|
In February 1992 David vanOrman participated in his first short-term
missions experience. As a member of a team sent by the Fellowship of
Christian Farmers, he worked to construct a church building in
Mexico. While construction wasn't particularly his forte`, it was the
opportunities he had to share his faith that he really relished. He
immediately realized that with a "seasonal" occupation in farming,
this (short-term missions) was something he could do on a regular
basis.
 The following fall, his pastor presented him with
the possibility of joining another team of farmers, this time with SEND
International, to work specifically with farmers in recently-free
Albania. The purpose of the visit was to share farm techniques from
a Christian perspective. In January of 1993 David visited Albania and
developed a love for its people. He also felt a deep burden to share his
faith with these people thirsty for spiritual knowledge.
Returning to Illinois a few weeks later, he
shared this burden with his wife Sarah. Before winter's end, he returned
to Albania with Sarah in tow. After several subsequent trips
together, much prayer, and God's obvious leading, in the fall of 1994 David and
Sarah established the Planter's Seed Foundation -- a non-profit organization dedicated to
sharing the Gospel with the people of Albania.
Initially it was their common occupation of
farming that opened doors for the vanOrmans to share their faith in the homes of
villagers. It soon became apparent that their absence during the farming
season made consistent discipleship impossible. The Lord
provided Planters with a team of young Albanian Christians (SOWERs) who were
able to visit the villages on a weekly basis, year-round, and continue in Bible
study and prayer with those who had accepted Christ.
Work with the adult population continued for a
number of years. David and Sarah continued to raise the support necessary
to fund the SOWER team and the van they used to travel to the villages for home
visits. It was in the fall of 2000 that the ministry took another
turn. After observing the SOWER team in action, the vanOrmans became
aware of whole new segment of the community just as eager to learn about
Jesus: the children.
Children's Ministry
In January 2001 Planters launched the Bright
Star Team. This new team entered the villages with a different
purpose: to reach a young generation that would grow up with the
potential of influencing an entire community. Planters selected three
villages,
each chosen for its lack of a Christian (or any other kind of) church witness. Two of the villages
are Muslim, one of the villages is culturally Catholic.
To equip this new ministry, Planters purchased an
apartment near the center of Tirana (capital of Albania and home of the Bright
Star Team members). This former apartment now serves as a meeting place/office
for the team to plan each day's children's program. It also contains a
growing resource center from which team members can draw the materials needed to
provide a well-rounded children's program including music, games, Bible stories, crafts,
puppets, and prizes.
In the villages, the teams would conduct the children's program
outdoors, or in the home of an agreeable village resident. Planters and
its supporters prayed for the opportunity to purchase property in the village
which could be modified to accommodate the weekly children's program. In early 2002 the Lord blessed Planters with a
facility in the village of Vlashaj.
This location has been dubbed the "Light House" and holds not only the
weekly children's Bible club, but discipleship groups, English and computer
classes, and classes for the Girls' Training Center, a ministry to teenage girls
in the village who are unable to continue their education beyond the 8th grade.
Today
David and Sarah continue to cultivate relationships with Albanian
villagers in their homes just as they have done every winter since 1993.
The vanOrmans feel their primary
purpose is to mentor, disciple and equip their Albanian counterparts on
the Bright Star Team with essential tools for reaching their fellow people for
Jesus. When not in Albania, the vanOrmans frequently represent the ministry
at local churches, schools, and social clubs to make others aware of the
ongoing ministries and needs in Albania.
|
