The Hansen’s diseases are diseases which have their homes in the human body itself and show themselves when times are favorable for them to burst out and attack un-necessarily. No other human disease, in addition to its intrinsic and inherent capacity to cause pain and suffering, has such a large number of attendant handicaps and associated man-made causes of alienation ostracism extreme disproportionate mental suffering and reckless abandon as does leprosy.

Leprosy is a malady which is looked upon by most as a curse, as incurable as loathsome, as ugly as dreaded highly infectious as a result of some deadly past sin. The social stigma which is attached to it by the ignorant as well as the educated people is still so persistent that even the nearest and dearest of kin are unwilling to entertain their own leprosy patients in the household. The Leper is an untouchable, a social outcast in the cruelest sense imaginable. The disease often brings in its wake ugly deformities especially of the extremities of h hands feet of the nose and the face. The disease hat its long and torturous history. Hansen’s disease need not be a killer -- not even a crippler -- if diagnosed and treated in the early stages.

Little wonder the leprosy patients become emotionally unbalanced. For most the diagnosis means mountains of unsolved problems mixed with prejudices false knowledge fears and insecurity . The patient reacts to this shock violently whether it is outward or hidden. The depressed patient in most cases has guilt feelings which he cannot overcome. He is fully aware of the changes that gradually narrow his life. Unhappiness prevails in their lives and spreads to their families. The disease has made them ugly but we believe that ugly can be beautiful when the right ingredients are combined. Love patience kindness understanding and giving life meaning is so important and necessary. To restore dignity and purpose of life is the goal before us. Our noblest actions are undoubtedly those that seek to remove all suffering from human life and point them to the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

There are 70 adult residents of the leper village we are working with. The Vietnamese Government founded the leper village and during the hay-day of Communism, they supported the village with the cash and supplies needed. Now that Leprosy has been controlled around the world, the lepers that have been maimed and suffer from the effects of leprosy are living in a village by themselves and need help. The elderly are invited to come and live in the village when they are no longer able to live with their families. Since leprosy is no longer the scourge of the nations, these are a forgotten people.

Our primary interest lies with the 40 children of the families living in the village. These young people have no relatives they can live with outside the village and no where else they can go.

Since they now live in an isolated village, which was intended to keep the lepers separate, they need a library and training facility there. The size need not be large, but they need some help.

Government employees who are not expected to stay very long staff the Leper village. Their salaries are very low and they little incentive to keep them on the job. Currently, there are two doctors, one nurse, one cook, and one cleaning person for the village.

The village is very pretty, situated some 60 KMS north of Hanoi. The village itself covers the hillside. The hillside has been deforested of all hardwoods and then replanted with eucalyptus trees.

Needs of Lepers

The lepers need food, clothing and educational assistance. It is the current policy of the Vietnamese Government to let the lepers die, though they will feed and care for them if the provisions are granted by foreign organizations.

The Government of Vietnam has an overwhelming task of rising from the ashes of a crashed leadership and overwhelming poverty to become a viable nation in the midst of poor countries.

We would like to place teachers, provide education and training as well as care for the sickly patients. With 8 million poverty stricken people at our doorstep, it is difficult for us to know who to help. Our current path of operations often takes the road of least resistance as life is already very difficult here.

We have been offered an opportunity to work with this village and need the see some basic assistance provided to them. Anything at this point would be helpful, but a specific project might prove more valuable in the long run.

The Vietnamese Government will not allow used clothing or equipment, mostly because they sell two thirds of what comes in to support themselves.

If there is anything you can do, please prayerfully consider it and let us know what God has touched your heart with.

Leper Projects

It is our purpose in Vietnam, to help those who wish to receive help, help themselves in the future. We love to teach people how to fish, though we might give them fish in the beginning. The following projects have been tried and tested throughout Asia. These projects would lend themselves

Turtles, Fish

We have been checking with the local entrepreneurs and they have suggested we try to raise turtles and fish. We have proposals and are prepaid to move ahead when we receive funding. The current project requires an investment of 40,000.00 USD.

Bicycles

One of the requests we received was for the purchase of bicycles. The 40 children are required to attend schools with other children from the area in their local schools. The village is 4 kilometers from the primary school where the children receive their education. Since the children are required to walk or take a bicycle, we would like to provide them with bicycles.

Library

There are very few niceties in the village and though they have water from their wells and a bit of electricity, they need some books and reading materials. We are trying to provide them with a library and some computers for their reading and education. We have yet to find donations for the village, but we are trying to locate donor agencies who might be willing to help.

We visit them, provide them with rice and bread. Though they have many needs, we have no support base for them.

What can you pray for?

Pray for donations for the lepers. This will need to come in the form of finances as it is nearly impossible for us to receive goods or equipment. The Government of Vietnam wants the goods produced locally and purchased locally to bolster their failing economy.