Daoud Kuttab

Aileen Coleman, founder of the  Al Noor Sanatorium in Mafraq, was buried in a spiritual farewell ceremony Saturday, July 12th. She passed away on Wednesday at the age of 94.

The funeral was attended by pastors from the Alliance Evangelical Church in Jordan: Rev. Munther Shahatit, Rev. Jalil Ma’ayah, Rev. Yousef Hashweh, and Rev. Nour Sahawneh.

The funeral was also attended by members of the Alliance Church in Mafraq, the head of the Jordanian Evangelical Council, Retired General Imad Ma’ayah, who delivered a condolence message on behalf of the Evangelical Council, local and international friends, Mafraq dignitaries, a crowd of Mafraq residents, Christians, and Muslims. Pa

tients who were treated by the Australian nurse from Jordan and Palestine insisted on attending. The Australian Ambassador to Jordan, Bernard Lynch, also attended the funeral.

Aileen Coleman initially worked at Al-Arroub Hospital in Palestine before coming to Jordan in 1965, where she dedicated her life to serving the needy and sick in Jordan, particularly in the Mafraq Governorate and among the sons and daughters of the Bedouin community.

The burial ceremony began with words by Brother Herb Claassen, the current president of Al Noor Sanatorium. Brother Nasri Khoury then gave a brief overview of the deceased sister’s life and the beginnings of Al Noor Sanatorium. A group of Al Noor Sanatorium staff also performed a Bedouin hymn.

Sister Aileen, of Australian origin, received an official honor from the Royal Hashemite Court:
*In 1989, Her Majesty Queen Noor Al Hussein awarded her a medal of appreciation for her efforts in the medical field.
*In 2000, His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein awarded her the Order of Merit, First Class, the Al Hussein Medal, in recognition of her outstanding humanitarian role.
*In 2024, she was decorated by His Majesty King Abdullah II at a special ceremony in Mafraq.
*She was awarded a medal by Queen Elizabeth, who granted her the title of Dame.

A special service for Sister Eileen is scheduled for Monday at the Mafraq Al Noor Sanatorium.

Rev. Danny Awad, pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Bethlehem, sent a heartfelt message of condolence. The church’s Facebook page stated, “Sister Aileen was one of the first prominent figures to serve at Al-Baraka Al-Aroub Hospital and the Bethlehem Presbyterian Church in the early 1960s. She then traveled to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan with Dr. Eleanor Soltow, and together they established the Mafraq Hospital in Jordan… a person who loved the Palestinian and Jordanian people. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Rev. Issam Raad, president of Health Outreach to the Middle East (HOME), announced that in recognition of Aileen’s profound impact, Home has named the future nursing institute at Home Hospital in Cairo after Aileen Coleman.

In recognition of Aileen’s profound impact, HOME has named our future nursing school at HOME Hospital in Cairo in her honor: The Aileen Coleman Nursing” Institute. This institute reflects her passion for training Christian nurses who serve with both skill and compassion.
Over the past decade, HOME has supported more than 120 nurse assistants and nursing students, and continues to sponsor students in Egypt and beyond. Through their hands, Aileen’s legacy of healing and hope will reach countless others in underserved communities across the Middle East.

Not knowing of her passing, we were planning to further honor her living memory by offering Dr. Mona Fikry (a key HOME and CNF nurse leader in Egypt and missionary to Jordan) the Aileen Coleman Distinguished Nursing Award during our Egypt HOME conference this coming Saturday, July 13, 2025. Mona cared for and served with sister Aileen for years, and was so close to her like a daughter to a mother.

Hence, Aileen’s life was an inspiration and a living testimony. Therefore, we will always celebrate her remarkable legacy – one that continues through every nurse trained, every child comforted, every patient healed, and every soul introduced to the love of Christ

Rev. Fares Abraham, CEO of Levantee Ministries also published a eulogy titled “Heaven Welcomes You,” which read: “I had the honor of knowing and learning from her in Jordan. I will never forget her love and sacrifices, and how she gave her youth, her life, and everything she had for the people of the Middle East.”

Rev. David Ayoub Rihani also sent a message of condolence. He spoke to Milhilard.org that his last meeting with the deceased was in September 2013, when he accompanied Dr. Geoff Tinnicliffe, President of the World Evangelical Alliance, on a private visit to Al Noor Hospital in Mafraq. He said, “When I accompanied the doctor to visit her, we were once again struck by her spirit of faith, her deep love for people, and her courage to continue her ministry despite health, geographic, and humanitarian challenges.”

In the message, Rihani offered his deepest condolences to the family of Aiileen Coleman. “Today, we bid farewell to a great human being, a servant of the Lord and an icon of mercy, sacrifice, and courage. She has entered into the joy of her Lord, having left us all a legacy of love, service, and profound faith. We offer our condolences to her family and relatives in Australia, to the staff of Al-Noor Hospital and Sanatorium, and to all those who support this blessed ministry, especially the Graham family and the leadership of Samaritan’s Purse, who stood by her side for many years in supporting her message of love and healing. .”