Of all the things we enjoy doing for the Lord’s ministry, the leper ministry is our favorite! Less than one minute after arriving at my first leper colony years ago, I pleaded with the Lord for two things: The first was for Him to give me what it takes to win them to Christ, and the second request was for the Lord to help me become their friend.

For over four thousand years, Hinduism has taught that when a person develops leprosy (which is now called Hansen’s Disease) it is because they are cursed by the gods for some sinful life they lived before. When leprosy first appears as a small spot on the body, the victim will hide it from every friend and family member until it begins to spread and someone notices. As soon as the disease is discovered, the leper is immediately carried far away from society to a “leper colony.” They are left to live out their horribly suffering lives with all the other lepers without ever getting one more visit from anyone for the rest of their lives!

In India, the lepers cannot come to our larger village crusades, because the locals will throw rocks and sticks and even cause dogs to chase them away in fear. So, we carry the crusades directly into their colonies! We feed, clothe, and medicate them as we hug, hold, and love on them and their babies! We love the lepers of India like our own family and we intend to minister to them for the rest of our lives. Yes, they are rejected and chased away now, but the day will come when Christ will welcome them at His table in Heaven, where no stones will be thrown at them and no dogs will chase them. This will be possible because our partners have been so faithful to assist us in getting them saved!