The birth of EMI
EMI was started from a desire to strategically blend the design professions and faith in Christ to expand God's kingdom.

It was the spring of 1981 on the island of Saipan when God first revealed the vision of Engineering Ministries International. The island had recently been hit by a typhoon, and the people were trying to rebuild their lives.

While on a short- term trip focused on evangelism, one of the volunteers found that his abilities as a structural engineer were in great demand. A two-fold opportunity presented itself: evangelism and engineering. Helping people rebuild their lives and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ was a combination that resulted in outreach across the entire island. God had a plan: show design professionals how they could use their skills and share eternal hope in Christ whilst serving a world in need.

The experience of one short term mission trip, resulted in the vision to involve design professionals in ministry to people in need. Design professionals (architects, landscape architects, engineers, draftsmen, surveyors, etc.) could benefit from the short-term experiences whilst providing a much-needed service. In 1982, this vision became EMI and volunteers began to participate in short term trips that focused on designing a world of hope for ministries in developing countries. Worldwide, Engineering Ministries International has worked on more than 700 development- and relief projects in over 80 countries, donating over £UK 2.7 million (56,392 hours) in services to their client partners.

In 2008 Engineering Ministries International UK opened its doors as a one person office to better mobilize British volunteers. We are the youngest EMI office. EMI UK received charitable status in the summer of 2008. Michael Woods, the Country Director, is an architect. He is assisted by his wife Mariette. Together they have years of experience on the mission field. It is their goal this year to mobilize many British volunteers as well as to initially run projects with volunteers from other countries until they are ready to send out all British and / or European teams.