their lonely and sometimes tragic lives.

Support causes that promote family preservation 

There are wonderful organizations that are striving to solve the orphan crisis in China through funding surgeries, educating parents on special needs, providing therapies, and more, so parents are not left with abandonment as their only option. Although there are numerous ministries seeking to keep families whole, two organizations we are familiar with are International China Concern and Love Without Boundaries. 

Sponsor an orphaned or impoverished child

For those who are unable to adopt or do not qualify for some time, sponsoring an orphaned and/or impoverished child can be an immense blessing for those organizations that provide loving homes and education through generous donors. Rainbow Kids, and Love Without Boundaries are just a few of the countless ministries working to care for precious souls who can’t care for themselves. 

Donate money to help offset adoption costs for families

Donating towards a grant for a child to help ease their family’s adoption expenses can be a huge help! We were so blessed by numerous generous strangers who gave to our grant agencies: Show Hope, Lifesong, Katelyn’s Fund, Pure Gift of God, Family Outreach, and Connected Hearts Ministries, just to name a few! You can also give towards a specific child at Reece’s Rainbow. A fun idea is to host a garage sale to raise money for adoptive families! One dear family told us they set aside a portion every month until they find someone who is adopting and donate their previously saved money to them. The ideas for supporting adoptive families are endless!

So, have you been looking at life with a glass half-empty or half-full mindset?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brittany’s heart for orphan care and adoption began when her family visited Russian orphanages way back in the early 90’s. Her dream of making a difference in one child’s life finally became a reality nearly twenty-five years later when she, her husband, and daughter welcomed their adorable son Titus home in November 2018. After visiting his orphanage, they couldn’t forget the precious children left behind and quickly began the adoption process again this summer. Brittany blogs about adoption and their big dream of using coffee to bring orphans into forever families at haobaobaocoffee.com, on Facebook @haobaobaochina, and on Instagram @haobaobaocoffee.