Russell and Eileen's Church Missions: LELE FOR THE KUSTA (LEPROSY)

We have recently been working on a lele (catfish) farm at the kusta (leprosy) colony at Sitanala hospital. I (Eileen) was asked on Friday how we come up with our projects. This one came about strictly through information received while exercising. Most of my good ideas and contacts have some association with the pool. It is good to be a “senior” (older) missionary.

When we first came to Jakarta I met a nice couple while on a walk at our apartment complex. They told me about a leprosy colony near the airport. I was very intrigued and wanted to know more about it. Due to our being busy with other projects and difficulty making connections nothing happened for a year. Then when we had some slack time and were searching for a project, my friend that first mentioned the colony to me saw me at the pool and asked if he had ever given us his contact information for the kusta colony. Only the night before we had been praying to know where we should be looking for our next project. God works quickly when you are doing that which He wants you to do.

Within a few days we finally were able to make a visit out to the kusta colony and a few weeks later to the appropriate hospital administrators. There we met with a Dr. Munthe who was over the rehabilitation of the patients with leprosy. He told us that in the area there were approximately 1,000 kusta patients, most of whom have already been treated and no longer contagious. With their families, the colony totals somewhere between 5,000 and 6,000 people. Many have tried returning to their villages after treatment but have been rejected because of the stigma attached to leprosy. During and after treatment, the rehabilitation efforts focus not only on physical and mental issues but also tries to teach the patients skills that will enable them to earn money and become self-sufficient.

Dr. Aloysius, director of hospital services, told us that the government gives them funding but restricts the use of those funds to the treatment of the patients, leaving them without government funding for much of their rehabilitation efforts.

Currently they are trying to teach the patients how to garden, sew and raise fish. Our desire was to help them in some way that would be self-sustaining if at all possible. Dr. Munthe suggested we consider expanding their already established fish farming program. There were 3 small ponds with plastic lining similar to what you would see in a child’s swimming pool back home. We offered to have our church help with building more ponds if Dr. Munthe would submit a proposal.

We were very pleased when Dr. Munthe came back to us within a short time with an organized proposal. It was checked by a local church member who also has lele to make sure that it was a sound, viable proposal. The project was approved by our supervisors in Hong Kong and work started on July 2^nd. We have been astonished at how quickly the work is progressing, especially considering we are in Ramadan now, the month of fasting.

Russell and I both believe that this project came about through God’s direction. We believe we have been lead to this place in order to help His children who are poor and suffering. Several people at the hospital have told us that this is the first time anyone has tried to do any “big” project for the kusta patients in quite a while. It is our hope that as the people learn how to farm fish that they may feel better about themselves as they become self-sufficient. Perhaps this can be an income producer that will be successful enough that it can be self-sustaining and possibly provide income toward other worthwhile projects helping the kusta patients and their families. We truly enjoy our time working with the individuals at Sitanala hospital. Our plan is to add pictures weekly to this blog posting so that you can see the progress of the project.