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Christian Hagenvick was a Norwegian
medical missionary in Ethiopia.
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He was born in 1911 in
a small town in southern Norway.
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His family accepted Adventism
when he was about five years old.
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After he finished twelfth grade,
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Christian received financial support
from the Adventist headquarters in Oslo
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to study medicine and become a missionary.
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When he finished his medical studies,
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he was sent to northern Norway
by the Adventist church.
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There, he trained to become a surgeon.
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When he received a call in 1949
to replace a sick doctor in Ethiopia,
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he willingly left home with
his wife and two daughters.
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Initially, Dr. Hagenbeck
didn't have many patients.
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Soon, he learned why.
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People were afraid that if they
died in the Adventist facility,
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they wouldn't be allowed to enter heaven.
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One day, a young man came to the
hospital with a blocked intestine.
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The family asked whether Dr. Haagenbeck
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could promise that an
operation would be successful.
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The doctor could only
promise to do his best,
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so the family didn't allow the procedure.
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After two days, the patient was so sick
that he felt like he was going to die.
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He asked Dr. Haagenbeck to do
something even if it meant an operation.
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Dr. Haagenbeck prayed for guidance
and then operated on the man.
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By God's grace, the surgical intervention
was successful and the man returned home.
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News of the successful
procedure traveled quickly,
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and Dr. Hagenbeck had
many patients after that.
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Dr. Hagenbeck was not only a physician,
but he also worked as an electrician,
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plumber, carpenter, builder, and mechanic.
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Many times, he would lie
under a car he was repairing
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and his hands would be covered
with black oil.
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The nurse would come from the hospital
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and tell him patients were ready
for operations.
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He would scrub his hands
and operate on a large goiter
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or a patient who was having
a difficult delivery.
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Dr. Hagenbeck loved
the people of Ethiopia
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and wanted to do everything
he could to help them.
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He helped repair their sewing machines,
cars, and various mechanical devices.
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He enabled many poor students
to get an education.
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He liked to help people
learn to help themselves.
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One morning in 1975,
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after Dr. Hagenbeck had
served for 26 years,
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some 300 robbers looted
and destroyed the hospital.
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They burned Haagenbeck's house and
threatened to kill him and his wife.
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They found refuge in the
home of a nearby friend.
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The next day, a plane flew them to the
safety of the capital city, Addis Ababa.
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One could imagine that
Dr. Christian Haagenvich
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would like to go home after this
fearful experience.
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Instead, he moved to Gyimbi Hospital
in western Ethiopia,
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where he worked until his retirement.
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He continued serving God until
his death in 1994
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at the age of 83.
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For more stories about
pioneer missionaries,
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visit encyclopedia.adventist.org
Team Adventist
