Monday, October 10, 2016

Taking a Step of Faith...


October 10, 2016

Dear Friends,

It is with a mixture of sadness and anticipation that we announce our resignation from CBF.  We will continue to serve in Romania until December 15, 2016.  At that time, we will transition to NC to begin six months of OFA, culminating in the 2017 CBF General Assembly. 

The US Government says we are too young to retire so we will be looking for employment that honors God and makes use of our talents and experiences.  We look toward that future with anticipation and ask for your prayers that God will lead us in that process.

Our resignation comes due to several factors with the most compelling being the cumulative separation from family over the near 22 years of service with CBF.  Our parents have experienced aging and health issues and the distance has prevented us from assisting our siblings in their care.  We have a grandson who turned two in August and we want to be a part of his young life.  We will settle in the Triad area of NC (Greensboro, Winston-Salem, High Point).

Our sadness comes from leaving several things dear to us:

1.    The Romany people to whom we dedicated these past 22 years. 

2.    Project Ruth – the Ruth School students and Staff, the Gypsy Smith School students and diverse faculty and the Naomi Center with the women Tammy has come to love.

3.    Our Romanian and Hungarian friends who welcomed us into their families and their churches and their countries.

We wish to express deep appreciation for our families, friends, and the many individuals and groups and churches that have supported us through these many years.  Your prayers have been felt, your gifts to CBF’s Offering for Global Missions and our projects have impacted our ministries and your love for us has sustained us throughout.  We are deeply grateful for all of you!  Please continue to support Global Missions!

Our passion for missions and specifically Project Ruth, continues into the future.  We encourage you to continue to impact the ongoing ministry here through student scholarships, special gifts, sending and participating in teams.  We will certainly do so!

We pray God’s richest blessings upon you!

With much fondness for each of you,

Ralph and Tammy