Many years ago, I had an opportunity to visit to a leprosy camp in Southeast Asia. My friends and I were led into a visitor booth where we could observe leprosy patients through a glass window. Upon observing the patients, I was absolutely horrified at what I was seeing. I had seen pictures of leprosy patients before the visit, but none of them could have prepared me for the hideous sight I was witnessing.
Many of the patients had had their entire arms and legs completely “eaten” by the malicious disease. The closest analogy that I could think of would be a burned victim, having his limps amputated by fire. But leprosy is even more sinister, it consumes its victims at a slow and painful pace and thus prolongs the indescribable suffering. To make matter worst, I could actually see the “eating” process happening live in front of my eyes. I felt a sudden urge to vomit. All I wanted to do at that moment was to leave the booth as quickly as possible–so I could be away from the horrific scene.
Just as I was about to leave the booth, I saw something I would never forget. Emerging among the leprosy patients were three young nuns, around 19-22 years of age, wearing all-white attires. They were the patients’ caretakers. They fed them, answered their questions, and cleansed their wounds. The nuns performed their jobs with pure joys, having neither afraid of the nastiness of the wounds nor the fact that leprosy is highly infectious. I could see in their eyes genuine affection and devotion. I could feel the tender and warmth, radiated from the devoting way the nuns conducting their work. They treated the lepers not as their patients, but as friends in need of loving and care.
I was completely stunned and ashamed. Here I was, standing 20-25 ft from the patients and protected by a cement wall, and yet was afraid to even cast my eyes upon these unfortunate beings. The nuns, on the other hand, stood side by side with these patients everyday but were unafraid. I later learned from the camp’s director that most of the people working at the camp volunteered to come to work here. They knew exactly what type of the condition they would face, but they came anyway. They are the true heroes of our world.
There are many people today who are doing similar work as the nuns in my story. There are doctors who gave up fame, wealth, and family to serve the poor and needy in dangerous remote regions–where they could be killed at any moment. Although we cannot join them in the quest to make the world a better place, we can always support them in spirit and salute them for their charitable work.
I guess it would take a lot of courage to mix with the patients in a leprosy camp, wouldn’t it? I believe this is a highly contagious disease.
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Admin – It’s impossible for one to comprehend such courage unless one witnesses it for himself. I’m glad I bear witness to it.
Very moving story. It does make one stop and think differently about our own petty pains and griefs when we realize what others are going through in life. And our own sacrifices are nothing compared to what those young nuns were willing to sacrifice for the sake of those hurting lepers.
Their courage is great, but yours is not small. How many of us would have taken advantage of the opportunity to go to the camp in the first place? You chose to face suffering head on, instead of burying your head in the sand like so many of us do.
I admire you for that.
I did not know that leprosy was so terrible, and I thought it could now be healed.
However, I personally know somebody who once went to Africa to work with leprous people. I do not think he was very courageous. He was not a striking individual in any way. I don’t think he was even very religious. He was from a wealthy family that had lost (most of?) their wealth, maybe lost it in the Spanish civil war. Maybe he had seen too much of one side of life.
I’ve read pages in the bible telling stories about people with leprosy but I never really did know what it really looked like.After my health class the other day,I haven’t stopped thinking about it.I couldn’t eat or sleep right.
Then,I read this.
It’s amazing how people could be so compassionate,even to people they hardly even know.Especially if the person they’re trying to help might be the cause of sickness or worse,their demise.
This story gave a huge impact on my perspective.Just like your other stories.Like what nectarfizz said,keep on writing things like these.They could change the world. =]
Outstanding post….the St Christopher Lepracy settlement in Molokai HI is really something if you ever get the chance its one of them experiences makes you you think about your life. Zman sends
I applaud you for your bravery and having had the opportunity to see first hand and witness unselfishness in action. You must be a rather special person to be able to visit such a place. I know of some people who does tireless work without the thought of any reward whatsoever but for their need to be able to contribute with whatever they can. It is amazing. These are the very people that makes the world a better place. Thank you for a wonderful post.
I wholeheartedly agree with you about the true heroes of the world . . . this is an inspirational account of your experiences . . . I have had the good fortune of knowing Christian Fathers and Sisters . . . they were unbelievable men and women . . . being with them for a minute is enough for us to realise that there is still some hope left for humanity in this world . . .
Some people are just born caretakers. They come in very humbly and do ANYTHING that is necessary to care for someone. Taking care of lepers is what always impressed me about Mother Teresa.
I admire those volunteers. I know I can’t do that but I want to at least contribute something to ease the pain of the patients. Leprosy can be classified with cancer and other illnesses as it eats you while you’re alive. Slowly but surely.
Wow. Only God and His spirit could propel someone into work like that. And that’s what you really saw there, after the initial shock and revulsion.
Meaningful inititatives exist everywhere huamn beings choose to look. Leading a productive life begins with a state of mind and an altrustic heart.
I went on a tour to visit the leper site on the Molokai island of Hawaii and hearing the story and picking up the literature about the Roman Catholic Priest, Father Damien that spent his life taking care of the people taken to that island to die of leprosy. He died April 15, 1889 at age 49 after contracting the decease himself.
I Thank God, that it can be cured with some easy now!
You’re brave enough for even visiting a place like that, not many people would even care and dare to show their face in there, I for sure too… Indeed i totally agree with you, the nuns and people like them are the real heroes who chose to serve unnamed and anonymous to public…