End of an era

John and Norma in conversation with a church leader in Ecuador

Ann Bothamley recalls how it took her nearly seven weeks to reach India. She recalls, “The Suez Canal was closed and we travelled from Italy through the Mediterranean and down the coast of Africa to the Cape, up to Mombasa and then Karachi and Bombay,” she said.

Ann (pictured left) was also appointed in 1967 and worked for many years at the Christian Medical College Hospital (CMC) in Vellore, India. When she ‘retired’ from nursing, she ran a hostel for children whose parents were working in remote parts of India.

Since 2006 she has been back at the CMC Hospital on a part-time basis, helping in the haematology department. She works with families, many of whom are coping with children undergoing cancer treatment.

Ann has written a book, ‘Rahul’s Challenge’ about a boy and his family who come to terms with leukaemia.

Ann says, “Looking back over the years it has been a journey of faith, faith in a God who promised to walk beside me whatever happened and who told me that he wanted me to show his love in this incredible country from when I was 11 years-old. Being with BMS has been great because BMS is not static. BMS has been seeking new challenges under God’s guidance and opportunities to share his love with the people of this world. I have found this exciting and encouraging.

"BMS has given me the freedom to pursue the Spirit’s leading for which I am grateful. As an individual I have known and experienced a caring concern and support from BMS which has meant much, especially as out of 40 years, 35 have been without BMS colleagues to share and sometimes that was a lonely road.”