ENTREPRENEURSHIP ON THE MISSION FIELD
KRISTA HALEY
Over the past twenty-six years, Krista Haley (’25) worked in different capacities as a missionary and as a nurse in hospitals, private practice, and administration. She feels the Lord put a passion in her heart to be a teacher and a nurse all the way back in high school. As she learned more about teaching and nursing, she decided she wanted to be a nurse because that profession could incorporate teaching and taking care of others.
Haley and her husband Mark have had the opportunity to raise three sons, Caleb, Jordan, and Tyler, in northwest Ethiopia. Together, the couple started the missional organization Impact Ethiopia Ministries, through which they do all their missionary work as well as all of Haley’s nursing efforts.
Haley feels her faith impacts her nursing every day. By providing holistic nursing care in every opportunity she is given, she feels she can meet a physical need in someone’s life, which also often opens the doors to share with them about their spiritual needs. Using her experience as a registered nurse, as well as critical thinking, she manages to provide excellent patient care and address the health issues of her patients—all of whom have their own unique health histories and issues to be dealt with.
Haley also believes working for the Lord with all of her heart, soul, and mind by serving others in nursing care allows her to impact their lives and shows them the love of Christ. By trying her best to live out the fruit of the Spirit in each interaction, Haley can plant a seed the Lord can water and make grow—whether she’s interacting with patients, local staff, or government officials.
Krista feels that her faith impacts her nursing every day. By providing holistic nursing care in every opportunity she is given, she feels she is able to meet a physical need in someone’s life, which also often opens the doors to share with them about their spiritual needs.
In addition to serving villages on a small, personal level, Haley leads a level-one clinic in Ethiopia, which she runs with the help of a small staff. Through her work there as the clinic's leader, God has opened many doors to relationships with people, as it allows her to serve wealthy expats, embassy workers, and other leaders. The clinic currently staffs three nurses in addition to Haley, who invests in her small team to raise up experienced nurses and leaders.
Throughout her time at the clinic, Haley has led Bible studies and conferences for her employees, contributing to their spiritual wellbeing as well as their professional growth. Haley created a work environment that elevates Christ and propels the missionary work that she feels so strongly called to. She has also taught patients, staff, clinicians, students, and villagers on various relevant topics.
Haley’s experience with Indiana Wesleyan University since starting her master’s degree program with IWU-National & Global is helping her in these efforts. With over two decades of experience in the nursing field upon which to draw, she feels she has further developed her skills through her program and gains encouragement from each professor for her professional, personal, and spiritual life. Her continuous education opens doors for her to connect with other registered nurses seeking a graduate degree, giving her the chance to speak into their lives as well.
One complication of Haley’s work in Ethiopia involves language barriers, due to the country’s tribal culture. With over eighty separate tribal groups, many of which have their own languages and complex disputes, Haley’s work requires different translations for each group she serves. The language barrier proves as the leading challenge for Haley while ministering in Ethiopia.
Things have not always been easy for Haley and her family, with many challenges having cropped up across their time in ministry and throughout her nursing career. Ultimately, however, Haley knows the work she and her husband are doing is leaving a lasting impact on many of the people they encounter, and, for Haley, that’s enough to sustain the tireless work of caring for others and teaching others how to care.
