Long-time medical missionary dies at 75

Herb Friesen

Herb Friesen, ophthalmologist and long-time medical worker with MBMS International, died Sept. 12 at age 75.

Friesen and his wife, Ruth, served overseas for more than 30 years, primarily in Afghanistan and Pakistan, but also in Nepal, Indonesia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Somalia.

Friesen directed the National Organization of Ophthalmic Rehabilitation (NOOR) in Kabul, Afghanistan under the umbrella of International Assistance Mission from 1969 to 1979. Appropriately, “Noor” means “light” in the Persian language. Political unrest ended the Friesens’ service there.

In 1982, the Friesens returned to the Pakistan/Afghanistan border to work with millions of Afghan refugees flooding into Pakistan. After the refugees began to return to Afghanistan, Friesen helped set up new hospitals in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Friesen attended not only to the medical sight of his patients, but made every effort to attend to their spiritual needs. “In a unique way, [he] was able to integrate skillful service to people in their immediate human need with fearless, uncompromising witness to Jesus,” says Gordon Nickel, who served alongside Friesen with MBMSI in Pakistan.

After their retirement from long-term service in the mid-90s, the Friesens remained active in overseas medical work, travelling to Pakistan and Afghanistan seven times to equip, encourage and train eye doctors. It was during one such trip in 2005 that Friesen was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

“Herb could have realized the American dream, but instead, he chose to follow God’s dreams,” says Randy Friesen, general director of MBMSI. “Because of that he brought hope to some of the darkest corners of the planet.”

Friesen was a member of Garden Park MB Church, Denver, Col., during much of his overseas service and attended Parkview MB Church, Hillsboro, Kan. after his retirement. He is survived by Ruth (Wiebe), four sons and one daughter

—Myra Holms