In 1991, Esley Patsch, founder and director of Summit Missions International (SMI) made his first trip to the former Soviet Union. He was invited by Dr. Robert Provost who had previously served as associate pastor of The Chapel in Akron. Exposed to the great need of people who had been under the dominion of the hammer and sickle, Esley returned to America determined to assist in whatever ways possible.

Out of the vision to be an ambassador of hope and help, Summit Missions International was formed. With the goals of providing products, accomplishing service projects and developing partnerships, SMI began its work. In 1992 the first container of products was shipped. Operation Shoes for Russia saw the community come together to provide 15,000 pairs of shoes for the City of Kharkov, Ukraine.

Working in churches, at trucking companies, in the back of grocery stores and at local storage facilities, SMI mobilized people and products to send hundreds of tons of products. In 1999 the Blair Family Foundation opened its facilities to SMI providing over 12,000 square feet of warehouse space. From this location the mission has grown to produce and ship materials to numerous countries including Armenia, Belarus, Bosnia, Croatia, Haiti, Honduras, Kosovo, Liberia, Moldova, Philippines, Russia, Ukraine, and Zimbabwe. In 2007 alone SMI shipped just under 1 million pounds of humanitarian aid.

In addition to its shipping mission, SMI dispatches project teams who work in several areas to include construction, water well drilling, children’s programs, summer camps, conferences and other projects as needed. Team members have combined to travel over a million miles to provide a variety of services in Eastern Europe.

SMI utilizes a corp of dedicated volunteers. Every year our volunteers give thousands of hours of labor by using their skills to assist us with our needs.  

SMI believes in the local church and will partner with the church in regions where it is operating. The objective of SMI is to encourage the church to become a true New Testament “life-giving church.” This is done through the development of personal relationships with pastors, individual and multi-church conferences and providing literature and resources to promote healthy church life. Ultimately SMI will link national churches to US churches for ongoing relationship and partnership.

Summit Missions International combines the resources of the local community in terms of volunteers and products to meet the needs of the disenfranchised of other nations. All can be ambassadors of hope and help and assist in practical ways that model God’s love in action. SMI demonstrates love indeed to a world in need.