In 1948 my wife, Peggy, and I sailed out to the then Belgian Congo as young medical missionaries. After only eight years we were forced to return to the UK in 1956 when Peggy developed a major coronary thrombosis. She was told by Sir Clement Chesterman (at that time President of the Medical Missionary Association and Medical Director of the Baptist Missionary Society) that a return to the tropics would never again be possible. It was during the early days of our return that we had our first contact with MMA through Dr Chesterman, and when he retired from his post as Director of the BMS medical work, I was invited to carry the baton for the medical work of the BMS worldwide.
Although I had trained as a student with the Edinburgh Medical Missionary Society in Edinburgh, it was Dr Chesterman who introduced me to the MMA, and around 1960, I was invited to become a member of the Council. Work at that time was centred around Bedford Place; a lovely hostel for London's male medical students. Harold and Isobel Bennett were in charge, and many students passed through the hostel in those early days, who were to become well known and highly respected medical missionaries around the world. It was Harry Bennett's idea to create an Instrument Room at Bedford Place, where medical missionaries could find the surgical instruments they needed. This gave me an idea, which I followed up in the 1960's to create ECHO (Equipment for Charity Hospitals Overseas) which for a quarter of a century enabled medical missionaries to be supplied with all their medical equipment and pharmaceutical needs. This venture of faith grew from a £7000 a year budget to a £7 million a year venture.
With the increasing number of female Christian medical students receiving the call to missionary service, the Council of the MMA took a major decision to open a women's ' hostel in Canonbury. Dr and Mrs Bird were invited to take charge of the men's hostel in Bedford Place in order to release Dr and Mrs Bennett to supervise the women's hostel. I vividly remember, first as a Council member, then as Vice-chairman and later as Chairman, the many council meetings that were now held in the enormous lounge of that lovely Canonbury house, as soon as the MMA moved in there. The Council met around a big table, in what seemed like just a tiny corner of this enormous lounge. These were challenging years as the MMA students grew in number under the chairmanship of Dr John Miller, a Highbury GP and members serving with us like Harold Adeney and Commissioner Harry Williams. I remember Sir Clement Chesterman so well -in his old 'Sit up and Beg' Rolls Royce-! He would sit at one end of the table, with his eyes shut! (and we sometimes wondered if he was having a little snooze on the quiet! !) Then suddenly, he would come out with some wise or witty remarks to guide the Council, and we knew that he had been quite awake all the time!!
When Dr and Mrs Bennett were due to retire, after many years of loyal service, I invited Dr Peter Green and his wife, Hope, to consider becoming voluntary MMA General Secretary and wardens. They had had a distinguished missionary career; Peter and I had been students together, and he was best man at our wedding. It was wonderful how the Lord opened up a Consultant post for Peter in A and E in the Royal Northern group.
With Peter Green as Secretary, and with the closure of Bedford Place when the lease ran out, Canonbury became a joint hostel for both men and women students. At this time I spent some fulfilling years as Chairman; Peter and Hope were wonderful colleagues to work with. It was when the Canonbury lease was drawing to a close that the Council took some momentous decisions. They decided to go for our own freehold headquarters that would not be limited by short-term leases, with expensive rent reviews. We now know how this was of God, in the more recent sale, for such a wonderfully high sum. We all know how the Lord led us to Camden Road, but what I will never forget is how with a wise treasurer, Alistair Watson, we purchased the freehold property for £250,000, spent nearly £200,000 more on building extensions, developed the house for students, and then ended the year with no diminution in MMA' s financial reserves. It was truly a miracle of God's provision, showing once again His good hand upon the MMA.
Peter and Hope loved their new home and put a tremendous amount of work into getting it ready for students, but already the Lord was stirring us as a Council, as to the future of the MMA. A student hostel in London seemed less and less needed, as Camden Road became more and more for overseas Christians studying in London, or indeed, for Christian health professionals needing a home base for study. So as the Council anguished and prayed over the situation, had God a new vision for the MMA? Some of you may remember a conference we held under my chairmanship, at the Foreign Missions Club in London, where we sought God's guidance as to the future role of the MMA.
When Peter and Hope retired, the problem became more acute. With new paid staffing, these were difficult days for me as Chairman, but the rest of the story you all know. How as Council members, -under the leadership of Ron Pont at the time -all of us took on a new responsibility each. Mine was to raise money for the new vision the Lord was giving us; that of MMA/HealthServe, as a Resource Centre for healthcare mission. For the last four years, work has gone on to build a strong base for this new vision. Peggy and I were thrilled to carry out our new role as fundraisers, raising nearly £200,000, with Peggy typing nearly 1000 letters during that time! We have been fortunate to appoint men of vision to lead us over these years; Dr Clegg as joint MMA Secretary and Christian Medical Fellowship (CMF) Overseas Secretary, Howard Lyons as our Chairman, Steve Fouch as the new Director of MMA/HealthServe, and latterly, Dr Peter Armon in the joint MMA/CMF role. Of course the rest of the story you know.
As I step down after forty long years of being associated with the MMA, we see today the organisation ceasing to exist in its old role, I am excited as I know you all are, with the tremendous future ahead for the MMA as part of the Christian Medical Fellowship.
God has used the MMA mightily for 126 years, shaping and preparing men and women to continue the task the Lord Jesus took on as the first great Medical Missionary .I believe the Lord has an even greater task for the two organisations as they merge; making Christ known and serving Him through healthcare mission, not only in this country but in every nation of the world. May the Lord indeed bless this new task until He returns to this earth to reign as King. Then our task will be complete.
So tonight we are not sad at the passing of an era, but are rejoicing at what God has in store for the future.
DR JAMES BURTON. OBE - 1st April 2004
