Many of you will already know that our dear friend and coworker Kristin Jack died on 9th December, 2023.
Kristin’s Life
Kristin, together with his wife Susan and (now adult) children, Kaleb and Emma lived in the slums of Cambodia on the Servants team for many years. After moving there in 1994, Kristin and Susan served their poor friends and neighbours tirelessly. Other than working at the grass-roots level in Phnom Penh, Kristin served the rest of us in Servants through his roles as local team leader, and Asia Coordinator, visiting and supporting all our other teams in Asia. He also contributed for many years as part of the International Coordination Team, where his pastoral heart and theological mind helped anchor and guide Servants.
After moving back to Dunedin in New Zealand in 2010, as well as being a good friend and mentor to many, Kristin co-ordinated a much-loved youth programme, Rock Solid.
Kristin was diagnosed with Lymphoma in 2015, and faced many rounds of treatment and fluctuating health ever since. He found great support in Susan, Kaleb and Emma, many other friends, and indeed from a fantastic NZ medical system.
In his last several years of life, Kristin wrote a terrific historical fiction novel, Fire and Faith, based on the life of Sebastian Castellio, whose voice is much needed today. Castellio was quite a hero of faith for Kristin – a courageous advocate of a more tolerant and compassionate faith, in violence-riven reformation Europe which was tearing itself apart over religious differences. Fire and Faith was published just hours before Kristin’s death. It has, deservedly, since been awarded a Gold Medal in the Illumination Books Awards.
Kristin finally succumbed to the lymphoma in December last year. We will sorely miss our good friend and faithful coworker.
Balm in a Broken World
(from Yaqoob* in India)
In a world of talk, he often listened.
In a world of venom and violence, he promoted peace.
In a world of self preservation, he laid himself on the line.
In a world of nonfiction and prose, he pricked our emotions with novels and poetry.
In a world of dominant and distant husbands, he engaged & empathised with his lifelong friend.
In a world of distant & disinterested fathers, he was intensely interested & involved with his own.
In a world of egoistic males, he was the humble one, happily taking a backseat and promoting others.
Kristin, in an often dark, pained world, you were a light and an inspiration – a balm in our broken world.
(* name changed for security reasons)
Craig’s tribute
Craig Greenfield lived and worked alongside Kristin for many years, in the Cambodia team, and in the International Coordination team. In his video message, played at Kristin’s funeral, he retells some key moments as examples of the faithful and fruitful life Kristin and Susan have led:
Thinking & Writing
Here is a selection of Kristin’s writings available on our website. Kristin was also the instigator and editor of The Sound of Worlds Colliding (see our home page to receive the e-book for free)
Also check back on our website soon, for Kristin’s paraphrase/ reflection on 1 Corinthians 13, coming soon.
More Tributes:
(from the funeral tributes page)
Susannah and Andrew Connolly (Servants Manila, New Zealand, Elder): The idea of Kristin praying the blessing on us at his funeral seemed so “him”. Makes sense if we believe he is with God now yet was fresh and somehow profound. Thanks for that. You lived life well and fully if not as long as we’d wanted. Rich and deep and generative. Well lived brother may joy and peace be yours.
CB Samuel (India, Elder Emeritus): What a life! Quiet but Passionate; broken yet bringing fullness to others. Kristin, left an incredible impact by his attitude of being a learner and a seeker of truth. Susan, thanks for sharing Kristin with all of us, to make our lives richer. CB and Selina Samuel, New Delhi, India
Jason (Jakarta, USA, International Coordination): I first met Kristin Jack when he flew out to Banda Aceh for a week with the Servants team that I just so happened to also be visiting. That week, Kristin medevacked a Servants team member after a serious motorcycle crash, convinced a local youth to drop his knife after being accidentally shamed by another Servants team member, and he successfully mediated conflict talks between an Indonesian NGO and the NGO’s local field-worker. Somehow, in the midst of all that, Kristin still found time to invest in me. We stayed up late each night, discussing theology and the ethics of Jesus … as only two Enneagram 5s could. So began one of my dearest friendships.
I will sorely miss Kristin, but I am so thankful for the positive impact he’s made on my life. Susan, Kaleb, Emma and Darren: you are often in my prayers these days. May God hold you all close, as you do the same for each other.
Efren Roxas (Philippines, Cambodia): One quote I will always remember from Kristin was: ” It is better to err on the side of grace”. When things gets rough in the area of relationship among people around him, he will qoute the words and act accordingly. In utmost expression of compassion and understanding.
His loving memory will live “in” here always!
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