MISSIO INTERNATIONAL

What MISSIO INTERNATIONAL does

Missio International is a US-based 501(c)(3) Christian nonprofit organization headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, with a new mailing address in Zionsville, Indiana effective August 1, 2026. Founded in 1991 by Alec Woodhull following a vision trip to Romania, the organization formalized a strategic partnership in 1994 with its Romanian counterpart, Missio Link International (MLI), which operates all on-the-ground programming. Missio International's role is to connect US donors, churches, ideas, and resources with MLI's ministry work in Romania; it does not deliver services itself but funds and stewards the relationship.

The organization supports three core ministry programs through MLI. Children at Risk is a portfolio of four programs serving vulnerable Romanian youth: Deborah House (residential care for severely abused and trafficked girls, operating since 2002 with a second home opened in 2012, serving over 200 girls cumulatively), Aspirations (transitional housing and college assistance for young women exiting Deborah House), Back to School (supplies and food to prevent rural school dropout), and Harmony (mentoring and Bible study at a juvenile re-education center). Alpinis Leadership Center is a mountaintop lodge facility near Sibiu that opened in 2022 to host youth camps, the Paltinis Leadership Institute for business and community leaders, and theological/spiritual formation programs. Church in Mission encompasses church-to-church partnerships with US congregations, the ENTRUST discipleship curriculum used across roughly 100 Romanian congregations, an annual pastors' conference, and the Inside Out Initiative that responded to the 2022 Ukrainian refugee crisis.

Missio International's revenue model is entirely donation-based: recurring and one-time gifts from individuals and partner churches, processed via the Bloomerang donation platform and by mail. The Board approved a $1.3 million ministry expense budget for fiscal year 2024, consistent with a $1M–$5M annual operating scale. The US staff is small (1–10 employees) led by President Kenny Woodhull and Ministry Facilitator Ashley West, while field operations are executed by MLI's larger Romanian team under President Emil Toader and Executive Director Lorena Rusovan. The organization is ECFA-accredited, holds no patents, and operates no proprietary technology product.

Name

MISSIO INTERNATIONAL

Legal name

Missio International

Website

https://missiointernational.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Missio International is a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that channels donations and church partnerships to its Romanian partner Missio Link International, funding Children at Risk residential and outreach programs, the Alpinis Leadership Center, and Church in Mission ministry across Romania.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Christian Nonprofit Ministry Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (624110), Individual and Family Services (6241), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance (BPAGAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI), Refugee, Migration & Displacement Support (BPAGABAH), Resettlement, Relocation & Repatriation Support (BPADAHAD), Humanitarian Health & Emergency Medical Relief NGOs (HLAJAKAE)

Keywords

• Christian nonprofit ministry
• Children at risk support
• Leadership development programs
• Church partnership initiatives
• Humanitarian refugee aid

Headquarters

HQ city

Knoxville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Missio International operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that raises funds from donors to support the work of its Romanian partner, Missio Link International (MLI). The organization connects people, ideas, and resources with God's transformative work in Romania through Gospel-centered ministries including Children at Risk, Alpinis Leadership Center, and Church in Mission.

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Missio International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that connects U.S. donors, ideas, and resources with its Romanian partner Missio Link International (MLI) to fund three Gospel-centered ministry programs: Children at Risk (residential care for traumatized girls, transitional housing, rural education support, and prison ministry), Alpinis Leadership Center (a mountain retreat for leadership development and youth camps), and Church in Mission (church partnerships, discipleship training, pastors' conferences, and Ukrainian refugee support).

Product overview

Missio International supports the work of its Romanian partner Missio Link International (MLI) through three interconnected core ministry programs: Children at Risk (a comprehensive suite of four residential and outreach programs for vulnerable children and youth), Alpinis Leadership Center (a mountain retreat facility for leadership development, outdoor camps, and spiritual formation), and Church in Mission (connecting Romanian and U.S. churches for mutual discipleship and mission). The Children at Risk program includes Deborah House (residential care for traumatized girls), Aspirations (transitional housing for young women), Back to School (rural education support), and Harmony (prison ministry). The Alpinis Leadership Center encompasses the Paltinis Leadership Institute for professional development. Church in Mission features the Inside Out church partnership initiative and the ENTRUST discipleship curriculum used across nearly 100 Romanian congregations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Children at Risk A comprehensive ministry serving vulnerable children in Romania from school age to young adult through residential care, transitional housing, rural education support, and prison outreach programs.
• Deborah House Residential care program for girls who have suffered severe abuse and trauma, providing refuge, healing, individual counseling, medical care, educational support, and family-style living.
• Alpinis Leadership Center A lodge facility serving as a setting for leadership development, spiritual growth, youth camps, and multipurpose gatherings with sub-programs including outdoor camps, Paltinis Leadership Institute, and theological formation.
• Church in Mission Initiative encouraging, equipping, and challenging God's people through church partnerships, discipleship training, annual pastors' conferences, and Ukraine refugee support.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 200 girls have found refuge and healing at Deborah House since 2002
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, primary and minor.

