Faithful Awards
It is a great honor to publicly recognize missionaries who have faithfully served in their respective ministries, often in spite of great trial and adversity. The following missionaries were presented with 30 and 50 year awards recently at the National Fellowship Meeting. Please join us in thanking them for their life of surrender to the call of God so that the unreached became reached for Christ.
30-year Awards
Rickey and Angela Freeman (Argentina)
Rickey and Angela met at Baptist Bible College. Rickey was a pastoral major and Angela a missions major. They were married in 1992. After graduating in 1993 they moved to Tulsa OK where Rickey served as associate pastor at Bible Baptist Temple. Being that Angela was born and raised on the field of Argentina to veteran BBFI missionaries Richard and Lynda Todd, they went to visit Angela´s parents in Argentina in 1993. On that trip the Lord burdened their hearts for the field of Argentina and confirmed His calling on their lives to be missionaries to Argentina. READ MORE
Bill and Jane Coley (Kenya)
Bill and Jane Coley had been serving on staff of their local church for almost 10 years before the Lord called them to the mission field. They were both almost in their 40’s with 5 children (ages 7-16) when they surrendered to God’s call to the field of Kenya. READ MORE
50-year Awards
Wilhelm and Sandy Falk (Germany)
Wilhelm and Sandy were approved as Baptist Bible Fellowship missionaries to Germany in September 1, 1975. Wilhelm Falk Jr came to the United States at age 14 as a refugee from Romania and settled in Toledo, Ohio. It was there, when invited to services at Toledo Baptist Temple, he met his wife to be, Sandy. READ MORE
Bob and Sandy Piatt (Japan)
Bob and Sandy were approved as Baptist Bible Fellowship missionaries to Japan May 1, 1974. Bob writes, “My father was in the national guard and called up for service during the Korean War. Afterwards, he stayed in the Army and through my 12 years of schooling I was in 13 schools. When I was 17, I was saved in Yokohama, Japan and the following year I graduated from high school in Yokohama.” READ MORE
Leonard and Susie Smith (Mexico)
Leonard and Susie were approved as Baptist Bible Fellowship missionaries to Mexico May 1, 1975. As the BBFI celebrates 75 years of worldwide ministry, it is appropriate to note that one of the original families were Jim and Joey Smith, who first went to Mexico with Wycliffe Bible Translators in 1944. By 1950, they were already involved in church planting, having been sent by Kansas City Baptist Temple and their pastor, Wendell Zimmerman, and therefore were among the very first BBF missionaries. Leonard is one of their sons. He met Susie Bowers at Baptist Bible College, and they married, did their internship and were sent out by the Temple Baptist Church in Marshfield and their Pastor Ival Robinson. Leonard graduated in 1973 and Susie in 1975 and they were approved right here exactly 50 years ago today. READ MORE
