Dr. David Masters and his wife Irene joined the SIM Sudan team in Doro in February. He passed away suddenly last week and has been laid to rest in Southern Sudan

Dr. David Masters, a medical doctor, and his wife Irene, of SIM-UK arrived in Southern Sudan in February 2008. Recently retired from their work in England, they were following God’s call to work with the SIM Rebuilding Southern Sudan Team.

On March 31, at Doro, where they were stationed, David complained of severe stomach cramps. Sadly, David passed away during the night. He was buried in Doro not far from three other SIM missionaries who have been laid to rest there over the years.

We give thanks for David’s life and his service for the Lord right up to the last hours of his life. Please join us in praying for God’s comfort and peace for Irene, her children, and grandchildren. We trust God for the impact that this life will have in death as the people of Doro, and of all that part of Sudan, hear of this medical doctor who came and laid down his life on their soil—and is buried among them—to show them the love of Jesus.

David and Irene worked in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from 1968–1988 where David was involved in surgical work, hospital management, teaching, and community health. On their return to the UK, he worked as a GP in Bromley until 2006, and as a GP Training Programme Director until 2007.

Though back in the UK, David’s mission interest remained strong, and through contact with Africa Evangelical Fellowship (AEF) he went on to join their Sending Council, serving as Medical Adviser until the merger with SIM in 1998.

SIM Board Member, Ian Anderson, who served with David, writes, "It was a great privilege to serve with David on the AEF Council. As medical ‘director’ for AEF he put in a lot of hours and gave consistently helpful insights into medical and personnel issues, all born from his love of Jesus and his experience as a disciple of many years, not least in DRC."

Through involvement with the Christian Medical Fellowship (CMF), David became involved with PRIME (Partnership in International Medical Education). In 2006 they asked him to attend a conference in Khartoum. David and Irene had been regular attendees at SIM conferences; at the Cambridge Conference in November 2006 they met Ray and Anne Lee who serve with SIM in Southern Sudan. This meeting encouraged David to make the trip to Khartoum, where he met doctors from the South of the country. This, along with his concern to share the need for Christian principles in rural community health, led David and Irene to apply to SIM to serve for two years in Southern Sudan.

Pray

• for God to comfort Irene, her children, and grandchildren, and the SIM team who served with Dr. Masters.
• for many Mabaan people to understand and receive the love of Christ because of the loving service of Dr. Masters