A team of healthcare professionals from Hearts for Mission (H4MI), accompanied by Dr. Rick McEdward, president of the Adventist Church in the Middle East and North Africa (MENAUM), and RN Marcia McEdward, director of the Health Ministry for the same organization, recently wrapped up an exciting five-day trip to Libya to support the country’s healthcare and educational development.

A Group with a Purpose

Warmly welcomed by the Libyan Government through the Office of International Cooperation from the Ministry of Health and the National Council on US Libya Relations- based in Washington DC, the delegation, which included a cardiothoracic surgeon, cardiologist, trauma specialists, and nurses, worked closely with the Libyan health officials to explore ways to provide support and share knowledge to enhance the country’s healthcare system. Dr. Nan Wang, cardio-vascular surgeon, is the president and founder of Hearts for Mission.

The team was previously introduced to Dr. Hani Shennib, a U.S.-based, Libyan-born medical professor specialized in cardiovascular and thoracic technology and surgery. As President of the National Council of U.S.-Libya Relations (NCURL), Dr. Shennib and the NCURL played a pivotal role in making this visit possible.

The group had several meetings with His Excellency Dr. Othman Abduljalil, Minister of Health, and his team, who shared the government’s ongoing efforts and plans to improve healthcare across the country. Dr. McEdward and RN Marcia had the opportunity to introduce some of the key preventative health programs Adventists offer in the region. This included the Breathe Free program which is  a global initiative Adventists promote that aims to assist individuals to quit smoking and to teach and support them in their journey to a healthier lifestyle. The group also met with the principle of University of Benghazi, Izzidin Aldresy who shared the status of the faculty of medicine and means of collaboration. 

A Legacy of Service

The visit held particular significance as the team toured the Benghazi Children’s Hospital. This building holds special importance because it was once the second location of the Benghazi Adventist Hospital, which opened in 1966 under Dr. Roy S. Cornell’s leadership.

The Benghazi Adventist Hospital started as a small 27-bed facility, to later grow and be relocated to become a modern 60-bed hospital by 1968. What made it special was its diverse team -over 40 families from the United States, Philippines, Korea, India, Australia, Indonesia, and several other Middle Eastern countries worked there, alongside many Libyan healthcare workers.

The hospital did more than just treat patients. It ran a charity clinic twice a week that helped 50 to 100 people who couldn’t afford medical care. The former hospital team also traveled to distant towns with a mobile clinic, bringing hope and essential healthcare to people who lived far from the city. They also ran an ambulance service that helped both city residents and workers from desert oil fields when an emergency happened.

The hospital was a beacon of hope for the community, becoming so well-known for its excellent care that King Idris I of Libya visited in 1968 and called it the “Number One” hospital in the country. This reputation can be attributed to the institution's founding purpose, which is inscribed on the dedication stone: “To the Glory of God and the Service of Humanity.”

The Adventist Hospital’s legacy of service continued to touch many lives, and its story remains a testament to the Adventists commitment to healthcare as part of its core service to humanity. To know more about the history of the Benghazi Adventist Hospital, click here.

Forming New Links

During their stay, the team was welcomed with the finest Libyan hospitality, and they were honored guests in several encounters, including a traditional Bedouin dinner. They also had the opportunity to meet with the liaison of Mr Saeed Eldresdy and share moments with  the deputy Minister and staff  of Foreign Affairs, who were eager to receive the group.

Throughout the five-day visit, the delegation engaged with numerous medical institutions and academic centers, including:

• Al-Jalah Hospital;

• Dar Al-Hekma Hospital;

• Shahat Teaching Hospital;

• Benghazi Medical Center;

• The Medical Colleges Complex at Benghazi University (a public university with more than 85,000 students)

• The University of Benghazi, where the team met with the principal Dr Izzidin Aldresy and briefly met Dr. Martin Longden, British Ambassador to Libya);

• The College of Medical Technology in Benghazi.

These visits facilitated discussions on how international organizations and Libyan institutions can collaborate to elevate healthcare standards and medical education, with the long-term goal of enhancing the quality of local treatment and services.

Delegates also visited Shahat City where they focused their time in Shahat City Pulmonology Speciality Hospital. Officials from the Institution welcomed the group with a tour of the facilities, followed by a meeting that could only be described as insightful, full of passion, and characterized by Libyan hospitality.  The team also visited the ruins of Cyrene, which holds biblical significance as the place of origin of Simon of Cyrene, who is well known as the man who carried the cross of Jesus on the way to His crucifixion. 

Both the Hearts for Mission and Adventist teams were given special mementos of partnership and appreciation by the Ministry of Health, with the hope of future collaboration for the people of Libya. Each of the guests were presented with a personalized token of appreciation with a photo of the original 1966 dedication stone and a cutting of a Cypress tree planted at the Benghazi Adventist Hospital with these words, “This is the shell of the cypress tree that you planted in in 1968 in the soil of this good land, which breathed the air of Benghazi until the city was decorated with it, and now you are returning to your green plant to irrigate it with new tenderness for peace.”

The team that participated in this exciting trip left Libya with their heart filled with the hope of returning in the future with more healthcare professionals to supply the needs that arise in the North African country. Their visit not only honored the enduring legacy of the Adventist Healthcare System but also showed the spirit of service that characterizes Adventists around the world.

The original article was provided by the Middle East and North Africa Union Mission.