What's in the Water in Midland, Texas?

Written by Gregory Bartha, MD

My name is Gregory Bartha – MHS Class 63.

I am starting a series of blog stories about my work in Uganda the past 6 to 7 years.

When I was in high school I was inspired by the life and work of Dr. Albert Schweitzer, the first European to open a hospital in Africa. He was not only a doctor but also a Bible scholar and a world famous organist. The thought of following in his footsteps was planted in my mind.

Fast forward to 2014 when I was experiencing a lot of unhappiness and dissatisfaction. I needed a radical change in my life. I went on a church mission trip to Uganda and saw the poverty and suffering of the people there. Pastor Simon Peter was one our guides. He told me he wanted to build a hospital near his home in northeast Uganda. The medical facilities were poorly supplied and staffed, and most of the people could not afford their charges.

This was certainly an opportunity to fulfill my boyhood dream. I thought long about it and prayed about it and then decided to plan and work with Simon Peter to develop a medical facility. In late October 2014 the Cross Emergency and Medical Clinic was opened in the small village of Katekwan. The facility was small with two examining rooms, several inpatient beds, and a small pharmacy and lab. In April 2015 I returned to work in the clinic and to live in a house nearby.