Texas Missionaries Killed Serving Christ in Zambia

Faith Facts

• Two members of the South Main Church of Christ in Weatherford, Texas, died while serving on a mission trip in Zambia.
• Jim Mynaugh founded Divine Water, a ministry that has brought clean drinking water to thousands across Africa in the name of Christ.
• Both men were remembered by fellow believers as faithful servants who lived out the Gospel through practical love and sacrifice.

Two Texas men died in a head-on collision while carrying out Christian mission work in southern Africa. Richard Gill and Jim Mynaugh, both 67, were passengers in a Toyota Fortuner when it collided with a Hino Ranger on the Great North Road near Zimba, Zambia. Zambian police said the crash resulted from an improper overtaking maneuver.

The men were members of the South Main Church of Christ in Weatherford, west of Fort Worth. They were traveling to support water projects when tragedy struck on October 20.

“The accident occurred when the driver of the Hino Ranger attempted to overtake improperly while traveling uphill, resulting in a collision with the Toyota Fortuner,” police official Moono Namalongo stated.

Gill and Mynaugh died at the scene. The Toyota driver, Michael Namafente, and another passenger were injured along with the Hino’s driver and passengers. All were taken to a hospital in Livingstone.

Jim Mynaugh founded Divine Water, a Texas nonprofit that installs hand-pump wells in impoverished communities. The ministry partners with Churches of Christ organizations including Healing Hands International and Kibo Group to bring clean water and the message of Christ’s living water to people in need.

“Getting easy access to clean, safe drinking water simply changes lives,” Mynaugh wrote in a 2024 social media post showing villagers in Uganda celebrating a new well.

Mynaugh and Gill were brothers-in-law. Just days before the crash, Mynaugh had joined Kibo Group members at a conference in Rome to discuss sustainable development and sharing the Gospel through practical service.

“Less than a week ago, we were together in Rome, talking about our shared passion for walking alongside others and supporting sustainable, community-led development,” Kibo Group workers said. “Jim was a tireless advocate for ensuring that everyone has access to clean water and the opportunity to experience Christ’s living water.”

“Over the past 12-plus years, Jim helped bring clean water to thousands of people, leaving a lasting impact on countless lives and communities,” the statement continued. “Today, our hearts are with our friends at Divine Water and the Mynaugh and Gill families. We grieve alongside them and lift them up in prayer.”

In June, Mynaugh announced that the Rotary Club of Weatherford had funded two new wells in Zambia, with teams set to begin work in six villages the following month. Zambian Christian Obrain Masaka Muleya posted tributes online, urging prayer for the families and for continued ministry to the poor.

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