By Bethany Atkinson
“God always writes stories for our lives that are so much better than we can write for ourselves.” – Suzannah Britt
For Anthony and Suzannah Britt of Madison, life in 2019 felt settled. With two high-schoolers, Hannah Rae and Russ Taylor, they believed their parenting days were nearing a new, quieter season. What they didn’t realize was that God was preparing to write a new and beautiful chapter in their story.
That August, Anthony – who serves as missions pastor at First Baptist Church of Madison – traveled with their daughter, Hannah Rae, and team to Shell, Ecuador, to serve at Casa de Fe, a faith-based children’s home founded by missionary Patti Sue Arnold. During their time there, Patti Sue introduced them to an energetic young boy named Telmo — and gently planted the idea of a possible adoption.
Back home in Mississippi, Suzannah began hearing about Telmo through FaceTime calls. Suzannah couldn’t help but notice that Hannah Rae always seemed to have him nearby. “I remember thinking they might be up to something,” Suzannah laughs. “But I was ready with all the reasons we couldn’t adopt, mainly that we were too old! One child was about to start college, and the other had just begun high school.”
Still, Anthony felt a stirring he couldn’t ignore — the sense that God was weaving something greater through their uncertainty. He told Hannah Rae that if adoption was truly part of God’s plan, they would pray for Him to move her mom’s heart. In time, they began to witness a gentle shift only grace could bring.
A few months later, their church hosted Dr. Paul Chitwood, president of the International Mission Board. He shared how adoption had shaped his own family, saying that every child deserves the love of a mother and a father. “It was as if God was speaking directly to me,” Suzannah recalls. “From that day on, I couldn’t stop thinking about Telmo.”
In March 2020, the Britts returned to Ecuador on a spring break mission trip. On the very first day, Suzannah watched as Anthony and Hannah Rae laughed and played with Telmo, and her heart instantly melted. “Leaving him at the end of the week was heartbreaking,” she reflects. “I knew then that we were supposed to bring him home.”
The next 18 months were filled with paperwork, prayer, and God’s undeniable provision. Family, friends, their church community, and the local ministry Hearts of Compassion surrounded them with encouragement and support. Looking back, the Britts still become emotional remembering how faithfully God provided every step of the way.
In October 2021, after seven weeks in Ecuador to complete the final requirements, the Britts brought Telmo home just in time for Thanksgiving.
Now, four years later, they can’t imagine life without him. “People often tell us how lucky Telmo is to have us,” Anthony says. “But we always tell them it’s the other way around — we’re the blessed ones.”
Telmo, now in seventh grade at Germantown Middle School, is non-speaking but communicates through gestures, sign language, and a communication device. He’s known for his bright smile, quick high-fives, and love of compliments — especially about his outfits. His latest fashion signature? Wearing a bowtie to church like his dad.
While praying about Telmo’s future, the Britts found themselves inspired to create something that reflected his cheerful spirit and celebrated joy and creativity. In October 2024, they opened Eunice B’s Gift Wrap & More in Ridgeland, named after Suzannah’s grandmother. The store offers gift wrapping, thoughtful gifts, and charming paper goods.
Telmo proudly serves as the store’s “manager.” He visits after school and on Saturdays, greets customers with high fives, samples the snacks, and creates bowties from leftover ribbons. “Our hope,” Suzannah says, “is that Eunice B’s will always be a place where Telmo can share his joy while helping customers celebrate life’s moments, big and small.”
For the Britt family, adoption has been more than an act of love — it’s been a living testimony of God’s perfect timing and the kind of joy that only He can create.
Bethany Atkinson is a graphic designer in the nonprofit news space who loves using creativity to shine a light on people’s stories. A Madison native now living in Brandon, she shares her days with her husband and their beloved mutt, Dexter.