Leprosy Colony

Today has been amazing so far, I had a great breakfast including a fresh Mango right of the tree!



We then split into our separate groups to do either education, construction or work in the colonies. My group went was assigned to one of nine Leprosy colonies the the Rising Star attends to. I was so excited that we got to go to the colony first. I was also very nervous for what I was about to see.

While driving Sandra Rigby wanted to learn how to speak some words in Tamil so that we could communicate with those in the Leprosy colony. We all had a great time learning Tamil from Anand our driver. We learned how to say " thank you" which is NUNDRI "your beautiful or ninga azahakaerukka and what is your name which is UGNA PAILYENA, I'm hoping to learn a lot more before I go home!





"This is a picture of a tile on the walk way to the Elephant house"


We arrived and met many people from the colony. They were excited to have us there and I loved meeting them. I thought that I was prepared to see the people from the Leprosy colony but I know now think that until you are actually there that you cant really be fully prepared. They all came to greet us with such a light in their eyes. I loved them from the moment I touched their hands.


What a sweet woman. She loved chatting with us even though I didn't understand!





This is her husband. They were the happiest people I think I've ever met!

When the medical van arrived we set up all the supplies in their little church house. We had six stations, Check in and blood pressure, consult with the doctor and receiving meds, bandage removals, washing ulcers, nail clippings and oil treatment and ulcer removal and bandaging.




Medicine and Doctor station



Bandage removal, Washing, Nail clipping!




Ulcer removal and bandaging





These beautiful women were great helpers today!



My life changed! As I was washing this sweet mans feet today and cleaning out one of his ulcers he winced in pain, his eyes looked up towards the ceiling almost crying from the pain.



He looked at me and I began to continue to clean his feet tears streaming down my cheeks because not only was he in pain but reality of how real Leprosy is set in. After I put booties on his feet he pressed his hands together thanking me over and over. I sobbed, my heart forever changed.




I'm so grateful to be here, to be serving. I feel so close to my Savior who once healed Leprosy with his own hands. I feel as though I am a tool in his hand. I have this deep love for these people that I barely know. I hope that I have made a difference in their lives today because they have certainly changed mine!