Our Beginnings

How it all Began: The Original Vision

In 1988, while serving with a mission team in Mexico, God gave Norman Beetler a calling to build a mobile "Shower Bus" after he had a brief encounter with a little Mexican boy.

In a garbage dump north of Mexico City, this little boy had just received a bath from some of the other team members who used a five gallon bucket of water. The boy came over to Norm and smiled, and without saying a word, he began rubbing his hands up and down his chest. Even without knowing much Spanish, the message was clear to Norm: "Hey Mister, look at me. I'm clean!"

Norm couldn't get the image of that little boy's face out of his mind. In the middle of the night, God woke Norm with a vision of a school bus with a medical clinic in the front and huge water tanks in the back for giving showers. It would be a shower bus for those children living in the garbage dumps of Mexico.

Norm and Nancy returned to Ohio sharing the vision with anyone who would listen. Norm spoke with passion and determination. As people heard the story and the desperate need of the children, they began to give. Soon, the Beetlers had enough funds to construct their very first shower bus, and soon after that, it was delivered to Mexico.

Thus, in a garbage dump way down south in Mexico City, Mexico, BUSES International was born. Norm and Nancy have always served with the philosophy that if you love people and care for their physical needs, they will allow you to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with them. The ministry still operates today in the strength of that original calling of providing ways for Christians to demonstrate the love of God to those in need. BUSES International's mandate is to build buses into mobile medical and dental clinics, kitchens and food service vehicles, mobile shower facilities, classrooms, street ministry buses as well as disaster relief units. These specialized buses are shipped to developing countries and other poverty stricken areas to enhance the work of missionaries, churches, relief agencies and more as they care for the poor and model Christ's example of love by serving first and preaching second.


BUSES International has a reputation of integrity, commitment and effective ministry. Aside from the several dozen buses that have been built and sent, BUSES International has built on the mission field dozens of churches, orphanages, Bible schools and little homes for the poor. Over 2,000 people have accompanied the ministry on mission trips to Mexico, Appalachia Kentucky, the Gulf Coast and more. Over 57,000 shoebox gifts have been distributed to children in Mexico along with hundreds of tons of food, medicine, clothing and hygiene items. BUSES International has not only provided opportunities for the Gospel to be preached, but they have also preached the Word themselves. The BUSES staff has spoken to groups of all ages and backgrounds and have been guest speakers at churches, conferences, retreats, camps, revivals, mission conventions, evangelistic crusades and other special group meetings. It is safe to say, literally hundreds of thousands of people have received free care and heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ because of the influence and work of BUSES International.