Love Conquers All, part 4

 Myra and Scott, who planned this whole adventure, via Rising Star Outreach, tried to explain what it was like at a leprosy colony to me.  Nothing prepares you for what you see, experience, and feel when you are there.  For some background on me and my medical experience, let's just say I pretty much stay away from it at all costs.  I can't even stand to pull a sliver out of a finger. That's why I have a husband who does stuff like that.  I don't need to.  I put makeup on people and curl bangs.  I don't do blood. 

I asked Tom to take the pictures in the clinic that day, as I felt nervous to do it myself. 

 The leprosy effected people come to the clinic on a bi-weekly basis where they get come for treatment from volunteers since their government won't do anything to help them. They line up, pick up their medical record, and sit down and wait their turn.  

 If you look at the back of the picture, in the center, you can see me with a blue cap on my head and a burgundy dress.  

They come in to get their bandages removed, wounds washed and oiled, tissue removed, fresh bandages put back on.  I was told I would be wrapping new bandages on people.  No problem, I thought, I can put on a bandaid.

 Since there were dentists on hand this time, some teeth were pulled as well.I wish I could have taken a picture of Tom pulling some teeth.

If you notice, this woman has lost the ability to walk, so she gets around on a board with wheels attached to it.

 I am sorry to put such a graphic picture on, so I will keep it small just so you can see what leprosy does.  This poor man's feet are rotting away.  The dead tissue has to be removed and cleaned in order for it to heal.  I had to help the guy who was cutting. (on a side note, he was the volunteer dance teacher at Rising Star and quickly became a hero to me.  He was fearless.) 

 Little did I know that "putting on a bandaid" would entail what it did.  I can't even begin to tell you how very far out of my comfort zone this was for me.  Here I was, half way across the world, in a leprosy colony.  It was surreal.  I was there, me, housewife from Utah who drives a carpool on Wednesdays and every third Thursday and Friday.

Back in my comfort zone I took pictures of a little bit of the life in the colony.

 It was so neat to walk through the village and see some of the people we helped, like these two women.