When I was a little girl I met many different mission field workers. Our church was very mission minded and we often had them visit in our home. At the age of 11, I felt the Lord was calling me to do this as well. But every time I thought of going to another country, I was afraid God would send me to Africa. I was certain if I went there I would be eaten by cannibals! So, I ran the opposite direction… until now.

My name is Susan Heagy. I am a citizen of the United States, dividing my time between America and Israel. Let me tell you how it all came about…

I am the youngest of three girls, born into a loving Christian family outside of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. If you have ever watched “The Waltons” on TV, that’s a good description of my growing-up years. I was blessed to have a wonderful childhood and godly parents. I accepted the Lord at the age of five, frightened by the ‘hellfire and brimstone’ sermon that was common in those days. I wanted to make sure my family did not go to heaven without me, so I asked the Lord into my life. I understood that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, His Only Son. I also knew Jesus died on the cross, put there by my sin. If I had been the only human on earth, He still would have died so I could enter heaven to be with Him forever. His sacrifice for me was because He loved me – even before I was born. Even if I rejected the eternal life He offered, He still would have shed His blood to give me that choice. I took advantage of that opportunity and asked Him to be my Savior. The Lord has been looking after me ever since.

I married young and had four wonderful children, three girls and one boy. Over the next thirty years I was involved in their lives and the outreach of our church. Once they were all grown I began working full time. Since then three of my children have married and I am a grandmother of four. My marriage was not doing well and eventually ended in divorce. I then turned my efforts to working my way up in my field, achieving a manager position in Mississippi. It was difficult leaving my children and grandchildren, so I buried myself in my work. Through God everything I did prospered. I was living a very unbalanced life, working 90 to 100 hours a week, with no time left for God. In spite of myself, the Lord blessed and moved me up the ladder of success.

During this time I began thinking of my original desire to go to the mission field. In my logical mind I thought God would be pleased if I became very successful, made plenty of money and became a self-sustaining worker! Actually, if I had been honest with myself, I was trying to avoid living by faith. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). But that was not what God had in mind – at least, not to do it my way.

I moved to San Antonio, Texas to climb the corporate ladder. Six months later I was unemployed. After the panic subsided at finding myself without a job, God finally had my attention. It was time for Him to take over. Within a few weeks I ‘knew’ in my heart that the Lord was going to put me into full-time ministry. It was both exhilarating and frightening at the same time. Ministry, yes. But doing what? My sister sent me airfare to Israel to spend two weeks there and think about my future. Before I left, and during my stay, I had many dreams, received words from the Lord and had visions. On the plane coming back, with no job or income to return to, I cried out to the Lord. I asked Him to give me His compassion and increase my faith. Wow. Little did I realize what I had just asked. I would soon find out.

I began attending services at an evangelical church nearby and my life was forever changed. I renewed my relationship with my Heavenly Father and formed friendships with other believers. I began learning more about God, the scriptures, and was baptized in the Holy Spirit. After attending Leadership School I became a home study Leader. I also was privileged to take part in the weekly intercessory prayer in the Women's Group. I just soaked up as much of the Holy Spirit as I could.

During this period of time the Lord saw fit to keep me unemployed. Though I continued to apply for jobs, I could not find any position. I even got turned down by a fast-food chicken restaurant! I literally trusted the Lord to supply my needs each day. I went through months when I had no more than 50 cents in my bank account and no money in my purse. Yet my God supplied all. Every month my bills and rent were paid. When I added up the money that came in, it never added up to what went out. God’s math of trust does not equal man’s math of logic. He was increasing my ability to trust and have faith in Him.

In October of 2002 the Holy Spirit started something new in my life and in my apartment! One Sunday after church I had invited some friends over for lunch. We spent the entire afternoon in prayer and talking of the goodness of God. We enjoyed it so much, we decided to do it again and invite some others. That was just the beginning. We made invitations and called it SAFE, Sunday Afternoon Fellowship Event. Then I, along with some beautiful, spirit-filled women, began inviting visitors to my home for lunch every Sunday afternoon. This is a real challenge and step of faith when you have a small apartment! The reaction was fantastic! The Holy Spirit was there every week and we never knew how many would show up or what would happen. Everyone spoke of what God was doing in their lives and we prayed for each person. We were privileged to see healings, deliverances, salvation, new friendships formed, personal situations altered and everyone blessed. In one year we had over 300 people from five different countries and ten different states join us. Some have continued to maintain contact with us.

