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National Leprosy Relief Work
"I have lived in a leper colony over 30 years…I am isolated, even shunned…
I am very poor. The water I drink would make you sick and I am hungry a lot. I am often ill and I am susceptible to germs and parasites. My body keeps failing and I need continual care. My only means of surviving is to beg My children, grandchildren, and those with me here may never openly leave this village."
-A Leprosy Victim´s Story.
Of those afflicted with leprosy around the world, 70% of them live in India. In India today, there are alarming rates of new incidences of the disease. Currently, income for these people comes almost exclusively from begging. Depression, alcoholism, and lack of any hope for the next generation are some of the social issues impacting all development programs targeting this group of people. Contrary to many popular beliefs, leprosy is a curable disease and only slightly contagious.
Besides the physical effects of this ancient disease, its victims also suffer from: - Severe social isolation
- Poverty
- Weaker immune systems
- Permanent disability
With all this in mind, there is an alarming cry for something to be done. Anil and Rose and their team, National Leprosy Relief Work (NLRW) have answered this cry. In June 2000, NLRW began in a small way-visiting leprosy colonies as a medical team. As many leprosy victims beg for a living, they are subjected to hours of walking on their bare feet. Stones lodge into their feet, creating ulcers which the leprosy victims never feel, but nevertheless become infected. NLRW offered to dislodge the stones and clean their feet. This opened the hearts of the leprosy victims, so accustomed to rejection, and the team was able to minister in other ways through out the colonies. Today, NLRW has grown into an expansive ministry, visiting more than 35 leprosy colonies and aiding over 2,700 leprosy victims. Medical teams travel to different leprosy colonies in the Southern state of Tamil Nadu.
In collaboration with others, NLRW has evolved into an expansive work across the state of Tamil Nadu, one of India's most affected states. They have established a strong bond of trust with those living in the colony.
Joining with a USA company, NLRW has created shoes specifically designed for leprosy victims. Because the disease eats away at their flesh, many victims cannot wear ordinary shoes. NLRW custom designs shoes for each individual that are also created to protect their feet.
NLRW continues to visit leper's colonies to clean and bandage their feet. But besides doing just that, they also provide food packets and health care packets for each family.
Today, NLRW has 45 full-time staff aiding 2,700 patients, and feeding around 1,100 victims monthly. They also manufacture over 250 shoes a month for distribution. | | |
For more information contact:
YWAM
6 Venbulimamman Koil St.
Gowrivakkam
Chennai, 601 302
INDIA
Phone: 91-44-2278-0507
Email: ywamlepra@gmail.com
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