| Locations in Central Europe |
 |
 |
 |
|
YWAM invested more in Through the cold war years, YWAM’ers smuggled Bibles into In 1978 a team led by Bruce Clewett from
Through Project Life and Kings Kids, countless children and youth have been reached and discipled. Many more have gone through the many DTS's and other schools. Other outreaches have reached beyond the borders to neighboring countries like
Besides being a strategic base for Eastern and Through the cold war years, YWAM’ers smuggled Bibles into YWAM outreach teams were coming to
During that same season of time God began speaking to Hal Young about
After leading the September 1990 and March 1991 DTS outreach teams here, Hal moved to
Presently there is one YWAM base, located in YWAM in
Though mainly foreigners at first, now the majority of the more than 60 staff are Romanians, working in eight locations.The main emphases in ministry are DTS and Bible interpretation schools, youth evangelism and discipleship, pro-life and street kids ministries. 'Trailblazers' - a mobile team - challenges young Romanians into missions. Main website: www.ywam.ro ywam Cluj : www.ywamcluj.ro ywamConstanta: www.tpmconstanta.ro ywamCrown : www.crown-ro.org ywamIasi: www.iasi.ywam.ro ywamMedias: www.tpmmedias.ro ywamSighisoara: www.tpmsighisoara.ro ywamTarguMures: www.ywam-targumures.com ywamTimisoara: www.ywamtimisoara.ro ministry websites: DTS SBCW : www.sbcw.ywam.ro Festival Promisiune: www.ProMisiune.info Kairos publishing house: www.editurakairos.ro Romanian worker : www.lucratori-romani.ro Throughout the 70's and 80's YWAM teams encouraged believers and engaged in evangelism in cafes of Since 1970, many YWAM teams have ministered to the underground churches and through friendship evangelism. The permanent presence of YWAM in Bulgaria began in 1992 in Chirpan, through an initiative from YWAM Norway, and started DTSes and planted over 20 churches in that area. YWAM Bulgaria established several businesses which produce income for individuals and the ministry here. Hristo Cholakov led the work until 2000, when he handed over leadership to Wolfgang Jani, who re-established the national office in
Family Camps, Kings Kids and church planting teams work among Bulgarian, Turkish and Gypsy peoples in five different locations. YWAM Kosovo was established in December 1999 as, after prayer, YWAM Albania and YWAM Serbia came together to bring leadership for the region of Kosovo. There are currently three staff members based in the capital city, Prishtina, who are supporting local churches, and working in mercy ministries and evangelism with widows and poor families.
YWAM Strategic Frontiers (SF) Macedonia started in January 2003. SF International is called to birth indigenous church planting movements (Mark 16:15) and indigenous nation discipling movements (Matt. 28:18-20) among strategic peoples and strategic places and during strategic seasons of harvest. The only YWAM base in Macedonia is currently located in the city of Kratovo. However, this base has the vision to relocate to the city of Tetovo to more effectively reach out to the Muslim Albanian population.
Contact Steve Rudd for more information: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Challenged by Brother Andrew in the early 70's, to go to closed countries, Reona [Peterson] Joly began the initiative through prayer and going to Albania ("Tomorrow You Die"). When the country opened up in the early 90's YWAM with other missions groups formed the "Albania Encouragement Project".
A stadium campaign led to the founding of the first two evangelical churches and a DTS, and of a YWAM base led by Sandy Oestreich. 20,000 refugees fleeing Kosova for Albania in June 1998 increased the growth of YWAM Albania rapidly. Every ministry location in the country worked with churches and missionary organizations from around the world with practical needs and social support to deal with trauma. YWAM workers were responsible for food distribution, setting up a kids care programme and YWAM also led a social support program for Christian workers to equip them for listening, trauma relief and other immediately needed resources. In addition, individuals came to support the YWAM office and co-ordinate the work and teams. Two new works a church plant in Prizren, Kosova and an internet café in Prishtina reaching out to students, have emerged from this time of crisis, and with that many are coming to know the love of God through the practical way it was displayed in the recent months.
YWAM Albania is in 3 different locations: YWAM Burrel, YWAM Elbasan, and YWAM Albanian National Office. Greece was on the School of Evangelism field trip trail which brought hundreds of YWAM'ers there in the '60s and 70s. The Anastasis also was Athens while being refitted in the early '80's. YWAM's permanent presence began in Greece when Jim & Judy Orred moved there in 1986. They came to develop outreaches primarily to the Muslim minorities in the Balkans and Turkey. Eventually other staff followed and a DTS was held in 1992.
Greece is definitely one of the more difficult countries in Europe, spiritually speaking. Very few of the short term YWAM'ers have stayed beyond outreach, and few missionaries have ever learned the language.
Greece is an Orthodox nation with deeply engrained traditions and values, where religion and nationality are intertwined. The Orthodox church is often militant in relation to other Christian traditions. A globally publicised court case involving two YWAMers and a Greek pastor charged with proselytism in 1986 resulted from a young Greek having been given a New Testament. Although sentenced for three and a half years in prison, the defendents were eventually discharged, although the charges were not dropped.
|
