I borrowed a dirt bike from a missionary and made my way to Zomba, a village in Malawi, Africa. It was my first mission journey. It was 1989 and I was 21 years old, seasoned in the hardships of being a soldier in the Angolan bush wars. Having been a soldier, I was left with no money. So, it had taken me several weeks to get to this point, hitchhiking all the way through Southern and Central Africa.

After six hours on the dirt bike, I arrived in the rural village. It was a lot like the ones I had seen in the war, forgotten and its inhabitants unknown. This was the first major evangelistic event where I had been invited. I had prepared myself for this over the last six years of discipleship, persecution, faith and diligence. It had been a three week journey of sleeping on the side of the roads, crossing “ambush alley” through Mozambique during the height of a civil war, facing other dangers such as crocodiles, hippos, lions and worst of all, thieves.

When they invited me to preach, I told them I would move heaven and earth to find them--and I did. I was met by two elders who rejoiced over my coming and prepared a seat for me in the church. The sunlight filtered through the thatched roof as I said, “You can bring the church now.” All visions of grandeur left when the elders spoke, “We are the church. This is it. It’s just the two of us.”

Did God send me all this way for just two old men? In the natural the investment seemed futile, but God cared enough for those two men to send me to Malawi. At that point I understood the value of mankind and how deeply God cares for the individual. This revelation would forge the journey of my life and Overland Missions. I knew then through the Gospel and God’s gift of grace that everyone is adequate, complete and lacking nothing. The gift of grace is for everyone, it is independent of man’s ability, location or education.

2 Corinthians 5:16 speaks about not simply viewing man from a humanly point of view because of what Christ has done. Every man has the potential for a new existence through Christ Jesus no matter his tribe, race or culture. I believe every person is valuable and know that we must reach those who have been forgotten all over the world. That is why I exist, and why since 1999, Overland Missions has existed.

Philip Smethurst
Founder of Overland Missions