Profile archives

Natalie Brown puts her faith into action, closing the gap of poverty and injustice. 

"True faith is something that’s going to guide your actions throughout the week, not your location on a Sunday morning."

For Natalie Brown, 23, public health care is more than a nationwide discussion; it is a global crisis that cries out for help from Christians.

Natalie, a recent graduate from the University of Arizona, points out that for many people, poverty, injustice and access to health care and education are daily struggles.

“I think it’s highly important for Christians to actively live out their faith. For me, faith without action is meaningless, and I think that we’re all called to serve and to overcome the injustices and the inequities in this world in whatever capacity we can. And so for me personally that’s public health.”

When she was a student at the University of Arizona studying biochemistry, Natalie’s passion for mission was ignited by her involvement in the ministries of the campus Wesley Foundation and First United Methodist Church of Tucson.

“One of the things that First United Methodist Church, Tucson does every year is to take shoes for all of the children at the Fuente de Vida y Amore Iglesia ... I was able to participate in that ministry and that was my first connection with Fuente de Vida and since then I’ve helped with medical clinics with teams from various parts of Arizona that go down and open clinics in that city.”

As a graduate, Brown continues to be actively engaged in the ministries of her local church and the conference. She has served for 3 years on the AIDS taskforce of the United Methodist Desert Southwest Annual (regional) Conference, which works to educate local churches about AIDS education and the work of the Global AIDS Fund.

She also continues to volunteer at the health clinic at Fuente de Vida y Amore Methodist Church in Agua Priesta, Senora, Mexico and is clinic coordinator at Clinica Amistad in south Tucson—both free clinics serving the uninsured. She recently initiated an AIDS education workshop and distribution of condoms at Fuente.

“I think that it’s really important for everyone who claims to follow Jesus to really live out that lifestyle of helping others and that lifestyle of servant leadership.”
–Natalie Brown

Through the United Methodist Global AIDS Fund, she was able to get a grant to translate the conference HIV/AIDS task force curriculum materials into Kiswahili. The curriculum was sent to First United Methodist Church’s sister church in Kenya, as well as to other organizations in Kenya and Tanzania and throughout the U.S. to organizations that do work in eastern Africa.

“I think education is the real key to overcoming the stigma because it is the lack of knowledge that drives fear that can lead to discrimination,” she says.

As an intern with the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries, she created an AIDS ministry tool kit that will be published and distributed in time for World AIDS Day on December 1.

“I think there is something that we can all do to make sure that everyone has opportunities for health care and food security and education and the things that we take for granted as privileged members of this society.

“I don’t think that Christians can compartmentalize their faith, I think that a true faith is something that’s going to guide your actions throughout the week, not your location on a Sunday morning. So I think that it’s really important for everyone who claims to follow Jesus to really live out that lifestyle of helping others and that lifestyle of servant leadership.”

A new home

Brown started attending First United Methodist Church during her first month of college. She was living on campus, and the church was within walking distance.

“It quickly became a place that I could call home,” she says.

First Tucson has continued to be an encouraging and nurturing community for Brown since graduation. She says her relationship with God is very important and feels blessed to have had opportunities to serve.

“There’s been many, many, many people who’ve helped me along the way and been supportive and served as mentors and friends.…I’m just really appreciative of them and of the connectionalism of The United Methodist Church.”

She has traveled around Arizona churches talking about her experiences in Tanzania. She wants people to understand the conditions of HIV as a global epidemic as well as what life is like in Tanzanian villages.

“I would eventually like to go to graduate school and get a master’s degree in public health with a global health emphasis and then to continue international work and just to continue striving for better health care and better access to public health knowledge both locally and globally.”

The following people contributed to this Profile: 
Print story by Kathy Gilbert and Cindy Caldwell; videography by Carlos Jasso and Lisa Kelley, White Chocolate Video Productions.

UMC.org Profiles are produced by Pam Price, 615-742-5405.

Natalie's Spiritual Gifts

• Servanthood
• Compassion
• Healing
• Miracles
• Leadership
• Tongues

Learn more about your spiritual gifts

Natalie's Recommended Resources

United Methodist Global AIDS Fund

Desert Southwest Conference AIDS Task Force

Tucson Interfaith HIV/AIDS Network

Support for International Change

Individual Volunteer Opportunities—MEDICAL

Iskash*taa Refugee Harvesting Network

Windows Media

QuickTime

To save, right click on file above and choose "Save Target As." You may need to update your media player to view these videos properly: Windows Media Player | QuickTime Player