Introducing AlphaCare’s Receptionist: Crista
Meet our new Receptionist, Crista Norfrey:
“Hey! I’m Crista. I was born in Providence, Rhode Island, where I lived with my parents and my sister, Lisa, who is seven years older than me. My parents are musicians and have worked as music ministers in churches and as teachers and accompanists.
Our family moved to Charlottesville, Virginia, when I was 12, and it was there that I really made lifelong friendships and got involved in my church as a member of the worship team. I also went on a church-sponsored trip to Honduras and volunteered at a drop-in center for the homeless. At age 18, I moved to Madrid.
There I had an internship with Betel International, an organization that ministers to people who are marginalized or suffering from addiction. I ended up staying in Spain for a year-and-a-half, where I became fluent in Spanish, and learned how to walk with people coming out of addiction, run a thrift store and live in community. Most of all, I learned the power of relationships.
After returning to the United States, I enrolled in Nyack College in New York. During my college years and for a while after graduation (in 2018, with a degree in Youth and Family Studies), I served as the Youth & Worship Leader at a local church, which allowed me to build meaningful relationships with the youth. Later, a short trip to visit a friend in the Dominican Republic turned into an awesome five-month stay working as a fourth-grade assistant teacher in a local school. Last December, I moved to the Port Richmond neighborhood of Philadelphia, and joined The Table, a house-church community in South Philly.
It’s been a wild ride getting to know the city in the midst of the pandemic. I’m so grateful to have been hired by AlphaCare because I love the ministry’s vision and what it has been doing in the community. What especially draws me to this job is that I enjoy being the one who welcomes women and their families into the clinic. I am the first person they talk to as they call or walk into the office with so many questions and concerns, many times feeling alone, worried or overwhelmed. I listen and offer help and let them know they are not alone. I’m a people-person, so this is a perfect job for me!
When I’m not at work, I love hiking, running, camping, swimming . . . really anything outdoors. I also love traveling to new places, meeting new people, trying new foods and experiencing different cultures. I’ve never actually stayed in a hotel overseas because I’ve always stayed with friends (or friends of friends!), which is a great way to soak in a country. I really value community, so friendship is important to me. I love spending time with people around a meal, talking, laughing, sharing stories (I also love a good game night). Music is also a big part of my life, and writing and recording music is something I do on the side. Quarantine was actually an unexpectedly productive time for me (some days!), since I was able to focus on recording my songs and getting my music out there for people to hear!”
We hope you will be able to personally welcome Crista in the near future, and please introduce yourself the next time you call or stop by the office!