VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 2/12/15)—Kristy Engel, a longtime missionary with American Baptist International Ministries (IM), was reassigned as an IM healthcare relief resource global consultant on February 1, 2015. She is now IM’s first global consultant with a focus in health care.

Engel is trained as a pediatric nurse practitioner and holds a Master Certificate in international nutrition. Before accepting her new role as global consultant, she served with IM for a dozen years in the Dominican Republic, managing mobile medical clinics and leading the relief efforts following the 2010 Haiti earthquake. Subsequently, starting in December of 2012, Engel served as an IM regional missionary in Iberoamerica.

“As I was traveling throughout the Iberoamerica region as a regional missionary, it became clear that a healthcare ministry was needed in other areas of the world as well,” Engel recalls. “My colleagues at IM and global workers on the field continued to ask for advice or help with ministry questions related to health care. Soon, invitations began pouring in from other areas. The majority of my work involved making community health assessments, leading new medical teams and helping in crisis situations.”

As a first step into her future role as global consultant, Engel volunteered to serve with Medical Teams International (MTI) in Liberia. She helped local MTI staff members teach infection prevention and control, triage setup and waste management at almost 130 non-Ebola health facilities in November and December 2014, during the height of the Ebola outbreak.

On December 10, Time magazine announced that its “Person of the Year” recognition for 2014 would go to “the Ebola Fighters.” Engel, an Ebola fighter, was among the group recognized.

In her new role, Engel is visiting countries in need of health assessments, ongoing education, collaboration of health team visits. Her goals are to empower local leaders and build relationships that improve the health of populations around the world through innovation, networking and encouragement.?

In a recent journal that Engel wrote from Liberia, she said, “I think about 1 Timothy 1:12, which says, ‘I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service.’  It really is an honor to serve and go forth… I know that must sound corny to some people, but it’s the truth.  I am honored to be able to go to the places I go and work… to be a light… to show love and compassion through medical work.  I really have the best job in the world!”

Engel joins seven other IM global consultants who serve in the areas of anti-human-trafficking, economic development, evangelism, peace and refuge and theological education.

“Kristy joins the team of global consultants in a very strategic time when International Ministries is expanding the number and ministry area of global consultants,” commented the Reverend Dr. Benjamin Chan, area director for East Asia, India and global consultants. “She brings with her a very rich ministry experience, strong sensitivity on cross-cultural work relationships and professional skills on health mission.”

To find out more about Kristy’s medical work, go to her profile on the IM website, where you can connect with her and send her an email. Look for Kristy on facebook.

American Baptist International Ministries is celebrating 200 years of ministry in 2014. Organized in 1814 as the first Baptist international mission agency in America, IM began its pioneer mission work in Burma and today works in Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East and the Americas serving more than 1,800 long-term and short-term missionaries. Its central mission is to help people come to faith in Jesus, grow in their relationships with God and change their worlds through the power of the Holy Spirit. IM works with respected partners in over 70 countries in ministries that meet human need.

American Baptist Churches USA is one of the most diverse Christian denominations today, with over 5,200 local congregations comprised of 1.3 million members, across the United States and Puerto Rico, all engaged in God’s mission around the world.