35 Years of God’s Faithfulness

“I started Mission ONE in 1991 with a seed that God planted in my heart during my first trip to Kenya—to come alongside the emerging Church in the non-Western world to spread the Gospel of Christ. At that time, I had a profound sense of God’s calling, but had no idea what was ahead.

Now, 35 years later, our Global partners in Africa and Asia have reported abundant spiritual fruit, including nearly 400,000 new followers of Christ and 12,000 new churches planted, primarily among those with little or no prior access to the Gospel.

In addition, we’ve supported leadership and vocational training, humanitarian projects, and missional businesses. All these activities have resulted in hundreds of transformed communities that now look more like the kingdom of God across more than 20 countries.

Our hearts are humbled. To God be the glory!” — Bob Schindler, Founder and Global Ambassador

These numbers represent real stories of real people. The Gospel is taking root in places where it was once absent.

Across Africa and Asia today, this work continues.

All of this began with a single moment.

In 1988, a trip to Kenya changed everything.

Bob arrived for what was meant to be a one-month visit. Somewhere along the way, God began to shape a vision that would last far beyond that trip.

He found himself sitting in a stick and mud hut with a man named Wilfred Githongo Kabiru. Wilfred’s life had been marked by brokenness. He was once known as a violent drunk, but God had transformed him.

Wilfred shared how the people around him watched his life for months. They saw the change, and one by one, they began to come to Christ.

What stood out was simple. It was a local believer, changed by the Gospel, reaching the people who already knew him.

That moment planted a seed.

There had to be a way to come alongside leaders like Wilfred. Not to replace their work, but to support what God was already doing through them.

That seed became Mission ONE.

Wilfred & Rahab Githongo with their children
Mission ONE’s First Ministry Partner

A Vision That Still Makes Sense

“When I started Mission ONE in 1991, I could not have imagined the scope of impact today, 35 years later. Partnering with local national organizations and missionaries in Africa and Asia was frowned upon by many at that time. However, when I explained the concept and reported the spiritual fruit of our early partnerships, people began to say, ‘That just makes sense.’ And it still makes sense.” — Bob Schindler

That idea remains the same.

God is already at work through His Church around the world. Mission ONE exists to come alongside local leaders as they share the Gospel, serve their communities, and remain where God has called them.

This work is built on partnership.

Local leaders are faithfully serving in their own communities. Through prayer and generosity, others come alongside them.

Together, this partnership fuels missionaries to remain where they are needed most, bringing the hope of the Gospel to places where it has not yet been heard.

A Model That Sustains

One of the ways this work continues to grow is through sustainability.

Many of the missionaries we partner with are building small, income-generating efforts within their communities. These microbusinesses allow them to support their families while remaining present in the places they serve.

Through these efforts, relationships are formed, creating opportunities to share the Gospel.

Initiatives like Flourish projects are one expression of this. Each one is designed to support both the missionary and the community, creating long-term impact rather than short-term solutions.

What This Means for You

This story is not just about the past. It is an invitation.

The same work that began with a single conversation in a small hut continues today through partnership.

There is still much to be done. There are still communities without access to the Gospel, leaders being called, and lives waiting to be transformed.

For the next 35 years, our prayer is simple.

That God would continue to do what only He can do. That He would raise up leaders, build His Church, and make Himself known among every tribe, tongue, and nation. That we would remain faithful to the part He has given us to play.

The same God who was faithful then is still faithful now.