Kenneth Grant Fraser

Kenneth Grant Fraser O.B.E., M.D., Edin., D.P.H., F.R.S.E. or "Dr Fraser" as he is commonly remembered, was a Scottish missionary doctor and educator in Southern Sudan, specifically working among the Moru people.

He was born in 1877 in Scotland. He died in Lui, South Sudan on 10 February 1935.

Fraser was born at Crock Ban on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland in 1877. At the age of 14 he ran away from home and joined the army as a drummer boy. He was converted to be a committed Christian while serving in South Africa during the Boer War, through overhearing some officers discuss spirituality. After his conversion he continued in the army, but began to develop a vision of service as a missionary. While serving in India he first met his future wife Eileen Galbraith, the sister of a British Officer, Alexander Norman Galbraith (1879-1915) and fell in love with her, but he was then only a sergeant, and she turned down his proposal.

On returning to Scotland, Fraser enrolled in evening school and did well, going on to study medicine at Edinburgh with the express aim of becoming a medical missionary. After completing his study he again proposed to Eileen, and this time she accepted. Eileen had meanwhile had a period teaching, together with her elder sister Alice, in Sudan at Omdurman and Wad Medani. They married on 30 November 1916. Eileen was the daughter of Ven. Henry Galbraith, Archdeacon of Glendalough, County Wicklow, Ireland.

During the First World War Dr. Fraser again saw active service in Turkey, ending the war as a major general. Eileen enrolled as a nurse and served in France. After the war Dr. Fraser went on to complete his medical training by studying surgery. It was this background that the Frasers brought to their missionary service. It enabled Dr. Fraser to develop a strategy, which drew heavily on his military experience, that the Holy Spirit was able to use to establish the church throughout Moru country.

Dr and Mrs Fraser arrived in the Moru country on 22 December 1920, about ten years after the area became part of Sudan. They settled in Lui, which was chosen as being close to permanent water but away from fly infested rivers.

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