Tributes paid to ‘National treasure’ missionary

THE ‘amazing life’ of a much-loved missionary from Tyrone was recalled at a poignant funeral service on Sunday.

Maud Kells, pictured, came to national prominence in 2015 when, at the age of 75, she was after being shot by bandits in the village of Mulita in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Ms Kells, who was from Cookstown, attended Molesworth Presbyterian Church and trained as a nurse in Belfast before beginning a lifelong association with the people of the DRC.

The Tyrone woman first travelled to the African country in 1968 and, prior to the attempt on her life, she received an OBE for her missionary work. Ms Kells, 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.

Her funeral service was held at Molesworth Presbyterian Church on Sunday, with many words of tribute from friends, family, and peers from her missionary group WEC International.

On behalf of the family, Emily McKeown spoke fondly of memories with ‘Auntie Maud’.

“As many here know, Maud was very well known locally, once described to me as ‘Northern Ireland’s national treasure’.”

“She lived an amazing live, devoted to her faith and had done so many amazing things in the name of God through her missionary work.

“Not only was she a legend in her field of work, but she was also the most incredible and loving person who was admired by all,” said Emily.

She continued, “(Maud) was widely recognisable around the town, often seen with her head down and backpack in place with an umbrella at the ready.

“She was widely known as ‘Auntie Maud’ and she made it her second mission in life to love everyone.”

Long standing friend, Phillip Crooks, who worked alongside Ms Kells, said it was ‘a great honour’ to speak about Maud.

“(Maud) laboured to overcome a multitude of obstacles and challenges throughout her long career in the Christian mission.

“Visas, customs, sickness, being shot, armed uprisings, small planes in unfavourable storms, heartaches, injustice, epidemics, – just to name a few” he said.

“In an age of increasing obsession with personal agendas and material gain, we do well to stop for a moment and ask the question; why would someone live a life like Maud which is so counter-cultural?”

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.

Presbyterian Moderator, Right Reverend Dr Sam Mawhinney, said he was saddened to hear of Ms Kells’s death

He added, “I would like to offer my condolences to her family and friends, both here in Ireland and the DRC, where she served God so faithfully and for so long. She was certainly part of a great generation of Christian women who demonstrated their love for Christ as they helped and supported others in need overseas.”