Leprosy Compassion Ministry: Progress Tracking in December

In December of 2013, Divine Grance visited the Yi Liang Yang Juang Gou rehabilitation village. The following photographs and data reflect the activities that were carried out in December.

1. On December 8th, Divine Grace visited the rehabilitation village, focusing on the treatment of patients with ulcer problems, and also to invite previous patients who stayed at the rehabilitation center to take a panoramic picture holding the thank you letter for to Transparent Fish Fund, thanking them and their volunteers abroad for fixing the solar powered shower room in the center. 

Liang Ping examining and treating patients.

We also went to visit Zhao Bao Cai's and his grandfather at their house to give them tuition grants for Bao Cai's schooling. We asked him to sign his name, and young Bai Cai was very excited. He held up the thank you sign to thank Transparent Fish Fund and Mr. and Mrs. Chao's help, and promised to work hard and get stellar grades to show his gratitude towards the foundation and its foreign volunteers. 

During their visit to the rehabilitation center, Liang Ping and the volunteers went to a nearby village to visit a patient with mucopolysaccaridosis, named Xu Jie, to provide help to his family.

2. On December 13, Liang Ping invited American volunteers Noble and Mark, and their families, to visit the Xun Dian rehabilitation village. There were 6 adults and 8 children in all.

The Xun Dian rehabilitation village is located in Kun Ming, Yun Nan. It is 170 km from Kun Ming, 70 km from the Xun Dian county, and located in Alpine Mountains area, where the altitude is the highest. 

The winters are longer and colder here, and there is a large temperature difference between morning and evening. The only crops that can grow are potatoes, corn, and tobacco. Because the area is very dry, in general, every three years there will be one harvest. In the rehabilitation village there are now 30 patients, all over 50 years old. Most are frail and suffer from serious ulcer problems. Though the sons and daughters of the patients live very close by, it is still very difficult  for the patients because they only have about 80 yuan of income per month. Aside from this, they rely on income from crop harvest, but with the land unable to yield crops, they need extra help in order to afford medical treatment.

Leprosy Compassion Ministry and our volunteers considered the needs of Xun Dian rehabilitation village, and concentrated on raising funds to buy rice, towels, socks, medicine, and food for the patients. We stayed with them for two days to serve them, but unfortunately it started to rain on Saturday night, and then snow, which affected our plans. Below is a series of photographs from our visit:

These are the bags of rice that we purchased for the rehabilitates. 31 bags total, each one weighed 25 kg. This is Mark, Noble, and their children.

Mark's wife giving a patient a haircut. This was her first time in rural Yunan, and her first time in a leprosy rehabilitation village. 

Liang Ping, giving a patient an examination and treating ulcers. 

Due to rain and snow interference, we had to terminate our visit early and prepare the return trip. The patients went out in the rain to see us off.

This path was the most difficult way out of the village, but thanks to the recovered patients help we were able to navigate our way out and avoid the muddy areas. We returned to Kunming on Sunday evening, ending our trip that was full of love, excitement, and surprises.

Original article written by Ping Liang, translated and edited by Kaitlyn Cheung.