Sheets and Fish heads

Caution some pictures may not be suitable for younger viewers.

We spent some time last month organizing ourselves to attend a Leprosarium. What is that you may ask, well it is the fancy new name for a Leper Colony. Yes, they do still have those. We located a Sister willing to make up some sheet sets for us to take. The patients do not all have sheets. Can you imagine lying on a vinyl mattress in this sticky heat with sores and no sheets? Ouch! Some do not have mattresses. The patients are in varying stages of the disease.

The hospital (and I use that term loosely) is in a state of disrepair. A good rain and the sheets would be wet and stay that way until the sun came out. No dryers of course.

Families must come and help to take care of the patients. At least one patient was industrious and was making handy-crafts to sell from his bed. He rolled newspapers very tightly with which he fashioned lamps, miniature rocking chairs, and picture frames. I'm sure I have said this before, they waste nothing. They also grew a beautiful garden that they ate from and sold the excess at the nearby market.

The sheets were exciting to the patients, as were the fish heads they were given for lunch. YUM

We tried to only take pictures of those who wanted to have pictures taken. Most had fingers and/or toes missing, for others the disease attacked their faces. Still others were in worse shape.

We took 100 sheet sets that first visit and are following up with 20 more, plus copies of the pictures we took.

Heart felt thanks go out to those good folks who funded this project. You made 120 patients very happy and gave us experiences we shall never forget.