• Hillsborough Free Presbyterian ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Church from Northern Ireland that provides annual matching grants up to $10,000 for Children at Risk ministries. Supports Deborah House and other CAR programs through dollar-for-dollar matching donations during designated campaign periods.
• Washington Avenue Baptist Church (WABC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1997Since 1997, aligned with nine pastors shepherding twenty congregations in under-resourced communities in Timis, Caras, Hunedoara, and Buzau counties. Supports Rroma pastor Bebe Prica in Buzau county through MLI's Leadership Development initiative.
• Zionsville Presbyterian Church (ZPC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1996Long-term church partnership since 1996, sending teams to Romania for fellowship and ministry. Supported nearly 25 church plants in Romania over 25 years. Contributed teaching ministry through Dr. Stan Johnson who led conferences for emerging leaders.
• Tabernacle Presbyterian ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1996Long-term church partnership since 1996, partnering with MLI alongside ZPC. Has contributed teaching ministry and teams traveling to Romania for fellowship and ministry support.
• Missio Link International (MLI)primaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1991MLI is Missio International's Romanian partner organization that operates on-the-ground ministries including Children at Risk programs (Deborah House, Aspirations, Back to School, Harmony), Alpinis Leadership Center, and Church in Mission initiatives. MI supports MLI's work by connecting people, ideas, and resources with God's transformative work in Romania.
• Mt. Bethel ChurchminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChurch from Marietta, Georgia that sends youth mission teams to Romania. Has established a relationship between their youth ministry and girls at Deborah House through monthly Zoom calls and encouragement.
• First Baptist Church of ClintonminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChurch from Mississippi that sends mission teams to Romania to serve alongside MLI ministries.
• Ends of the Earth CyclingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCycling organization that supported ALC outdoor programs by providing new zipline, rock climbing wall, hammock hub, and sports field through fundraising rides like KWBR20.
• Deborah HousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst holistic residential program of its kind in Romania for girls who have suffered severe abuse and trauma. Opened in 2002 with second home opening in 2012. Over 200 girls have called it home. Provides counseling, medical care, educational support, and family-style living.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Compassion International: Christian child sponsorship and development organization operating in dozens of countries including Romania. Highly comparable in donor-funded child-focused ministry model, holistic care, and church partnership delivery network.

Emerging players

• Bethany Christian Services: Faith-based nonprofit historically focused on adoption, foster care, and family services for vulnerable children, with international programs. Comparable in faith-based holistic care for children at risk and trauma-affected youth.
• Show Hope: Christian nonprofit focused on care for children affected by trauma, abuse, and abandonment, including residential and family-style programs. Comparable residential-care model for vulnerable children supported by US donor base.
• International Justice Mission: Global anti-trafficking and child-protection organization working to combat abuse and trafficking — directly overlapping with Missio International's Deborah House and Harmony (incarcerated youth) programs addressing trauma and exploitation.
• Blood:Water Mission: Faith-based nonprofit partnering with local African organizations on community development and vulnerable populations. Comparable in small-staff US headquarters partnering with established in-country organization for program delivery.

Broad incumbents

• World Vision International: Large global Christian humanitarian organization with active programs in Romania focused on child welfare, community development, and refugee response. Directly comparable donor-funded model supporting vulnerable children in Romania.
• Mission to the World (PCA): Reformed/evangelical mission-sending agency with church partnerships supporting ministry in Romania. Comparable in US-donor-to-Romanian-partnership structure and church-partnership fundraising model.
• Operation Mobilisation: Global evangelical mission organization with long-standing presence in Romania focused on church planting, leadership development, and youth outreach. Comparable evangelical mission profile and partnership-based delivery model.

Others

• Habitat for Humanity Romania: Faith-based international NGO with established Romanian operations addressing vulnerable family and community needs. Operates in the same country with comparable donor-supported humanitarian model.
• European Child Safety Association: European nonprofit focused on child protection, trafficking prevention, and welfare advocacy. Adjacent comparability in serving abused and at-risk children in European contexts similar to Missio International's Deborah House model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/MissioInternational
• Instagraminstagram.com/missiointernational
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/missio-international

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MISSIO INTERNATIONAL