Hearts of service: A couple’s journey of love through mission work

Crystal and Kyle Prothro’s love story is written in the bonds of their marriage and etched in the places they’ve traveled and the lives they’ve touched.

While they dedicate their days to caring for Roper St. Francis Healthcare patients – Crystal as an emergency department nurse and Kyle as a sports medicine worksite manager – their commitment to service goes beyond local healthcare. They also devote themselves to global mission work through the nonprofit organization IC13.

“We both feel we were put on this earth to serve and take care of people,” Crystal said. “It's at the heart of everything we do.”

A foundation of love

Crystal and Kyle’s shared passion for serving solidified their bond, becoming a cornerstone of their relationship. Driven by her desire for mission work to be a major priority in her life, Crystal found in Kyle a partner who embodied kindness and patience – qualities she admires and believes are essential for meaningful service.

“He embodies the spirit of Jesus more than anyone I’ve ever known,” she said. “He is always kind and has incredible patience and intelligence.”

The couple got married two and a half years ago. Since then, their shared dedication has created a unique connection that transcends their personal lives into the communities they serve, locally and globally.

IC13 is a reference to 1 Corinthians 13, a renowned Bible verse celebrated for its insights into the power of love. The verse concludes, “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

Not only does the verse serve as a symbol of the nonprofit’s mission, but it also grounds the core foundation of Crystal and Kyle’s connection – their love of serving and their love for each other.

A call to serve

Crystal reflected on her very first mission trip with IC13. She was staying at a hotel between flights on her way home from Honduras when she put her feet on the restroom floor, and it dawned on her just how clean the floor was.

“It was cleaner than some of the plates I had seen people eat off of in Honduras,” she said. “The bathroom was larger than their homes.”

The realization brought tears.

“You don’t realize how much you take for granted until you see for yourself just how much you have to be grateful for,” she said.

Crystal has been volunteering with IC13 for almost seven years. She goes to Honduras with them twice a year, every February and September.

From the very beginning, she was drawn to the organization’s holistic approach to mission work. IC13 provides communities in need with everything from clean water and sanitation to housing and medical care.

"My favorite thing about what we do is that we don’t turn anybody away,” Crystal said. “If we don't have the means to help someone with a specific need, we find someone who does.”

It’s rewarding to see how, little by little, the lives of the people living in these remote towns and villages improve over time, Crystal said.

“You’ll come back a year or two later and notice the impact of IC13’s work,” Crystal said. “They’ll have clean water. You’ll notice they are getting more rest because they have more comfortable housing.”

‘The unwritten rule’

When Kyle married Crystal, he knew how important mission work was to her and made a commitment to support her.

“The unwritten rule was that we would be married before I traveled to Honduras with her,” Kyle said.

Kyle, who had experience volunteering in the Charleston area providing athletic training services to local schools and providing medical coverage at Roper St. Francis Healthcare sponsored events, was looking forward to expanding his efforts outside the country.

About a year into their marriage, he traveled to Honduras with Crystal and IC13 for his first time. Several months later, he went again.

During their most recent mission trip, they flew into San Pedro Sula and stayed in a small town called El Progreso. From there, they traveled up mountains on unpaved roads to serve hard-to-reach areas where people have almost zero access to care. The IC13 crew set up six clinics and saw 2,600 patients in a week’s time.

Crystal highlighted the challenges faced by many individuals who cannot afford to take time off work and travel to town for basic medical supplies.

“They end up having to go without the resources they need,” she said.

Crystal and Kyle actively participated in medical triage and treatment, offering both medication and education. They directed patients with complex cases to local health resources.

One poignant encounter involved a patient, who had been shot in the thigh the previous December, with a femur fracture. Lacking the means to see an orthopedic surgeon, the patient arrived at the IC13 clinic with a homemade crutch and a severely deformed leg. Their team is still working to provide a plan of care for him. 

Kyle emphasized the stark contrast in healthcare resources between Honduras and the United States.

“Access to any type of advanced technology is non-existent,” he observed.

Meeting families of four who use a motorcycle as their primary mode of transportation puts things into perspective, Kyle said.

“To be able to bring these people the care and resources they need to thrive means so much to them,” Kyle said. “And I myself have so much more gratitude for the resources we have here at home.”

'So much love here’

The couple shares a sentiment of gratitude to work for an organization that is so supportive of their call to serve.

“I truly feel like Roper St. Francis Healthcare lives out its mission of serving all people with compassion, faith and excellence,” Crystal said. “Faith is such a big part of what we do every day.”

Roper St. Francis Healthcare is proud to support teammates’ mission work.

Having worked for other organizations in the past, Crystal feels she can truly be herself here, she said.

“There is so much love here,” she said. “There’s so much giving and caring and compassion.”

The couple also expressed gratitude for IC13’s founders Ty and Lisa Hasty.

“They’ve welcomed us in as family and have become our mentors in mission work,” Crystal said. “They deserve all the credit for inspiring our efforts.”

Sharing their passion

The couple encourages anyone interested in serving through volunteer and mission work to take the next step.

“God doesn’t call the qualified,” Crystal said. “He qualifies the called.”

There’s a place for everyone to give back, Kyle said.

“You don’t have to fly out to Central America,” he said. “There are shelters and kitchens here in Charleston that need help. There’s someone in this very hospital that could use a kind word.”

When they’re not working or serving in Honduras, you may spot the couple volunteering at local marathons or the Roper St. Francis Concert Series events at Credit One Stadium.

“We're bad at sitting around,” Kyle said.