Thomas Lambie
Encyclopedia
Dr. Thomas Alexander Lambie (1885- 14 April 1954) was a missionary
medical doctor noteworthy for becoming an Ethiopian citizen, being responsible for several early medical efforts in Ethiopia
(including the founding of two hospitals). He also worked as a medical doctor in Sudan
, Nigeria
and Palestine
, where he died.
into Ethiopia in 1918, becoming the first American missionaries in Ethiopia. He began work in Sayo
, Welega, and Gore
in Illubabor Province
.
Dr. Lambie removed a small beetle that had crawled into Governor Ras Tessema Nadew's ear that was causing great pain. Ras Nadew's gratitude led him to write a letter of commendation and an introduction to the prince regent, Ras Tafari (later Emperor Haile Selassie). When the Lambie family traveled to Addis Ababa
, Ras Tafari requested that Dr. Lambie build a hospital there, offering him a tract 12 acres in size at Gullele outside the city. Upon his return to the United States, Dr. Lambie approached his board for help with this endeavor; although they recognized the need for a hospital the board was unable to provide him with the necessary funds, which led Lambie to embark on a fund-raising tour of his country. It was while visiting a small town in Ohio that he encountered W.S. George,a successful businessman who provided him with US$ 70,000 to found the hospital. Construction on the hospital began in 1922, which became the biggest building in Ethiopia at the time.
In 1928, having initially launched the Abyssinian Frontiers Mission in 1927, then merged it with SIM (at that time "Sudan Interior Mission") in Ethiopia, Dr. Lambie negotiated permission to begin mission work south of Addis Ababa, as far as Sidamo
. This was a delicate procedure because Ras Tafari was subject to strong pressures from some in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
In 1932, Dr. Lambie built a leprosy
hospital on the edge of Addis Ababa, now part of ALERT
. At the urging of Ras Kassa, Dr. Lambie investigated building a hospital in Lalibela
in 1934, but the outbreak of the war prevented this. Emperor Haile Selassie I appointed Dr. Lambie secretary-general of the new Ethiopian Red Cross to oversee the efforts of Ethiopian and foreign medical teams.
After Italy occupied Addis Ababa in 1935, Lambie at first submitted to the Italian regime in order to continue his work, going as far as to retract his reports about Italian use of mustard gas in the Second Italo-Abyssinian War
. Upon the restoration of Emperor Haile Selassie to the throne, Dr. Lambie left Ethiopia; because he had acquired Ethiopian citizenship in order to own the property his hospital was built on, he was forced to apply for naturalization. He later worked in Nigeria, Sudan, and in Palestine where he built the Berachah Tuberculosis Sanitarium in Bethlehem. He died at Christ’s tomb, on April 14, 1954.
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
medical doctor noteworthy for becoming an Ethiopian citizen, being responsible for several early medical efforts in Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
(including the founding of two hospitals). He also worked as a medical doctor in Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
and Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
, where he died.
Life
Dr. Lambie was born in Pittsburgh, United States. He worked as a missionary with his family in Sudan among the Nuer and Anuak people, and then sailed up the Baro RiverBaro River
The Baro River is a river in southwestern Ethiopia, which defines part of Ethiopia's border with South Sudan. From its source in the Ethiopian Highlands it flows west for to join the Pibor River...
into Ethiopia in 1918, becoming the first American missionaries in Ethiopia. He began work in Sayo
Dembidolo
Dembidolo is a market town in southwestern Ethiopia. Located in the Mirab Welega Zone of the Oromia Region, this town has a latitude and longitude of with an elevation between 1701 and 1827 meters above sea level....
, Welega, and Gore
Gore, Ethiopia
Gore is a town in southwestern Ethiopia. Located south of Metu in the Illubabor Zone of the Oromia Region, this town has a latitude and longitude of and an elevation of 2085 meters....
in Illubabor Province
Illubabor Province
Illubabor was a province in the south-western part of Ethiopia, along the border with Sudan. The name Illubabor is said to come from two Oromo words, "Illu" and "Abba Bor". "Illu" is a name of a clan, and "Abba Bor" was the horse name of Chali Shone, who founded the ruling family of the area when...
