KP Yohannan:My Recent Visit. Cleaning Wounds, Giving Blankets, Praying

Since 2007, GFA-supported workers have been caring for leprosy patients through medical care, practical personal care and by giving them the opportunity to know that God loves them. This ministry is one of those that I am so happy we can be a part of. God’s heart is for the vulnerable and the forgotten, and these precious people certainly are one among them. By God’s grace, we are working in 44 leprosy colonies across Asia. Some of these colonies have up to 5,000 patients. I am amazed and so grateful we have a part in making their difficult lives better.
Not only do these patients have the physical difficulties that comes with this infectious disease, but they have the emotional difficulties that come along with it as well. Because of the stigma associated with this disease, it is not uncommon that those who have it are abandoned by family members and are left uncared for by anyone.
Although with appropriate medical care this disease can be treated and cease to be contagious, many do not know this and try to hide the fact that they have it for as long as they can out of fear of rejection. In many cases, the time spent hiding the disease shuts the window on treating the disease at all. , 
This year in recognition of World Leprosy Day (January 28), GFA-supported workers are holding special programs and times of ministry for the leprosy patients across the Indian subcontinent. Many awareness programs will be held educating people about the disease. Sisters of Compassion and GFA-workers will be going out to visit leprosy patients in some areas just to spend time with these precious people, pray for them and let them know that they are loved. At the special programs, the leprosy patients will receive various kinds of practical help. In some places, they’ll be holding a clinic for the leprosy patients or providing a meal. In other places they will be distributing various items such as a medicine, hygiene kits, food packets, clothing, sandals, blankets, umbrellas and notebooks for leprosy-affected children.
This last November, I visited a leprosy colony myself. I had the opportunity to help clean the wounds of leprosy patients, pray for them, and give them blankets for the upcoming winter season. Around 500 of our precious Sisters of Compassion daily serve these leprosy patients. They so faithfully follow Christ’s example to serve these who are the vulnerable and forgotten.
My Recent Leper Colony Visit - KP Yohannan - Gospel for Asia



These sisters are an example of how God works. He wants us, in our physical bodies, with hands, legs, eyes and ears, to live as Christ lived. We are to engage our five senses as we follow Him and live out our spirituality. But what does that really mean?

Read more at http://www.patheos.com/blogs/kpyohannan/2018/01/recent-leper-colony-visit-cleaning-wounds-giving-blankets-praying/#B5UDpRD2LECkrHQd.99

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Our Attitude Towards Suffering

Image
In 2 Timothy 2:3, the Apostle Paul writes to Timothy, “Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” Everyone, at some point or another, faces suffering, the soldier especially. However, it is not so much what we suffer, but how we suffer that matters. The way our heart responds to suffering is crucial, because by it we will either advance or become stagnant. To suffer like a good soldier is to willingly endure all for the sake of the call. To suffer like a bad soldier is to grumble when difficult situations and hardship arise. Instead of throwing our lives into what God has called us to, we can try to hold on to our lives, wanting to get away with as little suffering as possible, paying as little price as possible. We have forgotten that we are under the orders of our Master and that we willingly gave up our lives. Christ’s Example of Suffering Christ lived with the expectation of suffering. Throughout the Gospels, He repeatedly referred to
Read more

What Is the Poverty Cycle?

Image
The question, “What is the poverty cycle, or cycle of poverty?” is one that must be answered to address and end poverty across the globe. Put simply, the term refers to the trend where the vicious effects of poverty and deprivation pass from one generation to the next, with no seeming way out. [1] Someone born into poverty has fewer opportunities than their wealthier peers. They must focus on survival above all, leaving little room for anything else. One illness can wipe out a family’s savings, but the unclean water sources and lack of protection available to them invite sickness. Walking to retrieve water can be time-consuming yet must be a daily priority, and many children must work alongside their parents for the family to afford food. Thus, school is often a far-off dream. Having had few opportunities to acquire skills, the kids grow up to repeat the cycle of poverty with their own children. This story was all too familiar for Nalah. His father worked in the tea fields, trying to e
Read more

In Which 10/40 Window Countries Does GFA Work?

Image
GFA World has ministries in over twenty nations, many of which are in the 10/40 window. Countries like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal are largely poor and desperate for the Gospel, and GFA is working to address these problems. Bangladesh is a lush, green landscape marred by brutal poverty, corruption and unrelenting natural disasters. Though it was once among the wealthiest areas of South Asia, it is now one of the poorest, with over a third of the population living below the poverty line. [1] About 387 people groups, adding up to 155 million people, call Bangladesh home. Of that number, only one percent is considered Christian. [2] Compounding the nation’s issues are a low literacy rate—just over 50 percent—and persecution of the few Christians who live there. [3] The island nation of Sri Lanka is world-famous for its tea. Its sandy beaches and lagoons make it a popular tourist destination; however, this beautiful land is scarred by years of internal strife and natural disaster. A
Read more