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A letter from Bob Pearson:
July 13, 2023
Dear friends,
Last month I was given the opportunity to spend several weeks on sabbatical to rest and to reflect upon my ministry future. During this time, it became apparent to me that I am being led away from Horizon, and accordingly I have decided to resign from my position as President. A letter of resignation was received by the Board of Directors on July 10, effective immediately.
I founded Horizon in the Fall of 2001 to help raise a generation of African orphans out of the ashes of the AIDS pandemic. Since that time, through partnership with many wonderful people such as yourself, we have successfully blessed thousands of kids and have started providing care for a second generation.
Over the years, I have experienced countless encounters with God and witnessed Him moving in Africa and here in the United States. God has been and continues to be working in and through Horizon to accomplish its mission of “providing a world of hope through African orphans.”
May God guide Horizon into the glorious future that I trust He has for this ministry!
Grateful to God and to you,
Robert W. Pearson
Founder
Horizon International
A letter from the Board of Directors:
July 13, 2023
To our Horizon family,
It was with great sadness that we received this resignation of Bob’s. However, we honor his sense of God’s fresh calling on his life.
At a time like this, it is important to recognize that none of the incredible ministry over the past 22 years would have taken place if it were not for Bob’s courageous and obedient decision to boldly step into the gap and fulfill God’s calling on his life to pursue the lost and broken hearted. We thank Bob for his selfless service that has provided hope to so many African orphans and inspiration to so many ministry partners over the years. Well done, good and faithful servant!
However, this is not the end of the story. It is with the utmost confidence that we believe God is continuing to move through Horizon, and we are clearly supported in this endeavor by James 1:27 – “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” With every ending is a new beginning, and we are all very eager to see how God will continue to work through this ministry.
It is also written in James Chapter 1, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. …Blessed is the one who perseveres.” While we will all miss serving alongside of Bob, and the organization will certainly feel the effects of his departure, we must persevere to fulfill the commitments made to our children in Africa.
Day-to-day operations of Horizon will continue as normal and there will be no disruption of our African partners’ service to your sponsored children. Over the coming months, the Board of Directors, and Horizon’s staff, under the leadership of Board member and Interim CEO Dr. Guyla Greenly, will begin to start the next chapter of Horizon’s ministry.
Please keep the children and Horizon’s ministry in your prayers. And please do not hesitate to reach out to Horizon and/or the Board of Directors with questions.
With sincere gratitude,
Horizon International, Inc.
The Board of Directors:
Sunny Leerkamp (Chair), Joe McGinnis (Vice Chair), Barry Callen (Secretary), Chris Thompson (Treasurer), Guyla Greenly, Lori Zettell, and Mulu Woldetinsae