Summit Missions International was birthed out of one man’s heart and his desire to follow God wherever He leads. In 1980 Esley Patsch founded a prison ministry called Summit Chaplain Services which is now called The Way Out Prison Ministry.


1990
Dr. Robert Provost, founding board member of the prison ministry, invited Esley to go with him the next year to the former Soviet Union. The intended goal was to instruct church leaders on ministering in the jails and prisons. However, the Lord had other plans.


1991
Esley accompanied Dr. Provost to Russia and Ukraine. During this first trip, while distributing tracts, he began sharing Christ with one elderly man. The man said to him, “We need this, we have been in prison all of our lives.” This conversation was a turning point for Esley and God used this to redirect his life.


Esley felt a real confirmation from the Lord that the US church needed to do more in post-Soviet countries. Thus began the focus on mission work which would become Summit Missions International. In the fall, he mobilized a short-term mission trip to Ukraine and Belarus.


1992
In the spring, “Soles for Souls” was born. 15,000 pairs of shoes were collected and shipped to orphans and those in need in Ukraine. A church was also helped in establishing a medical clinic in Kharkov.


1993
Returning to the States, Esley stopped in Tiraspol, the capital of Pridnestrovie (a region of Moldova) and began discussions with an American missionary who invited him to bring a short-term team.


1994
A team was sent to Tiraspol, Moldova to hold a Bible Club.

In the fall of this year SMI became officially incorporated.


1995-1998
Short-term teams were sent to Ukraine and Pridnestrovie. During this time frame, SMI began shipping relief and also sent a doctor and his wife to Ukraine to help develop a clinic in Kharkov.


1999
SMI obtained donated warehouse space in Copley, Ohio to use for organizing shipments of relief.


2000-2006
Continued sending short-term teams to Pridnestrovie and shipped several million pounds of relief into Eastern Europe and various countries worldwide.

2000
Shipped and constructed a prefabricated Church building in Slobozia in partnership with a newly planted Baptist Church.


2004
Shipped and constructed a prefabricated Church building in Grigoriopol in partnership with an established Baptist Church that had outgrown its facility. The following year Sunday school classrooms were added.


2005
Conducted a youth conference in Tiraspol and met "Tiraspol 10", a group of 10 leaders from this area that had a heart to reach their city for Christ. Out of this group grew a church plant called Open Heaven Church.


2006
Help the Children, a Christian foster care program was started.

Constructed a church in Pervomaisc.

Copley warehouse was closed and the warehouse was relocated to Tallmadge for two years before closing due to lack of donated space.


2008
Leadership team was put in place over 4 areas of the mission: Church Planting and Leadership Development, Youth and Children’s ministries, Construction and Humanitarian Aid, and Help the Children.

Investigated ministry opportunities in Chisinau, Moldova.

SMI purchased land in Akron for the purpose of building offices and warehouse.


2009
Steve Marshall from Maranatha Bible Church in partnership with SMI invited the Antioch team from Kiev to Chisinau, Moldova to lead a church planting conference. The material they used is from Infinity Alliance.


2010
Paul Hostetler joins SMI as assistant director.