Last Friday, I was able to go on a little excursion off campus with the medical team. This is a very rare occurrence for me since, as a teacher, I am always required on campus during the week. However, I was so grateful to be able to go to another colony and participate in the medical work that is continuously going on at Rising Star.
We headed out at about 9 am for Moot leprosy colony. The drive wasn't too long, only about an hour. I love looking out the windows here and it was so fun to experience another little section of Tamil Nadu (the state where we live in India). When we got to Moot, we hopped out of the car and set up all the medical stations.
As we started setting up, the residents of the colony started coming out of their little homes. There are only about 7 people left in Moot colony, all of whom are elderly, but they are the sweetest people in the world. The first man who greeted us is named Jayaraj and, let me tell you, he is a character. He came out and started singing and dancing with us. He has a huge, boisterous laugh that never fails to make people smile and laugh with him. He has so much energy and enthusiasm and instantly loves everyone.
We finished setting up the medical stations and began treating patients. Basically, the process goes like this:
First, the patient goes and sits down with the doctor for a few minutes. She does a really quick verbal assessment and a little bit of charting. They then head over to the first station where a volunteer washes their feet. Leprosy causes extreme nerve damage which often leaves people with no sensation in their hands and feet. This loss of sensation makes it easy for people to get huge infected ulcers on their feet because they injure themselves, don't realize it, and continue walking around on an open wound. Feet washing is essential to get the ulcers cleaned out and to loosen up dead skin around the ulcers.
They then head to the next station where they get oil rubbed on their feet. This helps to soften the skin before they head to the next station, where the dead and infected skin around the ulcer is carefully cut off. After their ulcer is cleaned and the infected skin is removed, their feet are bandaged and the patient is sent to the next station to get any medication they may require. They then go to the last station where they get two medicated eye drops in each eye to help combat infection and cataract development.
After we finished up with the last patient, we got some time to sit and talk with the people. We also had some quality dance party time.
Let me introduce you to a few of the people I met today.
This is Saroja. She is easily one of the most beautiful people I have ever met. She was sitting by herself for a while, so I decided to go sit by her. She looked over at me, and I said vanakkam and grabbed her hand. She placed her other and on top of mine and gave me the sweetest smile. We sat for a while both just smiling and trying to communicate as much as we could. I don't speak Tamil and she doesn't speak English, yet somehow, we were able to connect and communicate what we were feeling. At one point, I pointed to her Bindi and told her it was super. She held up one hand to signal for me to wait, then she got up and hobbled into her house. It was so humbling to see her try to walk. She doesn't have any toes left, so she leans over and does a kind of hop/crawl with one hand and one foot. When she returned, she had a package of Bindis in her hand. She took one out and placed it on my forehead. She then touched my face, motioned with her hand toward heaven, and put her hands over her heart. It was such a beautiful moment for me. I was so humbled that this incredible woman, who has next to nothing, gave me one of her few possessions with no questions asked. We had just met each other, yet I felt her love and gratitude so strongly as she tried to communicate her thanks to God.
I know a little of Saroja's story. She is married to another resident of Moot, Krishna. She and her husband both contracted leprosy and were severely disfigured by the effects of the disease.
Krishna scoots around on a little scooter. He has very few toes and fingers left and can't walk easily. He and Saroja and a pretty unhappy and abusive marriage. Saroja now refuses to live in the same house as Krishna, yet she still makes his meals everyday and takes it over to him. This is the kind of person she is. She is so loving and amazing. She also takes part of her meager weekly supply of rice and grinds it up to feed the birds. She says the birds are her friends and she painstakingly gathers a dish of water for them everyday, as well. She is such an example of Christ-like love and generosity, despite her incomprehensibly difficult life.
These are two more men from the colony. I wish I could remember their names, but I can't. They were also so happy and showed so much gratitude for us.
I feel deeply indebted to the people of Moot. They taught me so many lessons in such a short amount of time. I will never forget Saroja's smile or Jayaraj's dancing.
I love all of you and I miss you. Thank you to my amazing family for all the love and support.
We headed out at about 9 am for Moot leprosy colony. The drive wasn't too long, only about an hour. I love looking out the windows here and it was so fun to experience another little section of Tamil Nadu (the state where we live in India). When we got to Moot, we hopped out of the car and set up all the medical stations.
As we started setting up, the residents of the colony started coming out of their little homes. There are only about 7 people left in Moot colony, all of whom are elderly, but they are the sweetest people in the world. The first man who greeted us is named Jayaraj and, let me tell you, he is a character. He came out and started singing and dancing with us. He has a huge, boisterous laugh that never fails to make people smile and laugh with him. He has so much energy and enthusiasm and instantly loves everyone.
