That's a tough question. All light trucks were required to have frontal passenger airbags as of September 1st, 1998. So, it's likely your van was built before that date and the airbag wasn't required. Even if the van was built after that date, it is possible that some classes of vehicles (or those above a certain weight) could be exempt anyway. Even if it was built before that date, it's possible Ford could have included such an airbag anyway.
Overall, I'd say it's unlikely your truck has a frontal airbag for the passenger, but you would have to consult your owner's manual or dealer to know for sure.
If any rear seating position is available, that is still significantly safer for children even if you don't have a frontal airbag for that seat.