Occupational Therapist
Dr. Allison grew up as a Third Culture Kid (TCK) in Central Asia, developing a deep love for the people and culture from a young age. Her passion for disability ministry was particularly meaningful in her walk with the Father. When her family moved back to the United States during her late high school years, Dr. Allison pursued higher education in occupational therapy. However, throughout her studies, she couldn’t shake the question, “What about my friends in Central Asia?” The region’s medical support for people with disabilities is severely limited.
Dr. Allison has been a MedSend Grant Recipient since [year], which has supported her in returning to Central Asia. After prayer and seasons of waiting, doors opened for Dr. Allison to return to a new country in the region—one with similar needs for both medical care and the truth. In the fall of 2023, Dr. Allison began her first year on the field, focusing on language study of a second language spoken in the region, as well as offering significant continuing education for healthcare providers working with people with disabilities.
At the end of 2024, Dr. Allison returned for a home assignment and got married to her husband, Jeremy, who is currently pursuing a seminary degree. They plan to return to the field together next year to continue their work and ministry.
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Our predecessors faithfully built institutions that have served for generations. Our challenge is different. We have inherited those institutions into a world they could scarcely have imagined. Population growth, urbanization, changing disease patterns, financial pressures, conflict, climate shocks, and technological change are reshaping healthcare across low- and middle-income countries.
Drawing on new data about the Christian health ecosystem, strategic consultations with global and African Christian health leaders, and field experience across Africa and Asia, this session explores what it will take for Christian health ministries to flourish by 2040.
Together we’ll imagine what it will take for Christian health ministries to flourish by 2040, strengthening resilient institutions, cultivating exceptional local leadership, and mobilizing a broader range of Christian expertise from medicine and nursing to governance, education, engineering, finance, data science, and technology.
How can Christian health ministries become indispensable partners in building resilient health systems that reflect the compassion and hope of Christ? The legacy of the next generation of medical missions will be measured not only by the number of missionaries sent, but by the resilience, flourishing, and Christ-centered witness of systems they strengthen.
