Kristin's Story...

I live in the tension, and in the miracle. 


As a Christian, I live in the tension of aspiring to Christ-like love, grace, patience, and generosity, while confronting the reality of my selfishness, short temper, and critical nature. I live in the tension of doubt in the face of faith. I live in the tension of this short moment on earth before arriving Home. 


And I live in the miracle of redemption, of being loved unconditionally, of a God who became man, died, and returned to life to save us from ourselves. There are many mysteries to ponder here. 


As a medical student and soon-to-be doctor, I live in the tension of admiring the traditional model of medicine where physicians know all their patients and make house calls, in contrast with today’s age of super-specialized medicine, limited patient-doctor time, and reams of paperwork. 

Kenyan patient from last year's medical work.
                                       (permission obtained)

I live in the tension of wanting to emulate the amazing physicians who are my role models while recognizing that they are all white men who had stay-at-home wives taking care of their kids and homes while they worked long hours perfecting their craft. I live in the tension of the perils of modern medicine’s ability to keep bodies alive indefinitely, at what expense, for what purpose, yet without a dignified way to accept death, which takes us all, eventually. 


And I live in the miracle of the human body, of sawing through a rib cage and finding a real-live purplish heart pumping life-blood at seventy beats a second, of learning how the kidneys maintain a perfect electrolyte balance, of eliciting a reflex arc. I live in the miracle of healing and restoration, of seeing cancer melt away, of watching families experience the joy of a loved one waking up after a successful surgery, of relieving suffering. 

I live in the tension of being blessed abundantly, of enjoying so many good things – my husband, swimming, running, reading, writing, baking, hiking – yet knowing there are millions in the world who lack clean water to drink, who have never tasted ice cream or cherries or chocolate or a croissant or pears, who die for want of a fifty-cent antibiotic, who grow up on the streets without ever knowing what it is like to sleep in a safe bed. 

Kristin's homemade braided challah

I live in the tension of devoting my life to expanding systems of healthcare abroad to create more equitable access, while witnessing how international aid is used both properly and improperly to engender dependency, enable waste, and enrich the powerful. 


And I live in the miracle of knowing that one day, the last will be first and the first will be last, that blessed are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. This is a fearfully tremendous promise. 


 As of 49 days ago, I am also a mother. One more strand of tension – this lack of sleep, this dying to self! – and miracle – those tiny toes, those fleeting sighs! – to add to the elastic, dynamic, vibrant web of this one wild and precious life. 

Baby C's first day at church,
with Kristin's husband

Kristin and her husband have been recently blessed by their newest miracle, a baby boy. They are living their one wild and precious lives together in Massachusetts.