The University of Otago has awarded an honorary degree to long-serving Presbyterian missionary Dr Beryl Howie, QSO, who dedicated her life to serving women in developing countries.
Dr Howie, who is currently a member at Somervell Memorial Presbyterian Church in Auckland, studied medicine at the university and received the Honorary Doctor of Science degree at a graduation ceremony in May.
Dr Howie is a former professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the famous Christian Medical College and Hospital in Ludhiana in the Punjab, India. After postgraduate training in the United Kingdom, she spent more than 22 years at Ludhiana. During her time at the College, 1,100 medical students graduated and 118 students received specialty postgraduate training in obstetrics and gynecology.
Before she left, all the expatriate senior teaching staff were completely replaced by trained national staff, who have remained in charge. Many others moved on to positions of responsibility in hospitals throughout India, where they have been making a fine contribution to meeting the great medical needs of the community says Dr Howie.
She was delighted to have the opportunity to revisit India and the College in 2001 to meet up with many of her former students and postgraduate trainees.
“So many good friends and ex-colleagues who have been contributing so much. They are serving with competence, real dedication and devotion, and also often teaching others.”
When asked of the highlights of her work she says, “It’s the great privilege for all of us who are Christians to choose to serve in the place where the Lord wants us to be, doing what He plans for us to do, and what He enables us to do”.
In announcing the honorary doctorate, Vice-Chancellor Professor David Skegg said he was delighted the University was able to recognise Dr Howie’s selfless service to others.
“Dr Howie exemplifies many of the finest qualities Otago seeks to instil in its graduates: personal commitment, the willingness to take up new challenges and a desire to improve the lives of her fellow human beings.”
After receiving her honorary degree, Dr Howie gave a convocation address to graduating students, where she spoke of distinguished British woman Edith Brown who was one of the United Kingdom’s first female doctors. She explained how Ms Brown responded to God’s call to go to India in 1891 to care for the needy women there, and later founded the Christian Medical College, which would have been an “enormous challenge and quite impossible without God’s leading and provision” says Dr Howie.
During her address, she also emphasised the challenge and responsibility that the contemporary graduating students had to build on the foundation that had been laid in the degrees. Dr Howie challenged them to add to their knowledge and to use their valuable training to contribute to meeting the needs of people around the world.
The honorary degree is added to Dr Howie’s other academic achievements which include being a Fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in England, and becoming an Honorary Fellow of the Australasian College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in 1984.
From 1984 to 1989 Dr Howie travelled widely as medical adviser for Interserve (formerly the Bible and Medical Missionary Fellowship). In 1986, her handbook, High Risk Obstetrics for Third World Countries, was published.