Leprosy…. It is a “Death Sentence” in the lives of many people in rural India. India is one of a handful of countries where leprosy is still prevalent. This dreadful and debilitating disease carries with it an enormous social and religious stigma. Most people are immune to the leprosy bacteria, which is both fluid and air borne. It is a disease that attacks the nerves at the tips of our extremities – fingers, toes, face, etc. Much of the disfigurement comes from secondary infections due to loss of feelings. Leprosy is fully curable in the early stages, but fear forces people to deny or hide their leprosy symptoms until the signs are obvious. Lepers are driven out of their communities and must find a “Leper Colony” in order to live out the rest of their pitiless existence. And the families have to go along.
Jesus commanded his disciples in Matthew 10:8 to “heal the sick, cleanse the lepers…” Salgadia Happy & Holy Home Society is doing just that…. 5 of our Dream Centers are reaching out to nearby lepers and we are feeding almost 300 lepers each day. We opened our first leper colony in 2009 with about 100 adults and their 120+ children. A school was built on site in 2010 for the children and we continue to build more housing/toilets/bathing facilities for the 200+ lepers that want to come and live there. We have a team of compassionate and competent individuals that tend to the physical, spiritual and medical needs of these dear people in this one colony. Among the 400 million destitute people of India, this group is truly at the bottom…. far below even the untouchables and low-caste tribes. People are loathe to come near them due to fear and prejudice. But Jesus touched many of them as he walked the dusty roads of Israel. Lepers are often mentioned in the New Testament. And today, you and I have an opportunity to bring His touch of hope and healing into the many Leper colonies scattered across Eastern India. The voice that once said….”I will…. be thou clean” is still speaking through His people today. Your gift will enable us to bring love, hope and healing into their lives.