Greetings! 

Here is a report from Jim Whittle in the Dominican Republic. I think you will be challenged by it.

Ron Houp

Sr. Vice President

Have you ever been to a leprosy hospital? Janet and I had the opportunity to visit one in the Dominican Republic earlier this week.

His hands were devastated from the effects of the disease. I learned that bacteria from leprosy attacks nerve endings. This affects the body's ability to feel pain. Repeated and substantial injuries lead to infections and tissue loss, which further leads to shortening of bones and severely malformed or lost fingers, toes, arms, and legs. Blindness can also result from the effects of leprosy.  

Monday morning we were invited to go with Regina to the Leprosy Hospital. When we arrive, we enter a fenced and walled area that is well tended. We pull to a stop where a woman is sitting under what looks like a picnic shelter at one of our state parks. Her name is Yolanda. She is blind. One eye devastated by the effects of her leprosy, the other fogged over with the white of a bad cataract.

When she hears Regina's voice, she raises her hands and arms in the air and calls out "Chica! Chica!" Her excitement shines. Yolanda is 89 years old, has lived at the hospital for 5 years, and has 15 children. She is a "treasure." Yolanda was born with leprosy....

A few minutes after we arrive, Ronaldo joins us. He doesn't look his 82 years and he speaks almost perfect English. There are few English words he has to search for as he asks us questions. Unlike Yolanda, Ronaldo wasn't born with leprosy. He contracted it about 15 years ago. His hands are mangled and he has lost a leg. He gets around in a simple wheelchair that he propels mainly his leg, with a little help from his hands. He has a beautiful head of white hair against his brown skin.

He says, "I have Christ in my heart" and "I like to eat fruit" when we complement him on his age defying looks. He also tells us he was a Protestant pastor for 50 years. He has never been to America, but at one time it was his dream to live here.

There are 18 residents in this hospital. Ronaldo is the only one we meet who speaks English. All of them (at least those we see) are happy to receive visitors and I understand they get a good many from the U.S.

It saddens me to hear that these humble, gentle people are victims of robberies from people coming into their rooms, their homes, by coming onto the hospital facilities from an area where the wall has fallen down.

As nice as the grounds and facilities are, they are in need of painting, repairs to roofs that leak when it rains, repairs to rotted doors and cracked concrete. They need a wall to deter the robbers. How will we respond? 

Thank you for your prayers.

Reaching forward,

Jim Whittle

GO InterNational

Director of DocuMissions