Maud Kells: Fearless in the Forest (Trail Blazers)

Product Information

The country had a fine infrastructure, with roads well maintained by the owners of the coffee, tea, cotton and rubber plantations, who also gave employment to local people and sourced goods from them. There were banks and post offices and other essential services. Having suffered from hearing problems all her life, it was ironic that she should be the first to respond to my screams. As she joined in my attempt to call for help, Mado shouted: "Mademoiselle is dead! Mademoiselle is dead!" Maud’s incredible story, told fully in her book An Open Door: A True Story of Courage in Congo, was written in collaboration with her close friend, Jean Gibson. When asked what she hopes her readers will take away from her testimony, Maud writes, “I trust they will praise and glorify our wonderful Lord Jesus, and that they will be challenged to serve Him too.” It doesn’t really get better than that!

The centre now delivers thirty new-borns each month, with many of the children born there coming to faith in the church attached to the clinic. It was at her home within this complex that Maud was shot in 2015, whilst bandits attempted to rob her house. Nonetheless, Maud’s commitment to the maternity centre and her practical ministry in DRC remained strong and her faith unshaken by the shooting. At midday everyone was relieved when plane engines were heard overhead. The MAF pilot was Jon Cadd, a good friend. He came with other good friends of mine, German missionaries Dr Matthias and Sabine Holmer, who were based at Nebobongo. As soon as they heard what had happened, they volunteered to come down and help with the evacuation. Jon was delayed first by bad weather at Nyankunde and then needed to fly to Nebobongo to collect Matthias and Sabine, so eventually reached Mulita 12 hours after the shooting. By then I was almost unaware of what was happening, though I had a vague sense of people coming into the house. Mademoiselle is dying! Mademoiselle is dying!" A Congolese friend, Mado, visiting me in Mulita, appeared from the guest house where she was staying. WEC’s former international training director, Phillip Crooks, said the organisation “was privileged to have had Maud as one of its members”. In the 1960s Maud received training for her mission work at the WEC Missionary Training College in Glasgow, ScotlandKells O.B.E. October 26, 2023 (peacefully) at The Macmillan Unit, Antrim Area Hospital, Maud, late of 73 Moneymore Road, Cookstown and formerly of Mulita, D.R.C., beloved daughter of the late William Andrew and Madge Kells, dearly loved sister of Margaret, Dorothy and the late Irene, sister-in-law of Colin, Harold and Tom and a cherished aunt and great-aunt.

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." Prior to the attempt on her life, in the New Year’s Honours List of 2015, she was appointed an Officer of the British Empire (OBE) for ‘services to people in the Democratic Republic of Congo’ by the late Queen. That same year, she was named Belfast Telegraph ‘Women of the Year.’ Having won the overall title, she was also named ‘Inspiring Woman of the Year’. In 2019 she published her autobiography ‘An open door – A true story of courage in Congo.’ The funeral of an “incredible and loving” nurse who devoted her life to aid work in Africa, and survived being shot at the age of 75, has taken place. These last few weeks that she spent in Macmillan Cancer Unit in Antrim Area Hospital, she was very well looked after and has been able to spend quality time with family and friends... and chat with people and share their company."On her return to her home, two men wearing camouflage uniforms ran towards her. One was carrying a gun covered in leaves to disguise it. She thought it was a piece of wood and tried to disarm the robber. Speaking about her, Dr Mawhinney said, “I was saddened to hear of the death of Maud Kells and 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 womenwho demonstrated their love for Christ as they helped and supported others in need overseas.” Adapting to working in turbulent situations, Maud worked in South Sudan between 1998 and 2002 as it was too dangerous for mission work in DRC. Reflecting on this chapter of her work, Maud writes, “I maintain that one can adapt to any situation if they have the right mind-set.” Certainly, Maud’s testimony stands as an incredible reminder of finding new faith and dynamic spiritual growth during turbulent and unpredictable experiences. Upon each return to DRC, Maud explains that words from scripture encouraged her to persevere and trust in God’s leading – a practice that sustained her spiritually throughout her life. As it was, Maud spent an anxious seven minutes calling for help after being shot. She collapsed in the doorway of her home but people were afraid to come to her aid after hearing the shot. War in the Congo has played a big part in determining her life's work. During a rebellion against the colonial Belgian authorities in 1964, several missionaries were martyred and WEC International later decided to send some new young missionaries to replace them. Maud was among them.

I’ve read a lot of Missionary biographies and one thing that has been strikingly similar is their use of ‘Daily Light’ - a devotional for each morning and evening. Maud also used this - her copy was tatty from much use! Any movement I made set off waves of pain, but medication to treat the pain made me nauseated and sleepy. Trying to work out why I was feeling so ill and weak, I asked the doctor to cut down the medication. I began to feel better and decided I would rather have pain than the dreadful nausea... Maud recalls: "We had been told to lay white sheets on the airstrip so that the pilots would know it was safe to land but rebel supporters had removed them. After six days in hospital, I was discharged to the home of Jon Cadd, the pilot who had come to evacuate me. Jon and his wife Cher were kind and hospitable, opening their home also to Matthias and Sabine so that they could continue caring for me, looking after my dressings and intravenous drips. Jon loved animals and kept me amused with his numerous pets, including chameleons, snakes and a parrot which he had taught to drink Coca-Cola. Blood was pouring from a wound between my shoulders where the bullet appeared to have passed through. Desperate to stem the bleeding, I staggered to the wall of the house, pressing myself against it as firmly as possible. Time seemed to stretch indefinitely as I stood there, fighting to stay conscious and keep the blood flow under control. Call after call elicited no response. Images flitted through my brain: pictures of Jesus left on the cross, crucified and alone.Ms Kells’ work was carried out through WEC International, an interdenominational mission agency of evangelical tradition.

Mr Crooks said a phrase that made him think of Ms Kells was “A long obedience in the same direction”. Maud fits that phrase like a glove – a lifetime spent following Jesus, a life of dedication in the service of the King of Kings,” he said. Mr Crooks said that as well as her commitment to international aid, Ms Kells remained active in her local community in Tyrone. Ms Kells received an OBE for her work, which included overseeing the building of a maternity hospital, an operating theatre and a school.Maud certainly impacted the lives of many people here but the real legacy of Maud's lies in the heart of Africa - it lies in eastern Congo. She had a deep spiritual impact on people's lives.. but there's no doubt she saved the lives of many people in her medical work. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut.” Rev 3:8 These words of scripture began a lifelong work of service for Maud Kells with WEC International in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Her work building a maternity unit and training local doctors and nurses in the rainforest area of Mulita was disrupted on several occasions by evacuation from DRC and, most recently, when Maud miraculously survived a shooting in 2015. Now, on her 80th birthday, Maud is telling the story of her life’s work serving God as a missionary midwife: An Open Door: A True Story of Courage in Congo launched on 1 April. However, not only was she a legend in her fields of work, she was also the most incredible and loving person who was admired by all,” she said.