After Christmas lunch, cousin Joshua asked if we’d like to join him on a visit to a leper colony. I thought at first I was losing something in translation but indeed Joshua worked with lepers and had a scheduled visit.
We drove for an hour through little villages and finally arrived at a Seva Jyoti Leprosy Rehabilitation Centre in the Nellore District. I was the first out of the car and was immediately swarmed by people who wanted to shake my hand. I shook a bunch of hands but then one arm was extended to me without a hand. I shook the man’s forearm and wished him a happy Christmas
We were invited to sit down on chairs placed for us on the road while we watched festivities in the parade ground. A number of villagers including the mayor came up to greet Joshua and several told us of how much they appreciated his support. I immediately saw the effects of leprosy as many of those who greeted us had been badly deformed by the disease. According to the UN, leprosy was eradicated in India in 2005 but Joshua said it was still widespread throughout India.
I saw a man who was severely debilitated by leprosy sitting alone on the road watching the women play musical chairs I sat down on the road next to him for a chat. He was happy to have the company and flashed me a beautiful grin as I wished him a Happy Christmas. I took a few photos of him and we had fun looking at them through the camera monitor and each time I had him shift his pose a bit more and then we’d review the results. Finally we got a shot that pleased us both so I gave it a thumbs up and I’m sure if he had had a thumb he would have done the same.
Xander saw me sitting with the man and saw a photo opportunity and took my camera and as soon as the camera came out some children also wanted to get in on the photo. I got tired of taking so many photos and gave the camera to Xander and Joe and soon they had a village full of children following them and asking ‘one photo please?’
The children at the centre did not suffer from the leprosy which afflicted their parents. It can spread via intimate contact however modern drugs can now cure it.
Several children saw me taking photos of the man sitting on the road and suddenly I was mobbed by children all holding up a finger and saying ‘One photo please?’ I fired off photos just as fast as my motor drive could keep up. I don’t know how many children stood in front of me and asked for a photo. My friend, the village man, and I just laughed as the children would pose and I would make some silly comments to get them to relax before I snapped the shutter.
One boy came up to me while I was sitting and put his arm around me so I thought I’d take a selfie. But these children don’t understand the concept of a selfie. As soon as I held the camera out in front of me a group of children ran out in front of me and posed in a perfectly straight line. ‘No, no,’ I shouted. ‘Come behind me.’ I tried to extend the camera out again and they still ran in front. Finally I gave the camera to Joseph and he shot the pic. Technically it’s not a selfie but I still like this shot.
Joseph made a friend with this girl and learned that her name was Mahalakshmi.
Namaste! This man saw me photographing the children and wanted to get in the action as well so I took his photo as he greeted me warmly.
Joshua leading the group of children in song and games. He gave the children Chrsitmas gifts of badly needed items including blankets.
On the drive back from the leprosy centre, cousin Joshua suggested I come back to India for a longer time so I could travel with him while he worked with the poor and take photos. I said I would like to but more importantly he should extend the invitation to Joseph and Xander who have their lives ahead of them. I was very pleased when both boys immediately said they would love to return and do some volunteer work.
With that Padma and I can be happy we achieved one of our objectives with this journey. We live a very comfortable life in Australia and neither Joseph nor Xander have had any real experience in seeing how the hundreds of millions of less fortunate live. We wanted to open their eyes to the needs of others. The visit to the leper colony allowed them to plunge head first into that experience. They visited a group of people who have a debilitating disease which have caused them to be shunned from communities for centuries and yet they discovered how beautiful these people are and how great their needs are and yet how rewarding it can be to work with them. Their cousin Joshua proved to be a great role model for them and I am quite confident that both Joseph and Xander will some day return to India or other less fortunate countries.
