Not Ready to Retire

Born in the spring of 1931, Sylvia Pollard grew up as one of 12 children on a farm in Kentucky. She attended a one-room schoolhouse, milked cows, fed farm animals, and at 16, heard the Gospel and received Christ.

The news was not well received at home. Forbidden by her father to attend Sunday school, Sylvia continued her education into teaching until age 21, when she was free to follow God’s call on her life. “The Lord had been so good to me, to send missionaries to me,” said Sylvia, “I felt the Lord’s calling to me to be a missionary.”

Her teaching experience and further education served her well through 35 years in Kenya, where at age 38, she married single missionary Herb Pollard. Over the following eight years, they had three daughters, her last at age 46.

Like many at SLM, Sylvia and Herb found their way here after retirement age. The work in Africa was left with trained nationals and thrives today. Once at SLM, Herb worked in the print shop and Sylvia graded lessons. “I found my niche,” she says.

After Herb’s graduation to Heaven in 2015, Sylvia remained at SLM. Her students now are mostly prisoners and missionary kids. Sylvia, our eldest missionary, grades the lessons of SLM’s youngest on-site students, a testament to the continued cycle of God’s grace here.

Sylvia still walks to and from the mission and maintains her garden. She lives alone, and misses her husband, but has no desire to leave SLM. “I know this is where I belong,” she says. “Why would I sit in a rocking chair and dry up?”

Even at 91, Sylvia says with assurance, “I’m not ready to retire.”

Her example of steadfastness and commitment to God’s work are both worthy of the honor we give her here today.