Believing in God in a Children's Hospital

In the twentieth century we had bumper stickers on cars. A "bumper sticker mentality" described beliefs so simplistic that they could be put on a bumper sticker.  The modern version of this simplicity is the Facebook meme, a simplistic idea that spreads on Facebook, shared by the small percentage of people who actually agree with the simplistic post. (Did I mention that these ideas are simplistic??)

Here is a meme that recently came across my FB feed:

This FB bumper sticker briefly mentions two legitimate issues in philosophy and religion, but, of course, it just touches on the tip of these philosophical icebergs, as if they were shallow concepts, not deep. An atheist may attempt to explain away beauty as mere illusion while Christians must deal with the problem of evil and pain.

A children's hospital will rub one's face in the problem of pain.

But the problem of evil has a long and deep discussion within Christian philosophy, going back to the book of Job in the Old Testament and discussed in some depth by C. S. Lewis in  his book  The Problem of Pain at the end of World War II.

I am vividly reminded of this meme by some recent visits to a hospital, Children's Minnesota in St. Paul.

Most of us do not visit children's hospitals because we are curious or because we have philosophical questions. For many of us, a visit to a children's hospital is forced on us by the pain and grief of an ill child that we dearly love. Years ago, Jan and I visited a children's hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan, at the invitation of a frightened young couple whose daughter was critically ill. I recall tearing up and crying, just getting off the elevator. The sight of numerous children bundled into hospital beds with anxious parents standing nearby -- all that innocent suffering -- it was overwhelming.  

I had the same feeling this time. This time the sick little girl was my granddaughter and the anxious parents were my son and daughter-in-law. This deepened the pain. We cried and prayed over the little bundle in the hospital bed and worried and hoped -- and then rejoiced -- as she slowly got better.

During the week that our granddaughter was in the PICU at Children's Minnesota, she was treated by devoted nurses and doctors. This began in the hurried flurry of activity in the ER as the little girl was admitted and then continued throughout the week.  (We have hopes that our granddaughter will be discharged later in the coming week!)  

In addition to experienced and dedicated staff, there were a variety of other support services, including the Ronald McDonald Family Room in a nearby wing of the hospital. The "Family Room" has friendly staff and many awesome resources for parents and family members dealing with a child in a nearby wing. The "Family Room" includes four private sleeping rooms and a kitchen with lots of different foods (some ready to be microwaved.) There was a bright, exceptional children’s play area with staff who were ready to play with young children. Guest could do laundry, take a shower, nap, relax, recover.  They could talk to other families; home-cooked meals are offered on a regular schedule. Yes, it is traumatic to have a child in this part of the hospital but the staff understand the suffering and they help families eat, sleep, grieve and then hurry back to hovering over their child’s bed. Alex and Sierra had opportunities to meet other anxious couples at the Ronald McDonald house during their visits.

If there is to be pain and evil in the world, I am grateful that there are places like a children's hospital, where one can see a variety of caring people reaching out, as a hand of God, to hurting families. Each actor, whether doctor, nurse, security, or Family Room staff, each seems to be using his or her talents in critical acts of compassion.  I am grateful to God for children's hospitals.