We finished setting up the medical stations and began treating patients. Basically, the process goes like this:
First, the patient goes and sits down with the doctor for a few minutes. She does a really quick verbal assessment and a little bit of charting. They then head over to the first station where a volunteer washes their feet. Leprosy causes extreme nerve damage which often leaves people with no sensation in their hands and feet. This loss of sensation makes it easy for people to get huge infected ulcers on their feet because they injure themselves, don't realize it, and continue walking around on an open wound. Feet washing is essential to get the ulcers cleaned out and to loosen up dead skin around the ulcers.
They then head to the next station where they get oil rubbed on their feet. This helps to soften the skin before they head to the next station, where the dead and infected skin around the ulcer is carefully cut off. After their ulcer is cleaned and the infected skin is removed, their feet are bandaged and the patient is sent to the next station to get any medication they may require. They then go to the last station where they get two medicated eye drops in each eye to help combat infection and cataract development.
After we finished up with the last patient, we got some time to sit and talk with the people. We also had some quality dance party time.
Let me introduce you to a few of the people I met today.
This is Saroja. She is easily one of the most beautiful people I have ever met. She was sitting by herself for a while, so I decided to go sit by her. She looked over at me, and I said vanakkam and grabbed her hand. She placed her other and on top of mine and gave me the sweetest smile. We sat for a while both just smiling and trying to communicate as much as we could. I don't speak Tamil and she doesn't speak English, yet somehow, we were able to connect and communicate what we were feeling. At one point, I pointed to her Bindi and told her it was super. She held up one hand to signal for me to wait, then she got up and hobbled into her house. It was so humbling to see her try to walk. She doesn't have any toes left, so she leans over and does a kind of hop/crawl with one hand and one foot. When she returned, she had a package of Bindis in her hand. She took one out and placed it on my forehead. She then touched my face, motioned with her hand toward heaven, and put her hands over her heart. It was such a beautiful moment for me. I was so humbled that this incredible woman, who has next to nothing, gave me one of her few possessions with no questions asked. We had just met each other, yet I felt her love and gratitude so strongly as she tried to communicate her thanks to God.
I know a little of Saroja's story. She is married to another resident of Moot, Krishna. She and her husband both contracted leprosy and were severely disfigured by the effects of the disease.
Krishna scoots around on a little scooter. He has very few toes and fingers left and can't walk easily. He and Saroja and a pretty unhappy and abusive marriage. Saroja now refuses to live in the same house as Krishna, yet she still makes his meals everyday and takes it over to him. This is the kind of person she is. She is so loving and amazing. She also takes part of her meager weekly supply of rice and grinds it up to feed the birds. She says the birds are her friends and she painstakingly gathers a dish of water for them everyday, as well. She is such an example of Christ-like love and generosity, despite her incomprehensibly difficult life.
These are two more men from the colony. I wish I could remember their names, but I can't. They were also so happy and showed so much gratitude for us.
Then, of course, there is Jayaraj and his wife, who I think is named Mary. She doesn't have leprosy, but she gave up her financial, physical, and social comforts to stay with her husband when he was sent to the colony. Oftentimes, spouses separate if one contracts leprosy, but I deeply admire Mary for having the courage to move with her husband in his time of need. They both contribute this astonishing sense of life and joy to the outcast little group of people.
After our dance party, we said our goodbyes and got on the bus to go home. As we were driving away, I was looking out at these wonderful people. They were all lined up, smiling, and waving at us as we left. I was so struck by their resilience and spirits. They are the truest proof that happiness is a choice. These people are in the middle of nowhere, living in dirty little huts, and are happy. They have lost everything they ever knew. They lost their jobs, their friends, their families, their fingers, their toes, their limbs....absolutely everything. Yet, despite all that, they smile. They sing and dance. They give rice to birds and bindis to strangers. They silently praise and give thanks to God. They instantly love, welcome, and open their homes to volunteers who come from far more fortunate circumstances.
I feel deeply indebted to the people of Moot. They taught me so many lessons in such a short amount of time. I will never forget Saroja's smile or Jayaraj's dancing.
I love all of you and I miss you. Thank you to my amazing family for all the love and support.
I love moot with my whole heart. Jayaraj, Saroja Jayamary, Krishnan, Pariyasami, Paramasivan, and Koteshwari are 7 of the happiest most grateful souls on earth...in a tiny village far from any town...burdened by leprosy...with very little possessions they call their own. But they sit under that tree and sing praises to God for all their blessings and give so much joy, love, and even possessions to us volunteers. They are amazing resilient souls, aren't they?! So happy you were able to make it out to Moot. Proud of you!! Keep being so super. Give the kiddos mine and Derek's love. We love you, B!
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