Z
ach Kirstein is the great-great-great-great-grandson of John Nevins Andrews, the first Seventh-day Adventist missionary to serve abroad.
Growing up, Kirstein heard many stories about J. N. Andrews and his work. “I grew to have a great appreciation for this man,” he says. “To know that I’m a direct descendant of his is a pretty amazing feeling.”
Zach shares his ancestor’s passion for mission and has been proud to continue what he describes as “a legacy of people saying yes to God.”
While studying at Southern Adventist University, he took a year off to go to Familia Feliz, an orphanage and boarding school in Bolivia. There he served as an assistant house parent, providing support to some 100 children. Eventually, his responsibilities included teaching.
Despite the cultural and language barriers, Kirstein found that love, passion, and care transcended these obstacles. “Everyone wants to be cared for. Everyone wants to be loved. And I don’t need to speak your language to show you that.”
Kirstein also used his finance and business skills to help Familia Feliz. He majored in finance at Southern and always planned on combining his knowledge with his love for mission. “Familia Feliz is completely dependent on donations every single month,” Kirstein says. “God has literally been supporting this every single month for 20 years.”
Kirstein managed fundraising and implemented strategies to increase monthly donations. “We were able to buy refrigerators for campus and just have stability month to month. We bought washing machines, so we didn’t have to wash clothes by hand for 100 people. We had better resources, better nutrition, better food. It was a pretty cool way to see that business can be a mission.”
Kirstein cherishes the bonds he made with the children, especially with Andres, a boy from an unstable home who longed for his mother’s love. Andres’ mother visited once every few months, leaving him feeling neglected. One night, after refusing to do his chores, Andres disappeared to his room. Kirstein found him curled up in bed, crying. Despite multiple attempts to talk, Andres gave short responses. Kirstein finally said, “I am sorry for what your mom has done in your life,” and Andres began sobbing. Kirstein felt God impressing him to stay with Andres. “When I’m sad, I pray to Jesus,” he told Andres. Andres was curious about talking to God, so he prayed too.
Just days before, Kirstein had questioned his purpose in Bolivia. “I asked God ‘Why am I here? I feel like I am just watching children. Is there not more for me?’” That night, it became clear. He realized his role was to show Andres that someone cared.
Now, Kirstein works in healthcare, continuing to serve people. He is in a leadership residency program with AdventHealth and plans to continue participating in mission work. Kirstein emphasizes keeping God at the center of his life, which he believes is crucial for making an impact.
Please pray for Zach Kirstein as he makes his mark in mission and for all missionaries as they follow the legacy of John Nevins Andrews.