Doug and Avril Vavrosky

Ethnic Ministries

Rev. Dr. Douglas R. Vavrosky was born and raised in North Dakota. Raised as a Roman Catholic, Doug didn't come to Christ until he was 21 years old. Sensing his need for Bible training, he went to Briercrest Bible College in Caronport, Saskatchewan, where he not only received Bible training but was called to work among the Chinese people. He joined OMF in 1981 with a call to the Chinese, and was sent to work in Taiwan. In 1983 he married Avril E. Botha and they served together in Taiwan for twelve years. The ministries they were involved in were blue-collar evangelism, street preaching, discipleship/evangelism, church planting, student evangelism and cell group ministry. While in Taiwan Doug learned to speak both the Mandarin Chinese and Taiwanese (Hokkien) dialects.

In 1993, being unable to return to Taiwan because of family medical reasons, God led Doug and Avril into ministry among the scholars and students mainly from Mainland China that have been coming to North America. They have been involved in evangelism and discipleship, nurturing and leading, training and teaching. The thousands of Chinese in North America are certainly the "fields white unto harvest" that Jesus told us to look upon.

At present Doug and Avril are working as national coordinators for OMF's work among the Chinese students and scholars in the United States. They are also working as the international coordinators for all of OMF's work among Chinese students and scholars worldwide, including Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. Doug received his Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees from Bethel Theological Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. The Vavroskys have three sons, Peter, John and James.