Photos courtesy of Lew Berge
Dr. Lew Berge and another doctor inspect an exam table at a hospital in Tanzania.
Retirement for some people means pouring their free time and energy into hobbies. That was not the direction that Lew Berge turned when he retired from his dental practice in St. Paul eight years ago.
Berge now has time to enjoy with his wife, Rita, and do fun things, but there is a serious side to what Berge is doing in retirement.
The Scandia resident, 73, last month completed a 14-day dental medical mission to Tanzania as part of a Global Health Ministries survey team that visited medical hospitals and dental clinics in the African nation. It was Berge’s fourth trip to Africa and third under the GHM flag.
The overseas travel is just one of many duties that Berge undertakes as a volunteer with GHM. The Twin Cities organization maintains a goal “to continue the healing ministry of Jesus Christ by sustaining and enhancing health care programs of Lutheran Churches in other countries.”
Volunteer work in a field where Berge has decades of experience, knowledge and a desire to remain involved was a perfect opportunity.
“It was a natural fit for me,” Berge said of the opportunities he found with GHM.
A Tanzanian dentist works in a treatment station equipped by Global Health Ministries.
FL beginning
Berge’s relationship with Africa actually goes back to 2001. As a member of Faith Lutheran Church in Forest Lake, Berge quickly got on board when the then pastor, Don Fultz, and the late Keith Olson organized a fact-finding mission to Tanzania to explore needs for the church’s sister congregation. The Faith relationship had expanded when Benjamin Negede, of Tanzania, a pastor, came to Forest Lake while attending seminary.
“It all happened with Pastor Don Fultz at Faith,” Berge said. “That really got Forest Lake involved.”
Faith was a leader among Synod congregations to explore comprehensive mission efforts to assist the poor in Tanzania, Berge said. The first trip to Africa opened eyes to the desperate need for fresh drinking water. Led by Olson, Faith began to fund the drilling of wells to replace polluted water sources that had been used for human consumption.
Berge said Olson’s work was invaluable.
“Keith was an engineer who could just about do anything,” Berge said.
That was the start of Berge’s interest in Africa. When he retired from Arcade Dental Associates in 2006, Berge sought out volunteer opportunities and found the mission of GHM to his liking. Today, he serves on the nonprofit’s board of directors and is a regular volunteer at the warehouse and headquarters in Fridley.
Africa became involved in his efforts once again as GHM developed programs to address dental needs with a half dozen African nations.
His duty
Berge’s duty is far from being a globe trotter. His trips abroad are only occasional. He spends most of his volunteer work hours in the Fridley warehouse, where he joins hundreds of others who give time each week.
A main job for Berge is to sort through the donations of medical and dental supplies that come to GHM. He helps determine if the donations are usable and where they could best be used. Goods are sorted and placed in site-specific containers for eventual shipment to Africa.
His interest is piqued when dental supply donations arrive. Hand instruments, lab equipment, X-ray units and other miscellaneous supplies are all in great demand in Africa, he said.
Berge was overjoyed recently when a dental clinic in Devil’s Lake, N.D., donated their five-chair dental stations, compressors and lab equipment that were being replaced with new equipment. The donated equipment was about 10 years old, Berge estimated.
“They are 20 to 30 years newer than what any of the clinics (in Tanzania) have,” said Berge, who traveled to North Dakota to accept the donation. The Devil’s Lake equipment will be sent to Africa and put to good use, he added.
During the August trip to Tanzania, Berge was joined on the dental survey team by Dr. Mel Dale, a retired orthodontist from Plymouth, and John Schilling, an equipment specialist with Henry Schein Dental Supplies. During their 14 days in Tanzania, they visited a dozen hospitals, medical centers, dental clinics and dispensaries.
The goal of the survey team was to observe how the facilities are functioning and to determine how GHM can improve its support of dental practices. Berge believes progress is being made.
A new dental clinic in Tanzania that was built and equipped with the help of the Global Health Ministries.
A decade ago, the most common method of addressing a dental problem for an adult was tooth extraction. That is still a method of practice in Africa, but the work of GHM is making inroads in the form of training and education that is leading African dentists to accept other techniques, including scaling, cleaning, crowns and bridge work.
“We are trying to instill a preventative dental program,” Berge said.
His history
Berge spent his youth in Perham, Menagha and Fergus Falls, graduating from Fergus Falls High School. He completed his pre-dental studies at St. Olaf and finished his dental training at the University of Minnesota.
That led to three years in the Army, where he used his dental training. He served as a captain from 1965 to 1968 with duty at military bases near Paris, France, and between Liverpool and Manchester in England.
After his release from the Army, he returned to Minnesota and set up shop in St. Paul, where he remained as a family practice dentist for 40 years.
A huge job
After eight years of involvement with GHM, Berge fully understands the job is immense and the needs almost endless.
“It’s a big continent and the needs are broad,” he said of Africa.
During his work with GHM, Berge has also made two trips to Liberia, where the dental needs are even more pressing than in Tanzania. Because of the recent ebola outbreak, GHM has suspended volunteer trips to the nation until the crisis is over.
That hasn’t stopped GHM from sending medical supplies and equipment to Liberia. GHM supports two hospitals there and plans to help start two more. One cargo container packed with supplies to help in the medical crisis was recently sent to Liberia, and a second container will be sent soon, Berge said.
“We’ve had a hard time finding an airline that will fly things in (to Liberia),” Berge said. A Canadian airline has been hired for the airlifts, he said.
The work of GHM does not happen without the volunteer labor and financial donations of the members and the many churches that support the effort, Berge said.
GHM relies on donations by hospitals, clinics, retired dentists, sales of practices and items replaced by purchase of new equipment to stock its shelves in Fridley. For more information on how to help or contribute funds, visit www.ghm.org. GHM can also be contacted by telephone at 763-586-9590
Berge’s role with GHM will continue with his volunteer duties at home, but he is uncertain about any future trips to Africa.
“I would love to go back,” he said.
He believes the return visits open the eyes of volunteers to the progress that is being made and the work that remains.
“When you come back (to Africa), you see all that needs to be done.” Berge said.