(photo by Katie Imhof)
This week I felt as if I was stepping into the Bible when we visited a leper colony on the outskirts of Kathmandu.
The day began as most days here do. Woke up, had devotions, ate breakfast, and boarded a bus with our translator. An hour or so later, we disembarked the crowded vehicle. Our translator began walking away with very little explanation. Minutes later, we emerged from the forrest of brick buildings and cobblestone onto a gravel path and the expanse of hundreds of fields below us.
I tried to soak in all the beauty as we sauntered down the mountain into the valley below. While I walked, I waved to the women working in the fields. Their hunched backs and darkened faces spoke of a lifetime of constant labor.
Reaching the flat ground, we continued on our journey. Soon we were presented with a bridge over a shallow river. We see these bridges a lot when we get outside the big city portions of Kathmandu. They are huge steel swinging structures. Giant metal beams hold the wires taught from one side of the river to the other. Rectangular tiles line the bridge, leaving gaps where we can see the mirky river below. The bridge swings and rattles in the breeze and with the help of some of the guys on my team who think it is funny to shake it. These bridges are so strong, motorcycles regularly cross.
As we made it to the other side and climbed up a short hill, I was greeted by a person I did not expect. A man with no fingers and toes approached us, bowing his head in welcoming. I am directed into a courtyard with a tree in the middle and rooms surrounding me in a rectangle.
Our translator briefed us on our ministry for the day. We were simply spending time with the men and women in this leper colony. Honestly, days like these can either be AMAZING or super awkward. This day was the former!
Here’s what wikipedia says about leprosy:
“Symptoms that develop include granulomas of the nerves, respiratory tract, skin, and eyes. This may result in a lack of ability to feel pain, thus loss of parts of extremities due to repeated injuries or infection due to unnoticed wounds. Weakness and poor eyesight may also be present.”
Just as stated above, the people in this village were missing toes, fingers and even whole portions of their feet and hands as well as having obviously deformed nasal cavities and poor sight.
A whole group sat on stools or in the grass when we walked into the courtyard. They all got up, ecstatic to see us arrive. We all split off with different individuals, talking to them with the help of the translator. But since there is only one translator and 13 of us, communication was difficult.
There I sat, between two elderly ladies, not able to say a single thing to them. We laughed and pointed at different things trying to find something we could understand. They were so happy and bright. One woman had a poorly done braid flowing down here back. As we sat there, I motioned to her hair. I made many approving noises to show I liked it. Turning to the other woman, I motioned to ask if she liked the braid too. She nods, but then both of them hold up their fingerless hands in dismay. They cannot braid their own hair.
I looked around, and noticed that only a few of the women in the yard had their hair braided. Traditionally, I have noticed that women, especially elder women, in Nepal and India tend to wear their hair in braids or a tight bun atop their heads. These women wore loose braids or just let their hair flow.
I turned to the woman on my right, the woman without a braid, and asked if I could braid her hair for her. She smiled, which accentuated her missing teeth and wrinkled face. We sat on the steps and I braided her hair. But not any ordinary braid… a fishtail braid! All the women looked on in awe as I braided her hair with only two strands of hair instead of the usual three.
Before I could even fully admire my work, another woman plopped down in front of me. Without a question, I began my work.
One person donated a comb to my endeavor. As the women sat down, I didn’t just braid their hair. I brushed it. Their hair was greasy, filled with dirt, grass, and occasionally bugs. I gently separated every tangle and removed all the critters I could find. I know how much I love it when people brush my hair, so I wanted to take my time on every woman.
Additionally, the Lord spoke to me as I worked. He showed me the opportunity He literally put in my lap. Each woman sat in front of me for about 10 minutes. They couldn’t understand English, but God could. As I brushed and braided, I also prayed. I lifted these women up to my father. That He might heal their bodies and hearts. That He would care for their families and relieve any anxiety they may have. It was such a precious time.
Soon, my squamate Jess arrived with a bouquet of wildflowers she picked on the side of the road. Jess blessed them and uplifted them as she handed out each yellow blossom. Many of them asked me to put the flowers in their braids as I finished. They were made to feel young by the gift of a flower and made to feel beautiful as I adorned their raven tresses with the blossom. They were like little schoolgirls, giggling and straightening each others floppy flowers.
Almost this whole community of lepers attends the local church right up the hill. After our visit was over, my team ate lunch on the roof of the church. It was a beautiful 4 story building with a breathtaking view of the valley and surrounding fields. The pastor himself is missing a few toes himself from this heartbreaking disease.
These men and women are my brothers and sisters in Christ. We didn’t bring the salvation of the Lord into that place, because it was already there, but we did bring the Love of the Lord!
Compassion goes a long way.
Ephesians 4:32
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as Christ God forgave you.
This was the day I braided the hair of my sisters in Christ who had no fingers.
This was the day I loved people Jesus loved.
This was the day I showed women how beautiful they are.
This was the day I stepped into the Bible.
This was the day I was the hands of Christ.
