God’s Calling Reaches Far

Meet the Pruitts
Houseparents, The Blessing Home

Mark & Tifaney Pruitt spent the last 15 years in youth ministry in Olympia, Washington. Originally from Arkansas, the couple have worked with youth for most of their professional lives. Mark served as a youth pastor, and Tifaney worked in social work as well as teaching.

“We have a heart for the hard cases, the kids that others might give up on,” said Tifaney.

When the couple felt a desire to explore other careers that enabled them to use their youth ministry skills, they learned about houseparenting, researching opportunities at several youth homes throughout the United States.

“Eagle Ranch’s family reunification approach really appealed to us,” said Tifaney. “We liked that we will be working to help children return to their families. The Christ-centered, faith-based approach was important to us.”

In Spring 2019, the Pruitts put their home up for sale and spoke to their church about their desire for a career move.

“We had total confirmation that this was the right decision,” Mark recalled. “Our house sold in 2 days and our church supported and encouraged us the whole way.”

The Pruitts love the peaceful environment of the Ranch and are excited to join the Ranch with their daughter Haven, 5.

“Sometimes we just ride around the Ranch on a golf cart and enjoy the calm,” Mark said. “It’s truly a healing place.”

Meet the Thompsons
Houseparents, The Love Home

It’s hard to imagine moving from the beachside comforts of south Florida, especially when you live in a place called “Green Acres.” But for Charlie and Christina Thompson, Eagle Ranch was the place to be for them.

Christina’s call to serve youth was born from her perseverance through a difficult childhood.

“I experienced God redeem so many things out of painful circumstances in my own life,” she said. “That led me to want to reach out and connect with other children and teens because I could relate to them.”

As a young adult, Christina helped others in need, including being a single foster parent and volunteering with a group home for girls.

She met Charlie at church. A young lawyer, he offered to help her if she ever decided she wanted to adopt one of her foster children.

While she declined that offer, she did agree to go on a date, and they eventually married. Today, the couple has a 3-year-old daughter, Ava.

The Thompsons enjoy the change in scenery and being close to the North Georgia mountains, where they like to vacation.

Houseparents in the Love Home, the Thompsons have up to seven boys in their care at any given time. They like that their work will help restore families.

“I worked in Christian family law, and a lot of what I did was handle divorces,” said Charlie. “The work I did was breaking up families. I now get to work to keep families together.”