Tomorrow is my brother's 38th birthday. Here he is in 2001 with my Dad. We were in Destin and were headed out to eat dinner. My brother is such a quiet and privately sad part of my life. But, regardless of all the sadness and regret, I want my boys to know who their Uncle Chuck was and is. There are a million things I could write but I'll save those for the posts in my head. Happy Birthday big brother!
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Yes, Happy Birthday to my most wonderful, most extraordinary son, Charles Odis "Chuck" McCall, III.
To help you know Chuck better, I will say...
Chuck was graduated from Oklahoma State University with a B.S., International Business. (Languages: German, French, English.) He was graduated from Rhema Bible School, Emphasis: Missions. Chuck is a missionary and was working for Souffle Nouveau in Southern France when the auto accident happened on a narrow roadway along the Mediterranean coast on May 30, 2002. On June 09 the kindest, most brilliant and finest young man in the world went to Heaven.
At Chuck's memorial service in Nice, France, a few days later,
from Germany, from Italy, from other parts of France people spoke publicly of Chuck's greatness and what he had meant to them personally. I had not realized until that day that Chuck had been extensively influential to a broad spectrum. (Chuck, quietly and brilliantly worked. Much like his sister it is only afterward that one realizes the greatness.) Claude Payan, a French artist, sang for him, to him.
At Chuck's Memorial Service in the United States from the same church of his dedication to the Lord 29 years earlier, many remembered the little boy, the young child, and the young man, who quietly daily walked a deep faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. On that particular day, a double rainbow appeared and remained over the church as we exited the building and made our way to the cemetery, where Chuck's body lies waiting, today.
In the Fall of 2002, Chuck was honored yet, again, at Rhema Bible School with a special Memorial Service, where Dean McCallam spoke of his love and respect for Chuck, a young man after God's own heart.
To honor Chuck's life and work, we translated/published ten of his favorite books in French. We built one church in Madagascar and completed another elsewhere. We, also, completed numerous other projects for him in the South of France.
Even though a day does not pass without my thinking about my precious son and missing him, I am greatly comforted to know that one day we will be together again.
The Bible clearly says, The ones asleep in Christ shall rise first and we, believers, who are alive (on the earth) shall join those believers and be with them forever...
I am so very proud of you, Chuck, yesterday, today, and always.
Happy Birthday, Chuck McCall!!!
Your Mother, Forever... and a day...
PS: Thank you, Celia, for allowing me to post on this the ninth year of Chuck's home going...
glad you shared this, celia. thinking of you friend. hugs from MN.
I love you, Little Brother. You are my "twin" and left me alone far, far too soon.
I will see you in Heaven one day!
(Thanks, Celia, for the heads up about this; even with the warning, it is painful touching a part of me, that like you, I mostly keep hidden away.)
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