Cowie, Louie J F

Louie J F Cowie, Church of Scotland missionary in Yemen and South Arabia (now in the Republic of Yemen), came from Aberdeen. She went to Aden as a missionary nurse in 1933 after first spending time in Jerusalem studying Arabic. In Aden she was based in Sheikh Othman working in the mission's hospital until 1937 when she went to San'a the capital of Yemen. There she joined a small group working in the medical department of the Iman and stayed there for six years, with breaks for furlough and enforced leave after contracting typhus in 1942. In late 1943 the mission withdrew from San'a and Cowie returned to Aden and the work in the hospital and rural dispensaries. She was also involved in a training programme to teach young men how to set up and run dispensaries in their own areas. In early 1951 Cowie spent some time in Beihan then in 1952 moved there to set up a permanent clinic. She remained there for three years before returning to Sheikh Othman in 1955 to take charge of the hospital. She was in Aden for the birth of the Arab Church of South Arabia in 1961 and was also awarded an MBE. She finally retired and returned to Scotland in 1965.

From the guide to the Papers of Louie Cowie, 1933-1969, (Centre for the Study of World Christianity)