Source: OM News, September 16, 2013
“Before I left home, I started to have doubts,” said Tatiana at her interview to enroll as a student at OM Russia’s Discipleship Center. “I bought my sleeping bag just in case, and decided to just take a step of faith.”
Once she arrived at OM Russia’s base, Tatiana was pleasantly surprised when she realized she wouldn’t have to sleep on the floor in her sleeping bag! Why was Tatiana so worried about the living conditions? Because she’s no longer so young; she’s a pensioner (retired).
Last year, OM Russia’s board suggested that they train older people, because the training center’s goal is “to motivate and challenge people at a ‘crossroads’ moment in their lives, when they are faced with a choice of either developing a career and pouring their energy in that direction or opening themselves up to God’s service and seeking God’s Kingdom first,” according to field leader Colin Cleaver. This year, OM Russia opened a special faculty for pensioners to train to become missionaries.
For the past eight years, the center has focused on recent university graduates, but team members have realized that not only young people find themselves having to make decisions about their futures.
“Our board observed that pensioners are also often at a similar crossroads, needing to decide on a new life direction,” said Colin. “In addition, they are often financially independent, free from caring for their children, and with time on their hands – in short, the perfect potential missionaries!”