Yunnan Leprosy: March 2016 Report

In March 2016 Yunnan Leprosy organized 3 visits to villages—A’ziying and Yimeng of Kunming and Yangquangou of Yiliang county, providing medical care to 32 lepers.

1) Visiting A’ziying Village

Liang Ping is asking Li Ping information.

​Yunnan Leprosy had been concerned about Wang Caifeng. Her cell phone had not been answered for several days. Liang Ping and volunteers visited A’ziying early in the morning of March 1. ​​Li Ping was running to greet us when she saw Liang Ping. They were happy that Liang Ping came again.

Liang Ping and her family gave cooking oil to 4 lepers, hoping to make their lives better.

Recovering patient Li Ping likes to live in this old house. Liang Ping reminded him to be safe, especially during rainy days.

Recovering patient Mao Jingzhong explained Wang Caifeng's situation to Liang Ping. Caifeng had not been well since her father had died. Caifeng's daughter took her to the hospital near her home for treatment. The lepers are illiterate and they did not know where the hospital was, but they told Liang Ping that Caifeng is probably already much better. Normal hospitals don't welcome lepers, so she was told to stay in a private-owned hospital. The lepers did not know more details but Yunnan Leprosy will follow up and hopes to give her more help.

These organic cabbages were grown by the lepers. They insisted that Liang Ping bring some home with her.

Liang Ping left A’Ziying with disappointment, since they still did not know what had happened to Wang Caifeng. Wang Caifeng is the youngest among the lepers and her health is a better than the others. If she were there, she would be able to give more help to the other lepers.

2) Visiting Yimeng

It had been half a year since Yunnan Leprosy last visited Yimeng. The lepers missed Liang Ping and the other volunteers. They asked Sister Wang to call Liang Ping and hoped the volunteers would visit them and give them some medical help. To meet their needs, Liang Ping invited volunteers from church. They rented a car and came to Yimeng, sending loving gifts to 12 lepers. An owner of a hotpot restaurant in Yimeng became one of volunteers and visited the village too.

Liang Ping examines the lepers and distributes medicine according to their situation.

Sister Wang's husband has been asking Liang Ping to do acupuncture for him because he has severe pain in the legs. He said they need doctors to help them.

This volunteer doctor came in her spare time to help the lepers. She is a professional surgeon.

Volunteers cooperated well to help the lepers cut firewood and clean. Some of them helped give massages. Xiao Wang, a volunteer, is giving a massage to Lao Zhao.

This is Lao Wang’s foot. Most lepers have feet that look like this, so they have to stay in the village. People outside the village are afraid of them.

Lepers with better health can receive treatment in the yard. Lao Zhang is receiving treatment. He is much better.

Lao Li could not get out so volunteers came to his room. They did a physical check and gave him some antibiotics and pain killers. These are what the volunteers can do for the lepers, hoping they get better.

The volunteers tried their best to help the lepers. They could not help but feel sad when their jobs were done and they had to leave, for the lepers live in the mountains and still need help. They need love and to communicate with people. They need to enjoy life as like the rest of us do, but they could not even access simple treatment. Hospitals do not admit them. They had to put up with pain and rely on pain killers. As Sister Wang said, “The days you come visit us are our happiest days! We hope you come again!”

Original article translated by Maggie Li, edited by Carolyn D.