| Although Christian Life Ministries, founded by | | | | microscopes, and IV pumps, were no where to |
| Pastor Jackson Senyonga, is not a small | | | | be found. |
| organization in terms of the things it has done for | | | | When diving into the source of the problem, Dr. |
| the Ugandan poor, it only took one small effort to | | | | Haglund and Pastor Jackson Senyonga found out |
| lead to a very big change in the Ugandan hospital | | | | that only $25,000 per year was budgeted for |
| system. | | | | medical equipment at this national hospital. And, |
| When speaking at the Raleigh First Assembly of | | | | the hospital hadn't been received any new |
| God in 2006, Pastor Jackson Senyonga hoped his | | | | equipment since 1999. Even that equipment, which |
| message would embed itself in the heart of the | | | | was purchased by a $175,000 donation from a |
| listeners. He hoped to receive support and | | | | German bank, was second-hand and about ten |
| educate his audience on the Uganda's plight. He | | | | years old and when it was purchased. |
| couldn't have ever expected the significance of his | | | | With Pastor Jackson Senyonga as his advocate, |
| words to one particular listener, Dr. Michael | | | | Dr. Haglund was introduced to the Ugandan |
| Haglund, a neurosurgeon at Duke University in | | | | Minister of Health and cabinet members. The |
| North Carolina. Dr. Haglund had made several | | | | group worked together to find a way to improve |
| volunteer trips to Ecuador and was intrigued by | | | | the hospital system so that patients could receive |
| Uganda's quandary. He contacted Pastor Jackson | | | | better healthcare in their time of need. |
| Senyonga and soon after, accompanied him to | | | | When Dr. Haglund returned home, he realized how |
| Kampala Uganda. While there, Dr. Haglund spoke | | | | much excess equipment the Duke Hospital had |
| at a church service at Christian Life Church, the | | | | available to donate to this good cause. He |
| church founded by Pastor Jackson Senyonga. The | | | | stumbled across a basement full of equipment, all |
| service was held at a venue much like an athletic | | | | waiting to be liquidated for pennies on the dollar. |
| stadium that housed 15,000 Ugandans. Dr. Haglund | | | | He networked with colleagues and bosses and |
| spoke briefly with a vow to return with medical | | | | lobbied for Duke's castoff equipment to be sent |
| equipment. As he finished his speech, he was | | | | to this disadvantaged hospital in Kampala. He even |
| commended with a standing ovation from the | | | | came up with creative ways to raise funds to |
| thousands of Ugandans; tears immediately rushed | | | | help the Ugandan hospital. For example, he |
| from his eyes at the thought of his chance to | | | | changed his attitude toward those pesky drug and |
| greatly change such a troubled nation. | | | | equipment sales personnel doctors often try to |
| After the service, Dr. Haglund and Pastor Jackson | | | | avoid and started to solicit donations from them. |
| Senyonga toured the Kampala hospital. He was | | | | Dr. Haglund was able to donate over $1.1 million |
| moved at the desperation he saw there. The | | | | worth of usable, excess equipment from Duke |
| facility was larger than that of the Duke Hospital, | | | | Hospital to the Kampala hospital. In addition, he |
| with over 1,500 beds, yet it only housed one | | | | was successful in soliciting enough donations to |
| working ventilator, a breathing machine vital for | | | | have it all shipped to Uganda and volunteers to |
| surgery and general patient care. Duke Hospital, as | | | | help train the staff on how to use the equipment. |
| a reference, has several hundred of these | | | | Dr. Haglund realized that this one-time donation |
| machines on hand. At the Kampala hospital, | | | | would not be able to fix the problems with the |
| doctors carefully consider which patients need the | | | | Ugandan hospital system. So, he established the |
| sole ventilator the most, and consider how the | | | | Duke Global Health Plus to donate surplus |
| use of the ventilator can save the most lives; | | | | equipment and supplies to struggling hospitals |
| however, often times this decision condemns | | | | around the world. |
| some patients to high risk surgery or even death. | | | | Each year Dr. Haglund brings a team of medical |
| The decision to risk a few to save the sum is a | | | | personnel and other volunteers to visit Pastor |
| stressful decision that no human being would want | | | | Jackson Senyonga's church, Christian Life |
| to be responsible for. Dr. Haglund noticed the staff | | | | Ministries. They also visit the orphanages that |
| at the Kampala hospital would try to make due | | | | Pastor Jackson Senyonga started as well as |
| without ventilators by manually squeezing air bags | | | | empowering the hospital with both skill training and |
| to keep patients alive. He even witnessed a car | | | | hands on medical help to people. |
| accident patient that was on the ventilator die | | | | God must have had a hand in this tricky play of |
| when the power went out. As the power came | | | | fate. He placed Dr. Haglund in a congregation with |
| back on, the ventilator did not reset correctly and | | | | open ears and an open heart on the same sweet |
| didn't provide the patient with enough oxygen to | | | | day that Pastor Jackson Senyonga was speaking |
| sustain the fragile life. An oxygen monitor would | | | | at his local church. Had either Dr. Haglund or Pastor |
| have been a vital tool to alert the nurses of the | | | | Jackson Senyonga ignored God's calling to spread |
| problem. | | | | the word and help God's people, the hospital |
| Dr. Haglund and Pastor Jackson Senyonga | | | | system in Uganda could still be playing lottery with |
| witnessed that there were actually unused | | | | the lives of its patients. Let us be thankful in the |
| ventilators at the Kampala hospital; however, the | | | | mysterious ways that the Lord brings people |
| ventilators were out of commission due to a | | | | together to accomplish great things. And let us be |
| shortage of replacement filters for the machines. | | | | thankful to Pastor Jackson Senyonga and Dr. |
| These filters only cost approximately $5 in the | | | | Michael Hugland for providing such great example |
| United States, and Dr. Haglund pledged to bring | | | | of how very average people can make a |
| some back. | | | | difference in the world just by being an advocate |
| Other equipment pieces, equipment that American | | | | for a good cause. |
| doctors take for granted like heart monitors, | | | | |