Liz and Bob's Story

On Monday 6th August Liz and Bob went to see Ann Bothamley at the Christian Medical Centre in Vellore, S.India

We traveled about 100 miles from Chennai to Vellore through traffic and sights never seen before – cars, motor bikes, auto rickshaws, (all sounding horns), animals (including an elephant) and people all interweaving to get to their destination. The hospital dominates Vellore’s chaotic main street and was surrounded by people. Built over 100 years ago the old buildings were very basic and drab. Highlight of the hospital buildings were the Christian Chapels, beautiful in their simplicity and used by Christian and Hindu alike. Inside the hospital long queues waited to register as outpatients. The hospital cares for about 4 – 5,000 outpatients each day which means the doctors work extremely long hours. There are 2,000 beds plus an extra person for each patient who stays to feed and help look after the one needing medical care.

We met Ann in the hospital and she warmly welcomed us – she gets few visitors. Ann has been working at the hospital for 39 years and was in charge of the Haematology Department until retiring eight years ago. She now works in a pastoral way visiting patients and she obviously has a deep love and care for these patients – many of whom are children suffering from leukemia and having received bone marrow transplants from a sibling or relation. Ann has recently been involved in setting up a playroom so that children recovering after surgery have a pleasant and creative environment to go to. This is a great step forward in a place where space is at a premium!

Another part of Ann’s work is the school, named after Dr Ida Scudder who founded the hospital in 1902 after witnessing the death of three Muslim women in childbirth. The existing custom was that women were unable to accept the help of a male doctor - her father who was a missionary doctor was unable to help. The hospital trains a high percentage of women doctors. The school was started to serve the children of doctors and nurses who work at the hospital – all the staff and children are Indian. Ann’s role at present is pastoral – the children come and see her if they have problems or need to talk – she is a wonderful listening ear with great wisdom.

The third part of our visit was to Balanilayam – a home for children – the vision, buying and building overseen by Ann and her working companion for all the years she has been in Vallore. Money was never asked for but God provided through donations coming from all over the world. As the construction was undertaken so the money came in stage by stage. The home was built for children, and for many years Ann and her friend Marlienne looked after and loved the children as their own while their parents served as missionaries in other parts of India. At present this building is empty, mainly because the needs of families has changed but also because there has been difficulty in finding suitable house-parents. Ann’s friend who worked with her in this has now returned to her native Australia due to ill health so Ann is waiting for God’s guidance to show the way forward for its use. It is a special place for God’s work, and she is waiting for new direction.

Our visit was a great privilege, and we felt humbled by what we saw and heard. Her courage, determination, love, and the fact that she is greatly respected is a tremendous witness of God’s love demonstrated by this ordinary but God led woman of faith.

Liz and Bob Allen