Saving Levi Discussion Guide Chapter 1: Left to Die On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the hardest), how difficult is it for you to understand how a badly burned baby could have been left to die in a field? Do the possible explanations in this chapter ring true to you? Why or why not? What would you have done if you d been in the shoes of each of these people? Why? the baby s parents Mr. Wang the village leader If this baby had been discovered in a field outside your town, what might have happened next? If you were invited to visit the baby in the hospital, would you go? Would your church get involved? Why or why not? Read Psalm 139:13-16. How does this passage apply to the baby described in this chapter? What do you think the writer of this psalm would have done if he were in the crowd of villagers staring at the baby? Chapter 2: China Heart The author admits, I just didn t have a heart for the Chinese people. What do you think she means by that? Which of the following countries would you say you have a heart for? Why do we tend to feel differently about different nations? China
Canada Zimbabwe The United Kingdom Iran The United States Mexico Australia North Korea Read Acts 10:34-35; Romans 2:9-11; and John 3:16. What do these verses say about which countries God has a heart for? Read Exodus 2:5-10. How was this incident similar to the author s experience of seeing the baby in the hospital? Has God ever used your feelings of compassion to help someone who was suffering? If so, what happened? Chapter 3: Fire Gift When the doctors prognosis for Levi was grim, the author thought, Please, God, don t make him hurt anymore. When a loved one is suffering and appears to be facing death, should we pray for healing, for God s will, or for release from pain? How should a Christian make decisions about issues like this one? Read Luke 10:25-37. How are the attitudes and actions of the characters in the parable of the Good Samaritan like those of people in this chapter? Do you believe God arranged the meeting with Mr. Sun and the events surrounding it? If so, why? If not, why not?
Have you seen what appears to be God s intervention in any of the following situations? If so, what happened? when you were looking for a job when a friend or family member was sick or in an accident when you needed encouragement when you needed money other Chapter 4: Holding Vigil in Beijing Look at this baby. He s so badly burned. If he even survives, he ll never be anything. He s not even your child. Why do you want to save this baby? Why not just let nature take its course? How would you answer these questions from one of the doctors? How do the aforementioned comments and questions from the doctor echo arguments sometimes made in favor of abortion and euthanasia? What sanctity of life and quality of life issues often are raised in these cases? How were Lisa s and Tim s hopes for Levi similar? Do you think most women and men would react differently to the baby s situation? Why or why not? Look again at Matthew 13:44 and portions of Psalm 118, both of which are quoted in this chapter. How do you think an adult Levi, looking back at his beginnings, would feel about these passages? Chapter 5: From Beijing to Boston How many people in this chapter stepped up to help Levi? Were they all Christians? What conclusions might you draw from this about human nature, faith, and those God chooses to accomplish His purposes?
How many amazing coincidences can you count in this chapter? Would you call them miracles? Why or why not? What effects did the events of this chapter have on the author s faith? How was she stretched to do things outside her comfort zone? What s one event in your own life that required you to rely on God in a new way? What was the result? Chapter 6: Bind and Unite Which of the following people do you think is the hero of this book? Why? the author Levi God everyone who helped Levi other What was the significance of Levi s name to Traci and Lisa? Do you know anyone whose name seems to reflect God s involvement in his or her life? If so, explain. What does the author mean by another jug of milk on the doorstep? Has God ever provided just what you needed when you needed it? If so, what long-term effect has that had on your relationship with Him?
Look in a Bible concordance to see how many times the words compassion and compassionate are used to describe God. How do people s responses to meeting Levi reflect God s nature? Why might this be true regardless of the individuals faith? Chapter 7: Turning in My Keys for Heaven What was it about [Levi] that made everyone want to drop what they were doing and help? How would you answer this question? With so many suffering people in the world, why do you suppose most of them don t get the help Levi did? How many amazing coincidences can you find in this chapter? How many instances of God s provision do you see? Which were answers to prayer, and which were more like the situation described in Isaiah 65:24? How do you feel about the Bentleys decision to choose China? How did their choice likely affect the following? their children the orphans they cared for their creditors Levi When you consider the differences between living standards in countries like China and those in countries like the United States, which of the following comes closest to your attitude? Which do you think comes closest to God s perspective? I feel guilty. It s not my problem. I deserve better. I sold what I had and gave to the poor. Other
Chapter 8: Angels All Around You must simply love in deed first, and the feelings of love will follow.... The New Testament teaches that love is a decision to act. Love is always about what you do for others, not what you feel. Do you agree? Why or why not? If you ve ever extended or received this kind of love, what happened? When it comes to the kind of help you can give those in need, which of the following people are you most like? John Watkins, using your influence in high places the consul general, using your official authority Norman Kaplan and Ron Martin, giving financial help Kay Warren, spreading the word Sandra Suzio, organizing a team the Baptist men, doing the legwork Pick a need in your group, church, or town. Using the resources or skills you identified in the previous question, come up with a plan to meet that need. How will you carry it out during the next month or so? Chapter 9: Light in Me Why did Miao Miao say, I don t believe God? Has disappointment ever made it hard for you to trust God or other believers? If so, what have you learned from those times? If the Chinese woman who adopted baby Grace wrote a book about her experience, how might it be similar to this one? How might it be different? How would you rank the following obstacles from most difficult to overcome to least difficult? Why? SARS
Ian s fever the Bentleys lack of money the refusal of Lisa s father to get her birth certificate Name two obstacles you re currently facing. Does reading Levi s story give you hope about overcoming them? Why or why not? What s the significance of the chapter title? How might this new name have encouraged Miao Miao? What name from your own culture might do the same? Chapter 10: A Child Shall Lead Them How did Orly change after being adopted? How do people sometimes change after being adopted into God s family? Why do you think the orphanage received so many celebrity visitors and so much media attention? How can being in the spotlight help or hurt individuals and organizations trying to serve God? If a family from China, Russia, or Africa started an orphanage in the United States, how might people in the United States respond? How does that compare with the way people responded to the Bentleys? Which of the following do you think made the biggest sacrifice in order to help the orphans? Why? the Chinese military doctors the Lady Mayoress of London the U.S. Labor Secretary
the mayor who offered six acres for one dollar Chapter 11: Putting Things Right How would you define guanxi without using the word relationship? Which of the following seems to come closest to the concept? bribery networking It s not what you know; it s who you know. other Does the role of guanxi, human initiative, and publicity in Levi s story detract from God s role? Why or why not? The author mentions the strains placed on her marriage and family by the work she and her husband did with orphans. If the Bentleys were doing God s will, how could it have had a negative impact on their relationship? How might their experience serve as a caution to others? What do you think kept Levi going through his pain, surgeries, and struggles to make the most of his abilities? How would you rank the following influences, from strongest to weakest? the Bentleys love Levi s determination God s power the support of doctors and others How would you sum up Levi s story in ten words or less? What word best describes how you feel after reading it?