Right Where We Are

My family adopted from China twice when I was a kid, and this experience shifted how I saw the world around me. At a young age, I became deeply aware that the world is not as it should be. I also became deeply aware that the God we serve invites us to join with him in acts of restoration, big and small. 

As we worked through the adoption processes, I saw God move and realized that prayer has power. I also realized that God wants to use everyone—even young people—to make his kingdom come. In the decade since bringing my sisters home, the Lord has continued to cultivate my heart for children who are vulnerable. I have been able to uniquely participate in the work that God is doing in this space through my connection with Show Hope and their Student Initiatives program.

I became familiar with Show Hope back in 2012, when my family received an Adoption Aid grant to bring home my sister MaeLin. Then in 2015, Show Hope helped us bring Kristiana home. Nearly a decade later, I chose to research and represent Show Hope for a public-speaking class in college. 

This process sparked a deep desire to become involved with Show Hope’s work. Through months of Zoom calls and emails back and forth, I began to build a relationship with [Director of Programs] Justin Myers and [Coordinator of Programs] Bethany DaSilva. In our conversations, I was encouraged not to wait until I reached a certain place in life to speak out about the way God was moving in my heart. At any age, God can use us to be advocates for his love and justice … right where we are. 

In the summer of 2024, I facilitated a virtual Pause Campaign with a group of friends from college. This was a beautiful way to invite people in academic fields, ranging from occupational therapy to education, to more deeply understand God’s heart for children who are vulnerable. Through our week of learning, it became clear that this topic impacts every facet of life. Whether we end up as a teacher in the classroom, a medical professional, or something in between, I am convinced that there will be situations where each of us will need to consider the implications of God’s heart for the vulnerable and the impact of trauma. I’m grateful that Pause gave us the opportunity to begin learning about these topics. 

At the end of the Pause devotional, students are encouraged to use what they have learned to take a new step. For me, the next step was an internship at Show Hope. I wanted to be more deeply involved in the work that God is doing through this organization. 

This past summer, I was able to move from Michigan to Franklin, Tennessee, and spend eight weeks with Show Hope. Through my time with the organization, I shadowed each team and sat down with every employee. It was so beautiful to see the organization’s work from every angle and to be invited to participate in what the Lord is doing.

During my time at Show Hope, I was able to travel to the Southern Baptist Convention [Annual Meeting] and also attend the Care Centers Legacy Reunion. At these two events, I had the opportunity to connect with a few high school age girls who reminded me a lot of myself. Each of them uniquely shared her heart for children who are vulnerable, and some expressed desires to adopt when they are older. I was able to encourage these girls that God wants to use them even now. We do not have to wait until a certain age to become participants in God’s restorative work. We can learn, pray, and speak right where we are. 

As I learn to be confident in the way God has equipped me even now, I continually come back to this passage in 1 Timothy: “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” (1 Timothy 4:12, NIV). My involvement with Student Initiatives has helped me walk out this verse in such a tangible way. I’ve experienced Show Hope intentionally equipping students, like me, with the resources and encouragement we need to walk in the gifts and passions God has given us. Praise be to God!