Originally born and raised in South Sudan, Moses Dangba was a young adult when he came to the United States looking for a new career and opportunity in 2000.
“South Sudan had been in a civil war for many years causing me and my family to seek a different living opportunity, so I first moved to Egypt and then eventually to Lebanon which led me to America,” he said.
Dangba is an emergency medicine technician, and has worked for McLaren Greater Lansing for 20 years. When he first arrived in Lansing, Michigan, working in health care wasn’t really something he thought about doing as a career, but after learning more about the different positions available through the local community college, he decided to start as a medical assistant.
“My original plan has been to first and foremost serve God and to become a pastor, so while working in the medical field, I was able to go to school to become ordained,” he said.
On top of working full-time at McLaren Greater Lansing, Dangba is now a full-time pastor at a local church.
“Through this job, I feel that I can extend my pastoral work here to our patients as well, and to care for them and to help them heal,” he said. “It’s a very calming job for me.”
Inspired by his desire to give back and work through the church, Dangba, along with fellow church members, spent over three years making plans to provide necessary items for communities in need overseas that surrounded their homelands such as Dangba’s.
Dangba, his wife, and other church members visited both Uganda and South Sudan in August 2024, staying for a month to provide assistance and resources to the communities there.
“We realized that there was a big need for menstrual pads for young girls and women that can be cleaned and reused, so we were able to make and sew many of these items here and bring with us,” he said. “Other items such as soap, oil, and salts were also supplied.”
They were able to provide over 2,700 pads and underwear for Dangba’s group during their mission trip. Dangba was also able to provide limited medical assistance for those in need of pain management medicine, bandages, and other first aid items.
Settled back in at home and working in the emergency department, Dangba explains that he loves to be back in this setting and feels that his field of work is therapeutic and another way to give to community members in need.
“I know God has a plan for me, and there is much to do, and I plan to continue to look for ways that I can serve my own community in need along with others,” he said.
Because of a rise in disease and deaths in South Sudan, Dangba said his plan is to help build an orphanage over the next several years and he hopes to start funding efforts soon.
Dangba is just one example of the amazing staff who work at McLaren Greater Lansing. To read other stories about different staff experiences and achievements, go to the news section of the website here.
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