Celebrating Suzy McCall’s 30 Years on the Mission Field
On Sunday, May 16, dear friends and family members came from as far away as New Jersey and Georgia to celebrate Suzy McCall’s 30 years on the mission field at an event cohosted by St. Peter’s Anglican Church in Mt. Pleasant (the church Bishop T.J. Johnston planted some years ago) and LAMB, the ministry Suzy founded in 1999. Can you believe it has been that long since that April morning when she preached her farewell sermon at St. Philip’s?
The short program began with songs led by St. Peter’s worship leaders. Then I and three other speakers gave short reflections, or palabras (words), as they say in Honduras: Margaret Merritt, Executive Director of LAMB; the Rev. Hank Avent, friend, former LAMB Chaplain, and SAMS (Society of Anglican Missionaries and Senders) board member; and Margaret Presson, Suzy’s dear friend from St. Peter’s. Then, in the tradition of palabras, Suzy responded powerfully.
She explained that when the Lord brought four babies to her house within a week back in 2003, it became clear to her that He was leading LAMB to respond to the great need that poverty-stricken mothers have to care for their children and still put food on the table. Mothers do not want to give up their babies, but desperation sometimes makes it the only choice. The daycare was built and dedicated in 2005, but over time, as the enrolled children got older, it was squeezed out by the start of an elementary school. Despite efforts to continue to offer the daycare to the community, the school continued to grow, and less and less space was available for the daycare.
Recently LAMB was given the opportunity to buy a piece of property right across from the school, and now the dream for a more robust daycare program will become a reality. Suzy charged everyone with “yes, we are older, but there is still so much work to do!” This is no time to relax. The country of Honduras is doing poorly, and the Lord is calling us forward to see more of His Kingdom work done.
The event was also a precious time of connecting with old and new friends of Suzy’s from over the years. She received two beautiful books filled with special messages transcribed from the sweet staff and young people from LAMB Honduras, as well as friends stateside; those at the event also added their own messages. Lots of love and prayers poured out for Suzy and her family on Sunday. She has faithfully walked the way of the cross all these years and has seen God accomplish things that only He can do in the lives of so many precious ones in Honduras.
Suzy is the rare lifetime missionary. Honduras is her home now, and she is super ready to return on May 31 with her two children with her on this trip and get back to the community at LAMB and the rest of her family. What a great privilege it is for us at St. Philip’s to be able to support Suzy and her family as she serves the Lord in Honduras.