Day 2

My team was lucky enough to be the first ones from this session to do medical. We drove out the colony Polambaakam.

The first man that I met wanted his glasses cleaned. I helped

 him take them off and we got them wiped off as best as we could.

After making our way around and greeting everyone we unloaded the medical supplies and set everything up. Each memeber of the leprosy colony has a file. Volunteers help check the patients blood pressure, pulse, and glucose and record the results on paper. Then the pateints pick up their medications.

We each got to choose our stations and got ourselves prepared. I chose to do washing.

We made an assembly line of removing bandages, washing, and oiling. Then the nurse cut the dead tissue out of the ulcers and put new bandages on.

The last thing that the patients receive is eye drops. Leprosy first affects the hands, feet and eyes. So eye care is critical. 

After we cleaned up we had a few minutes to visit with the patients. I sat by the cutest lady! She was missing all of her fingers and had ulcers on both of her feet. She was smiling the whole time that we treated her feet. There were flies attacking us so I sang a few lines of "Shoo Fly" with the actions. She doesn't speak english and probably thought I was crazy. But she just smilied and laughed with me anyway.

We took a small detour once we finished at the colony. Our bus driver asked if we wanted to see the beach. We of course said yes. We got there and two local men offered to take us on a boat ride. Again, had to say yes! So for 600 rupees we had oursleves a little adventure.

We stopped and walked around some ruins that were built by the muslim rulers in the 1800's. It was fun to see such an unexpected and different part of India.

It was interesting to be at the colony this morning. The whole reason that I came to India was to meet the people that have been affected by leprosy. I saw this video of a past team on medical and wanted so badly to have the experience for myself.

 

It's hard to explain the feeling that I had while we were driving to the colony this morning. I was excited. I have been wanting to come to India with Rising Star Outreach for almost 8 years now, and here I was. I was on my way to meet these people that I have been praying for for months. I was curious. I curious how I would feel once I actually saw the ulcers. I didn't think that they would bother me, but then again I haven't ever actually been around someone who's flesh is rotting away. I was nervous to talk to the people. Not because they have leprosy but becasue we don't have a common language. I didn't know what I would say or if it would make either of us uncomfortable for me to ramble away without being understood.

But I also felt at peace. This was something that I knew I needed to be doing, not just for them but for me.

We got to the colony and were set free to visit with the people. Not many people were outside and I didn't want to wander and over step my boundaries. I met a few people that were already outside. One was a lady who had had both leprosy and cancer. No one would treat her so her leg had to be amputated. I said hello to each person that I saw but continued on my way.

I helped get the stations set up and the next thing I knew I was holding a man's foot in my hand and washing it. It took me a moment to even realize that his foot was disfigured and that I was gently washing around a deep hole in his foot. It just felt so natural. I was washing a wound on his foot just as I would for my friends. He was just a man seeking physical assistance. Someone who was probably embarrassed to depend on someone else to do something as simple as wash his feet, just as I would be. Someone with a family, maybe a wife and kids. And someone that needs kindness in his life just as much as I do.  

The experience was everything that I thought it would be and more. I wish that I could do medical everyday, just to be with these people.