She Cares

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8)

They’re going to make a movie about her.

That’s what I thought after spending two hours with Susie Jennings, glued to every word as she shared her story. Jennings, a former nurse and founder of Operation Care International, is a current-day Mother Teresa whose mission began with helping the homeless in downtown Dallas, but has now expanded world-wide.

Providing blankets for the homeless under the Canton Street overpass in Dallas transformed into a Christmas party for the homeless at the Dallas Convention Center where Jennings and her team served more than 6,000 homeless adults and 2,500 children. In 2013, at the 10^th annual Christmas Gift for the Homeless, there were 3300 volunteers caring for the more than 8,000 homeless who attended.

Our Almighty God gives Susie God-sized projects!

Since that first Dallas outreach to the homeless at Christmas, God also called Susie to reach the homeless and impoverished children in India, Africa, Taiwan, China, Indonesia and now, Israel. She has built schools, provided clinics and gathered up thousands of shoes, backpacks and other needed items for the children in these countries. More importantly, she and her Operation Care team have also shared the Gospel with the children and have seen scores of them accept Christ.

Susie calls it “unconditional obedience” that led her first to the streets of Dallas, then all over the world. In 2007, she even became homeless for a day and night. Susie admits she was in constant fear for her life but she wanted to better understand what the homeless experience on a daily basis.

And what was the catalyst for Susie’s unconditional obedience? The untimely death of her beloved husband of nine years, David, whose life was cut short by suicide. “When I saw David’s remains,” Susie said, “my legs went limp and color disappeared from everything in sight. I fell to the ground and shouted, ‘Why, David? Why?’ Grief stricken, a pastor assisted me to my feet and escorted me away. Topping the hill I cried out, ‘God give me strength!’ Instantaneously what felt like a bolt of electricity entered the tips of my toes, traveling through my body, and out of my mouth. In its wake was peace that lifted my sorrow and left me feeling weightless.”

In the months after her husband’s death, Susie says she asked God, “What can I do for you?” That’s when God began to give Susie her assignments. For most of us, we wouldn’t know where to begin, but Susie allowed God to lead her through every step.

This summer, Susie and Operation Care International will stage an event in the Holy Land called “Feeding the Five Thousand.” Susie says, It’s our largest ever event for children and we are praying that God will move and open the hearts of God’s people as we minister to them by providing for them backpacks, T shirts, shoes, socks and food! Changing lives, changing the world, one life at a time.”

Have you ever asked the question Susie asked? “What can I do for you God?” John 14:12 says, “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”

Susie is doing even greater things because she believes in the power of Christ. Our challenge today is to follow Susie’s example and ask, “What can I do for you God?” Are we ready for the answer? LBW

Operation Care needs your help! If you feel called to volunteer or contribute to its mission, visit www.opcare.org