Derek and Kristin both grew up in the Midwest – Derek in Neenah, WI and Kristin in Mt. Pleasant, MI. During what was supposed to be their college years, they instead chose to be nonconformists and spend one and a half years with ACTION in Lusaka, Zambia, which is where they met. Both of them spent time working primarily with street kids and some with the HIV crisis. It was in Zambia that God gave Derek the desire to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Biblical Studies and Kristin the desire to become a Registered Nurse.
After returning to the Midwest and getting married, they soon realized that their hearts were back in Africa. They pursued various opportunities to work with HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa, but none excited them like the unexpected request from Tim Hilty, the field leader of ACTION Zambia, to return to Zambia and lead the C.R.O.S.S. Project. Because Derek and Kristin were pursuing career missions, they wanted overwhelming confirmation that this was the right fit, which God graciously and repeatedly displayed through hours of Skype conversation with the Hiltys and visiting the ACTION Zambia field in August ’09.
Derek graduated from Moody Bible Institute in May ’10, and Kristin happily finished nursing school and passed her Boards Exam in May/June ’09. They are soaking up biblical teaching at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, MN and are focusing on raising support to head over to Zambia during the fall of 2010. They are delighted that God’s good providence would send them back to Zambia.
Personal Website ยป http://www.dearthtodelight.com/