Operation Mobilization traces its roots to the prayers of an American housewife. In the 1950s, Dorothea Clapp began to pray faithfully for the students in her local High School. She asked God to touch the world through the lives of those young people. And God answered her prayers! Mrs Clapp gave a Gospel of John to one of the students, who later gave his life to the Lord at a Billy Graham meeting. That young man was George Verwer, the founder and former international director of Operation Mobilization.
At college, George and two friends met regularly to pray. They became burdened by the spiritual needs of Mexico. In 1957, the three friends sold some of their own possessions to raise money and gave up their summer holiday to distribute Gospels and other Christian literature in Mexico. The friends returned the following summer and the next…
When they graduated in 1960, George and his friends traveled to Europe. They began work in Spain, sharing the Gospel and distributing literature. But the task of reaching the whole of Europe seemed overwhelming. George and his small team realized that God’s plan was to mobilize His church to reach the nations. As they began to share their vision, hundreds of Christians responded. Operation Mobilization was born.
By 1963, 2,000 Christians had joined summer outreach teams in Europe (including David Mead, Peter’s father). At the same time, the first year teams moved into the Indian sub-continent and the Muslim world. Their commitment was to reach those who had never heard the Gospel. Such simple beginnings have shaped OM ever since. Today OM has over 5000 people working in 123 countries bringing God’s unchanging truth to literally millions every year.
For more information, please go to www.om.org
