KIT Blog

Spoken by Pius Ogbu Sunday,
Program Manager, The Leprosy Mission Nigeria

For the last 17 years, I’ve had the privilege to live and work among communities of people affected by leprosy.

This has given me the opportunity to get to personally know and share the pain they suffer, and also witness the transformation that can happen with the power of your love in their life through The Leprosy Mission.

Let me introduce you to Jane.

BEFORE YOUR KINDNESS

Jane’s dad and mum were both affected by leprosy. They had complications which caused physical deformities and left them so disfigured that their own families rejected and isolated them.

This meant, as a young child, Jane grew up in a leprosy community, constantly being told that nothing good could come out of her family. 

The first time I met Jane was when her father came to one of The Leprosy Mission hospitals, where we have our orthopaedic workshop to make and fit prosthetic limbs. Jane’s dad received a prosthetic leg and was able to walk again.

I kept in contact with the family, but was heartbroken a few months later when Jane phoned, and told me her dad was very ill with a leprosy ulcer that had become cancerous.

What made it worse was that Jane’s extended family showed up, with a plan to marry Jane off, and to force her two young brothers to become farm labourers. That was the only future they thought them worthy of!

When Jane reached out to me,  

crying at the other end of the phone,  

she was asking for help.

All of us on The Leprosy Mission team knew we couldn’t abandon Jane and her brothers to that community.

Jane’s mother gave us her full support to protect her children, and agreed we should move the family away, to the welcoming community where I live. Basically, I became Jane’s adoptive father, and began to care for her and her brothers, supported by people like you through The Leprosy Mission.

AFTER YOUR CARE

When we rescued Jane, all she had were a few school qualifications.  Jane and her two young brothers went back to school. We found a place for them to live.

That was 11 years ago.

As I speak with you today, Jane is married, and blessed with three lovely children. Not only did Jane get her first degree, she also has a Master’s Degree in Public Health.

Her two brothers are currently in the university. One is studying electrical engineering, and the other is studying computer science.

This is why The Leprosy Mission exists. This is the reason why we do the things we do.

We are simply walking 

in the footsteps of Jesus, 

extending the healing hand 

he extended to people hurt by leprosy.

Jane’s story is the perfect testimony of how the love that The Leprosy Mission conveys across the world can transform life for people like Jane, whose lives are affected by leprosy in their family.

Our privilege – mine, and yours - is to bring change and transformation and restoration. Together, we make a life-changing difference for those we are called to serve.

"I have come that they may have life,

and have it to the full.” Jesus (John 10:10b)

Pray for Jane as she continues to thrive, transformed, thanks to the prayers and compassion of people like you. Pray for others, like Jane, whose lives are affected by family members with leprosy. 

Pray for The Leprosy Mission Nigeria as they work tirelessly to bring love and support to people living with the consequences of leprosy. Pray that more people like you will become aware of the wonderful work they are doing, walking in the footsteps of Jesus.

If you would like to support people like Jane through the Strengthening Integrated Neglected Tropical Disease Control project in Zamfara you can do so here. Thank you.

Donate to the Nigeria project