Tributes paid to ‘inspirational’ Maud Kells

TRIBUTES have been flooding in for a Cookstown missionary who spent almost half a century providing maternity care to women in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Maud Kells OBE, who also contributed to the building a hospital and nursery in the rainforest village of Mulita, died peacefully at Antrim Area Hospital on Thursday morning at the age of 84, following a short illness.

In 2015, Ms Kells was seriously injured following a gun attack at her home in Mulita just days after she received an OBE in the New Year’s Honours List for her missionary work.

Following the attack, she was flown back to Cookstown to recover, but she soon returned to DRC to continue her aid work.

Just months after surviving the attack, she was invited to Buckingham Palace to be presented with her OBE honour by Prince William.

Since Ms Kell’s passing, many have taken to social media to pay tributes to a woman who has been described as a ‘good and faithful servant’.

A post made on Cookstown High School’s social media page read, “It is with great sadness to hear of the passing of Maud Kells OBE.

“Maud was the guest speaker at our 2016 Prize Day and told many remarkable stories of her time in the mission fields of Congo, including how she was shot by bandits just the year before; “I thought the gun was just a bit of wood to frighten me, so I went to grab it and he just pulled the trigger.”

“Over half a century, she was involved in the training of Congolese nurses in five hospitals and 30 health centres.

“She was also involved in the supervision of school and hospital construction projects, bible school teaching and church services.

“Truly Maud was an inspiration to us all.

“Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Ms Kells funeral service will take place in Molesworth Presbyterian Church on Sunday, October 29 at 2.15pm, followed by interment in St. John’s Parish Churchyard, Moneymore.