.
Dr. Lambie removed a small beetle that had crawled into Governor Ras Tessema Nadew's ear that was causing great pain. Ras Nadew's gratitude led him to write a letter of commendation and an introduction to the prince regent, Ras Tafari (later Emperor Haile Selassie). When the Lambie family traveled to Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
, Ras Tafari requested that Dr. Lambie build a hospital there, offering him a tract 12 acres in size at Gullele outside the city. Upon his return to the United States, Dr. Lambie approached his board for help with this endeavor; although they recognized the need for a hospital the board was unable to provide him with the necessary funds, which led Lambie to embark on a fund-raising tour of his country. It was while visiting a small town in Ohio that he encountered W.S. George,a successful businessman who provided him with US$ 70,000 to found the hospital. Construction on the hospital began in 1922, which became the biggest building in Ethiopia at the time.
In 1928, having initially launched the Abyssinian Frontiers Mission in 1927, then merged it with SIM (at that time "Sudan Interior Mission") in Ethiopia, Dr. Lambie negotiated permission to begin mission work south of Addis Ababa, as far as Sidamo
Sidamo Province
Sidamo was a province in the southern part of Ethiopia, with its capital city at Irgalem, and after 1978 at Awasa. It was named after an ethnic group native to Ethiopia, called the Sidamo, or more particularly, Sidama, who are located in the south-central part of that country...
. This was a delicate procedure because Ras Tafari was subject to strong pressures from some in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
In 1932, Dr. Lambie built a leprosy
Leprosy
Leprosy or Hansen's disease is a chronic disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Named after physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen, leprosy is primarily a granulomatous disease of the peripheral nerves and mucosa of the upper respiratory tract; skin lesions...
hospital on the edge of Addis Ababa, now part of ALERT
ALERT (medical facility, Ethiopia)
ALERT is a medical facility on the edge of Addis Ababa, specializing in Hansen’s disease, also known as “leprosy”. It was originally the All Africa Leprosy Rehabilitation and Training Center , but the official name is now expanded to include tuberculosis: All Africa Leprosy, Tuberculosis and...
. At the urging of Ras Kassa, Dr. Lambie investigated building a hospital in Lalibela
Lalibela
Lalibela is a town in northern Ethiopia, known for its monolithic churches. Lalibela is one of Ethiopia's holiest cities, second only to Aksum, and is a center of pilgrimage for much of the country. Unlike Aksum, the population of Lalibela is almost completely Ethiopian Orthodox Christian...
in 1934, but the outbreak of the war prevented this. Emperor Haile Selassie I appointed Dr. Lambie secretary-general of the new Ethiopian Red Cross to oversee the efforts of Ethiopian and foreign medical teams.
After Italy occupied Addis Ababa in 1935, Lambie at first submitted to the Italian regime in order to continue his work, going as far as to retract his reports about Italian use of mustard gas in the Second Italo-Abyssinian War
Second Italo-Abyssinian War
The Second Italo–Abyssinian War was a colonial war that started in October 1935 and ended in May 1936. The war was fought between the armed forces of the Kingdom of Italy and the armed forces of the Ethiopian Empire...
. Upon the restoration of Emperor Haile Selassie to the throne, Dr. Lambie left Ethiopia; because he had acquired Ethiopian citizenship in order to own the property his hospital was built on, he was forced to apply for naturalization. He later worked in Nigeria, Sudan, and in Palestine where he built the Berachah Tuberculosis Sanitarium in Bethlehem. He died at Christ’s tomb, on April 14, 1954.
Writings
- Lambie, Thomas. 1935. Abayte! or Ethiopia's Plea for Help.
- Lambie, Thomas. 1939. Doctor Without a Country (later reprinted as A Doctor’s Great Commission). New York.
- Lambie, Thomas. 1942. A Doctor Carries On. New York.
- Lambie, Thomas. 1943. Boot and Saddle in Africa. New York.
- Lambie, Thomas. 1954. A Doctor's Great Commission. Wheaton, Illinois.
External links
- http://www.dacb.org/stories/ethiopia/lambie_thomas.html