Susie Yanson Jennings is Founder and President of Operation Care International. A Registered Nurse by profession since 1978, Susie stepped out in faith and obedience to God’s calling leading to her resignation from a supervisory position at Baylor University Medical Center Dallas in January 2011. She then became a full time missionary to those in need. Susie continues to lead OCI with the help of a board of directors and a multitude of volunteers.

Susie joined First Baptist Church Dallas in 1982, within months of arriving in the United States from her home in the Philippines. She received invaluable Biblical knowledge under the teaching of the legendary Dr. W.A. Criswell, one of the godliest men she has known. She taught preschoolers for twenty (20) years at her church.

Desiring to serve God and her community after the tragic death of her husband, God called Susie to give blankets to the homeless in downtown Dallas in November 1993. The homeless called her, “The Blanket Lady.” That modest beginning was the genesis of Operation Care International (OCI), which has grown to encompass multiple ministries and major events each year in Dallas, Texas as well as missions to the homeless and destitute children in nations around the world.

Her guiding principle for the vision of OCI is in Romans 8:28, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

Bruce J. Butler is the new CEO of Union Gospel Mission (UGM) Dallas. Bruce, a native Texan, started his volunteer service at UGM in 1990 as a kitchen worker and a chapel provider. In 1993, he preached his first sermons in the UGM Chapel. In the same year, Bruce was elected to their Board of Directors.

Bruce graduated from the University of North Texas with a Master’s Degree in taxation and an undergraduate in accounting. He worked as a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Internal Auditors. Bruce was also a member of the TSPCA’s and the Institute of Internal Auditors, and was elected as treasurer of the Denton Baptist Association in 2012.

Bruce also earned his Master of Divinity degree at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. Currently, Bruce greatly enjoys his role as Pastor of Victory Fellowship Church in Denton, Texas.

Bruce lives in Denton with his wife of 33 years Sharon who works as a CPA in the U.S. Treasury Department. They have one son, Bruce J. Butler, II who is now in college, enrolled at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona.

Bruce’s desire is to win the best, encourage the weak and lonely, and be a significant help to Operation Care in reaching out to the world.

His favorite verse is Psalm 46:1-2, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth should change.”

Board member Michelle Welch began her service with Operation Care in 2011 by volunteering in the ministry warehouse and by participating in the annual Christmas Gift for the Homeless for several years. She joined other volunteers in washing the feet of homeless men and women and in caring for their personal and spiritual needs.

In 2014 Michelle traveled with the Operation Care team to the Holy Land as part of Feed the 5,000, an evangelism outreach to Israel. As parents of four daughters, she and her husband Don are active in Covenant Church, where Michelle praises with the choir and is a leader in Celebrate Recovery, a Christ-centered 12-step program. Her ministry background includes volunteering with Kairos Prison Ministry International, Via de Cristo, and Epiphany, a ministry to incarcerated youth. She has been the manager of Valero and Country Stores for twenty years.

Michelle’s favorite scripture, I Peter 2:9, illustrates her devotion to serving Christ and ministering to the needs of His people:
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possessions, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.”

Dave Lo, the newest member of our Board of Directors, started serving the homeless by handing out peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in downtown Dallas. He has been volunteering for Operation Care International since the second Christmas Gift event and wants to bring his many years of knowledge and experience as an independent Financial Adviser as well as the compassion and servant-leadership he practices as the founder and director of Community Outreach for Lily of the Valley Community Outreach in Collin County to this ministry.

Dave is newly married but was previously a widower of 4 and 1/2 yrs. His newly wed wife Sissi works for a Chinese Investment firm in Houston. He has two girls and a boy. His first daughter is working in finance at Bank of America, his second daughter a college sophomore studying to be a medical doctor and his son, a 10th grader in high school.

Dave's goal in life is to be a vessel made of gold and silver for the Lord to use. He hopes to be able to obey the Lord's 2 greatest commandments, and to allow ministry, like Operation Care, help mold him to be more like Christ.

Dave has two favorite verses. The first is Matthew 19:26 "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" and the second is Psalm 127:1 and 2 "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it, Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. In vain, you rise up early, and sit up late, toiling for food to eat, for He grants sleep to those whom He loves."

Kerry Knott has been a volunteer to Operation Care for 7 years. He was raised by godly parents, Ron (former Delta Pilot) and Sharon Knott. He has a loving sister, Kristi Knott. Kerry joined the Board of Directors in November 2013. He is like a gentle giant, loves to serve and has a big heart for Jesus.

Kerry is the proud father of Kaylea who is a member of the National Junior Honor Society, in the choir and is competes in Visual Arts Scholastic Event (VASE), a state wide art competition. He is the owner of Wholesale Car Dealership called Viking Auto Group and Norseman Real Estate which is an investment group. His hobbies are flying, skiing ad rock climbing.

His favorite verse is Isaiah 40:31, which is, “but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

Binh Lam is one of the newest board members of Operation Care International and has been supporting the organization in various volunteer capacities over the past few years. He brings his experience as the Director of Technology at RETC to Operation Care in hopes that he can be a simple, willing, and faithful servant to the Lord.

Binh and his wife Sapier have been married for over twelve years and are proud parents to their twelve-year-old foster daughter, Annyat, who came to them from Myanmar. They are recent residents to Flower Mound and currently attend Valley Creek Church near their home. Over the past seven years, they have also served as bible study youth leaders at a local Cambodian church in Carrollton.

Binh’s favorite scripture, John 13:34-35, expresses his desire for increased unity within the body of the Christ and how this can have a profound evangelical impact upon the world: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

When Burgundy Bearden Eaton came to Operation Care as a volunteer from First Baptist Church of Dallas, she told Susie Jennings, “You are living my dream.” She had always wanted to serve in missions, but after marriage and the responsibilities of a growing family, Burgundy decided her mission field would be right here at home.

Now blessed with four grown daughters and seven grandchildren, she considers it a blessing to be part of OCI’s team of volunteers.

Burgundy has a varied work background, including traveling for BMS Cat, Inc. and working in banking with the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas . As a resident of Coppell, she has served on PTO boards for many Coppell ISD schools and has helped open three elementary schools.

Growing up in Lubbock, Burgundy was exposed to the preaching of Dr. W.A. Criswell, whose teaching greatly influenced her spiritual life. She determined that if her family ever lived in the Dallas area they would drive to First Baptist Church, whatever the distance. After her husband was transferred to Coppell, Burgundy joined the church and has volunteered many years as a Sunday School and Vacation Bible School teacher. In 2003, she joined other church members who boarded a bus to help out at a charitable Christmas event. It was not until 15 years later when reading the book, ”31 Days of Mountain Top Miracles”, she realized her group of volunteers had been partnering with Susie Jennings, the event’s founder.

Burgundy’s dream of serving in missions came true when she realized she could do missionary work at her home church and in this city. She considers helping the homeless by serving on the board for Operation Care to be an answer to her heart’s prayer.