One of the other highlights of the trip was going to the Leper Colony. We went to one colony twice and another one for an hour, trying meet, talk with, pray with, and spend time with whoever we could. There was one leper colony in particular that really struck me. It was a place I'd been before, helping cook lunch with the women this winter morning in 2008:
Before our team went there last week, Victor told me that most of the people who'd been there two years ago had died. I was upset and figured it would be going like somewhere I'd never been before. Then we drove up and the first five women I saw were the women I cooked with 2 years ago! It was so great to see them!
Life has definitely been hard for them.
Despite the fact that my "people" were still there, most of the people at the colony have died, and for some of those women, it was their husbands. We found that out when we asked to paint their nails. Widows can only wear white. When several started refusing, we didn't know what was going on until we got a translation. So we painted the nails of the women who allowed us to, asked other women to paint our own… and the next time we were out in the market I made sure to get white nail polish. We also had friendship bracelets we were able to pass out.
I stood there in the middle of the colony, watching the women on our team laughing with the leper women… watching the hugs, the conversations. Movement to my right caught my eye and there was my friend, Connie, walking beside a tiny woman, who was basically dragging my 6-foot friend into her house to meet and pray for her husband, who was bedridden with a very painful broken leg. The man cried as Connie and Rachel, a participant, prayed for him. It broke our hearts to see his pain.
We had to leave not long after, but were able to return to the colony one more time before the trip ended. We also were able to go to one more colony, and were able to provide a meal for both colonies as well.
Now, sitting here in Ga, I can't help thinking of the people we met. How are they? How is that man–is he still in pain? How are the women, and the newborn living in the 4th house?
The leper colony depicted above is the one where years ago, the people placed a cross in their temple alongside their idols. That doesn't sound like a big deal to us, but it is… because it meant they were acknowledging Him as a God… but did not fully understand yet that He was the only God. Still, it was a huge step!
But the thing about Hinduism is that it's a cultural practice, defining holidays, traditions, business, lifestyles, trade and commerce–everything. Its string is always attached. For instance, in order to be given food to eat, the lepers all have to go worship at the temple every morning. So in that case, fully converting could mean missing even more meals.
Stuff like that always makes me think about my faith and what I would do in those situations. If it were me… what would I do?
Hmm.
May my hunger for Him always be greater than my desire for food.
Please pray for these families as the winter months move in. It gets pretty cold in New Delhi and they don't have heat.
Thank you to everyone who prayed for me, encouraged me, supported me, and financially gave in order for me to go on this trip. Returning to India was one of the greatest gifts I've ever been given and I look forward to God sending me again–hopefully–in the future. I pray that the story of AH and the leper colonies have given you a greater glimpse of what God is doing in the world… and how He is continually at work.
Thank you!
