CRISTIAN & ANNA

I grew up in Southern California. I was blessed to grow up in a Christian home, where—even as new believers—my parents faithfully taught me the Gospel. At fifteen, the Holy Spirit convicted me of my need for salvation, and I placed my faith in Jesus Christ. Not long after, God began stirring in me both a burden for missions and a passion for medicine. I did not yet understand how the two would come together, but I knew He was calling me to serve. During my undergraduate studies in Pre‑Medicine at Pensacola Christian College, God made that calling unmistakably clear: He was leading me toward medical missions. I later completed my Master’s at Lincoln Memorial University in August 2023, choosing the Physician Assistant route so I could provide high‑quality medical care while stewarding time and resources wisely. Throughout this journey, Anna and I have remained confident that God was preparing us for the mission field, even when we did not yet know the timing or location.

I grew up in a Christian home in a small town in Minnesota. I was blessed to be in church my whole life. It was at the age of eleven, that I placed my faith in Jesus. After that, God began placing the burden of missions on my heart. It was my mom who encouraged me to study nursing at Pensacola Christian College. My mom is also a nurse, and pointed out how influential nursing could be on the mission field. During my time in college, I was able to take a couple of medical mission trips to South America. God used these to only solidify His calling in my life. It was also there that I met Cristian, who shared the same desire to use medicine as a tool for the Gospel. That shared calling has shaped our marriage and our ministry ever since. I graduated with my Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2020.

We have been privileged to participate in several medical mission trips with MMO and BIMI, each one strengthening our desire to serve full‑time. The Lord has opened a door for us to serve in Antigua, Guatemala with Dare For More Ministries utilizing medical missions. We believe this is the place God has been preparing us for— a ministry where compassionate medical care opens hearts to the Gospel and creates opportunities for long‑term discipleship.

This opportunity presented itself in conversation with our pastor back in October 2024. Through much prayer, counsel, and conversation, we see it has been the Lord directing us here all along. Dare For More fits the model of what we want to be a part of. We resonate with the mission to reach and equip the most vulnerable amongst us. I believe it reflects the ministry of Jesus who didn't come to the wealthy, healthy or powerful, but to the poor and weak and needy. We agree with the model of sustainability. It is so important that locals be trained up to serve their community. And despite all the wonderful things Dare For More has accomplished, I know there is so much more to be done. The ability to get involved with the Puente de Esperanza clinic would allow us to provide medical care to those who otherwise would not have it. I believe it’s medicine in its purest form — out in rural places. We want to be able to further the Gospel with personal connections, one-on-one discipleship, and demonstrating Christ-like love to the community while being planted somewhere to show the people, “we’re here to stay”. Dare For More has created an opportunity where we can put all this to practice.

We will both be serving full-time at the clinic, Ministerio Puente de Esperanza.

• Cristian: I will be serving as Medical Director at the clinic.

• Anna: I will be serving as Clinic Lead Nurse at the clinic.

Together, we hope to continue the heritage of compassionate healthcare being practiced at the clinic. Our roles will include caring for patients, ensuring patient safety, improving clinic quality, implementing standard operating procedures, training staff, leading short-term missions trips. We also plan to partner with the local church in order to teach the Gospel and disciple new believers. We are hoping that medicine may help facilitate relationships in the community.