Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Dr. Helen Marie Schimdt It saddens to bid you farewell

Tribute by Peter Musa, Director Mus'Art Gallery

20th September 2003

It behoves me to address this occasion which has come to sadden the hearts of all who have known our Dear Missionary Doctor, Sister, and Queen Mother who has lived with us for over thirty years today.

As a young Christian Missionary Doctor, you dedicated your life to God and offered to come over to Banso Baptist Hospital to contribute to the spreading of the gospel through the healing ministry. In this act, you braved the harsh and very hard conditions in a bid to serve humanity in a country and continent which was looked upon as primitive and refered to as "dark continent."

You came when the church in Cameroon was still in its infancy and at a time when basic health services were not generally available in the country. For all these years, you tirelessly worked very hard to bring health services closer to the people of Kumbo in particular and to Cameroonians in general. You also greatly contributed to the spiritual growth of many Cameroonian Christians and their families.

In an age of capitalism without a human face, you sacrified the wealth of your country for us. Who again will render us these sacrifices when Gold and Silver have become the Gods we worship? Who again will remind us that God is the real healer and that doctors and nurses, medicines and health technology are his agents and tools?  Who again will readilly accept to come, work and stay with a people being ravaged by the HIV/AIDS pandemic? Who again will consider moral principles, professional norms and work as demanded by Christian teachings? Who?

Though we regret missing you as we witness you retire from medical practice, we strongly believe that with the knowledge gained over the years from your rich professional background by numerous young Cameroonian and expatriate medical doctors and medical students, another Dr. Schimdt is in the making somewhere? But, when shall that Dr. Schimdt come back to BBH to replace you? Will the quest for money, earthly riches and comfort bypass passion and committment to serve humanity?

Out of your professional functions, we will for sure miss you in many circles. Let me mention a few here; In our individual homes and families where you were already part we pray that the bonds that tied us together will continue to remain strong. In our Church and Christian groups you were such an active member and we all enjoyed your maturity and dedicated service to God and to humanity. You also helped to mould up a lot of Cameroonian youths who without you could have been very desperate. What you did will always remain fresh in our memories. In our municipality you gained a lot of respect and admiration.  As a prominent figure of reference for your good works you will be remembed in our town's history books and in health records of our country which you dedicated your life to serve .

Finally in Nso' Kingdom where you remain a Queen for life, you will never retire. We would have loved that you remain here with us in order to enjoy and fully execise your royal functions.

Thank you for your great sacrifice, we know things did not move on so smoothly the way you would have wished at times. That are human short comings and makeup life. We thank God for standing by your side and guiding you all through so that you could live to get a befitting retirement we are all witnessing today. We admire and love you. We will always remember and miss you. We will pray for you and wish you well. One thing I must tell you now is that your foot prints are visible and we shall strive to follow your steps in whatever we do.

Thank you oncemore for dedicating your life to come this long way to contribute to God's healing ministry in Cameroon. 

No comments:

Post a Comment