Alumna has passion for cross-cultural missions By Amerrica Duggan (’14) Kristina Kayser truly recognizes the importance of following God’s direction in life, no matter where it takes her. In 2004, Kayser graduated from Milligan College with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. Since 2011, Kayser has worked in Israel as a nurse for Shevet Achim, a non-profit organization that helps children affected by heart disease. Though it took many steps to get to where she is today, Kayser thanks God for sending her out of her comfort zone into a place where she can minister to those in need. “I’m so thankful for the way God works,” said Kayser, a native of San Diego, California. Shevet Achim, based in Jerusalem, helps to save the lives of children suffering from congenital heart disease. One in every 200 children worldwide are born with a congenital heart defect, but not every child has access to help when they need it. Since 1994, children from Gaza and Kurdistan have received life-saving heart surgeries through this organization. Thousands of children have been given a second chance—without this heart surgery, many children would die before their teenage years. “Watching dying children receive health, life and strength is like watching a miracle one day after another,” reflects Kayser. 16 | FALL 2012 Kayser works as a nurse and translator at Shevet, where she cares for children before and after their heart surgeries. Depending on treatment time, a child and his or her family can live in the house anywhere between two and seven months. Not only does Kayser administer treatment as these children heal, but she acts as a liaison between the parents and the medical staff. The Kurdish families who live in the houses in Jerusalem only speak their native language, so Kayser must interpret their concerns, questions and fears to the doctors. In the time Kayser has worked at Shevet, she has helped almost 50 kids recover from their heart surgeries. Though most kids come to Shevet between infancy and school age, one young man named Heizhan came to the organization at 22 years old. Normally, children affected by congenital heart disease do not live that long. By the time he reached 22, Heizhan’s family knew that he would soon die if he did not have surgery. They went to Shevet in order to receive help. After an 11-hour surgery, Heizhan’s family rejoiced that their son was healing. “I watched the way God healed not only his physical heart, but his whole being,” said Kayser. “He knows his life has been changed and the fears he had lived with his entire life have been removed.”