The funny thing is… I did not have enough food to feed all those people. But each Sunday there was always food left over – food to last the week for myself and others in need. I was living proof of the loaves and fishes miracle. It was also an exercise for me in faith, trust and hospitality; a training, a preparation… but for what? What did God have in mind?At I first I thought God intended for me to work in my local church, but it soon became clear that was not His plan. Jeremiah 29:11 promises God has a plan for each of us. I was depending on the truth of that verse. I slowly began to realize He was preparing me for something else. I hadn’t forgotten His promise to place me in full-time ministry. During this time I had made close friends and developed bonds, learning the compassion of Jesus, Y'shua. The idea of leaving to go anywhere was scary, but I wanted very much to be where my God wanted me to be. I passionately wanted the “desires of my heart” to be those of God. I began to pray and plead to know where the Lord wanted me. When I learned of Holocaust Survivors living in Israel, I suddenly knew that was where I had to go, and I had to go immediately.

After much prayer I decided on a short-term mission trip of six months. I thought, “Let’s see what God has in mind.” As soon as I stepped into the water of my own personal Red Sea, things opened right up. A number of wonderful friends helped me prepare, gave me a place to live after giving up my apartment, offered assistance for my ministry needs and precious believers began giving funds to get me started. It all fell into place due to the grace of God and the prayers being poured out in my behalf. I received a commissioning of the Lord to step out, trust Him and see what He can do with an unemployed but willing Child of God. After taking time to visit my children, grandchildren, family and friends, I arrived in Israel on January 25th 2004.

In a town, located in the Negev Desert, I had the opportunity to begin a ministry to the Russian Holocaust Survivors. Through the local Holocaust Association, I was given a personal introduction to each survivor.

The Russian Holocaust survivors here were just the beginning of this outreach. They are elderly and lonely, feeling no one remembers them. They have suffered much and lost most or all of their families during the Holocaust. The main aspect of this ministry is visitation, extending kindness and love. Our current list includes 176 Survivors and 10 needy elderly. We have several translators in six different cities who assist us. We accept donations to gather and prepare boxes of food staples, toiletries, blankets or other needs, delivering them to each one. We have also begun a new assistance by purchasing monthly coupons they can redeem at the grocery, book store or other participating stores. When we visit we offer prayer along with their "daily bread." I wish you could see the joy on their faces when we show up at their door. By maintaining contact, these brave souls of past horrors are cared for and not forgotten.

Besides the visitation to survivors, we have begun a new program for Believers adopting Holocaust Survivors. In Psalms 68:5&6, God showed me the importance of placing each survivor into a family, especially since they lost their own.

If you would like to take a survivor into your heart, email us and we will send you information on how you can bless them. An entire people group, the Russian Holocaust Survivors, have touched my heart. Now the Lord is bringing us other Survivors as well. They have a unique sadness that cries out for relief. That relief is only found in Jesus, Y'shua, their Messiah. We, as Believers, need to offer the incomparable love of God to each one. We need to be His Hands giving love, letting God do the talking.

In addition, when in Israel, I visit other congregations and continue to search out more Holocaust Survivors, expanding into other cities. I am slowly learning Hebrew and Russian, trying not to get them mixed up! Now we have also added Polish Survivors to our 'family' of Survivors.

Oh, and that "six-month short term" visit? It turned out God had a longer plan in mind. I'm blessed with the opportunity to continue to visit with these special people, survivors of the Holocaust.

The land of Israel is a beautiful country filled with a mixture of over 110 nationalities, fascinating people of various colors and cultures. This is God’s country, the people who are the apple of God’s eye. “Bless Israel and you will be blessed.” (Genesis 12:3) I am here to bless His people in any way I can. I desire to do the will of the Father. Won't you join me?

May you be blessed by The Potter who made you
by Jehovah Jireh who provides for you
and by Y'shua, the Messiah, who saved you.

Shalom to you and all your household.

Susan Heagy