Go ye into ALL the world....

I visited a leper colony today. The World Health Organization (WHO) and Indian government has declared that leprosy has been eradicated in India. This is true when you consider that 1 infected person in 10,000 is considered acceptable. A few points: Indies population is over 1 billion which means there are over 100,000 known cases of leprosy, it is transmitted through contact and is highly contagious with open wounds adding to the rate of contagion, it is a completely curable disease for which the government will gladly provide the necessary medications.

So what's the problem? Where to begin; education, social stigma, superstition, ignorance - I can't even begin to list them all. I thought I was covered with all the vaccinations I had before coming. I never expected to be exposed to this. In all honesty, I don't even know that much about the disease, how it progresses, or the ramifications. The man who took me directs a facility providing not only medicines but education and physical therapy as well. These people truly are looked on as the lowest of animals and to see how completely beaten they are, not only physically but emotionally, might be the most heart wrenching sight yet. Help is there, this man is begging them to take the free gift that will save their lives, take away the pain and rebuild their futures. I don't understand why they refuse it.

Sound familiar?

The message is the same though the gift is different so he goes again. Tomorrow he will visit a different camp, and later this week he will return to the colony we just left. He keeps going, never giving up, and maybe once or twice a month someone will leave with him. I'm in awe of his dedication and his unwavering service as well as the steadfast confidence that his success is 'not driven by the number of patients I drop at the clinic doors but by honoring Christ in His call to heal the lepers for the glory of His kingdom'. (Matthew 10)